WASHINGTON March 22, 2009, 06:07 am ET · Before war protesters ended their demonstration Saturday afternoon, several placed cardboard coffins in front of the offices of northern Virginia defense contractors such as KBR Inc. and Lockheed Martin Corp. as riot police stood by.
"Lockheed Martin you can't hide, we charge you with genocide!" they chanted as part of a demonstration that began in Washington to mark the sixth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq.
Arlington County, Va., police estimated there were 2,500 to 3,000 protesters and said no arrests were made.
Organizers from the ANSWER Coalition said more than 1,000 groups sponsored the protest to call for an end to the Iraq war, and estimated that about 10,000 people participated. Carrying signs saying "We need jobs and schools, not war" and "Indict Bush," demonstrators beat drums and played trumpets as they marched from near the Lincoln Memorial past the Pentagon into Virginia.
Meanwhile, at a similar protest in San Francisco, tension grew after four or five dozen activists surrounded a group of riot-equipped police, throwing sticks and water bottles. Police responded by regrouping in riot formation and physically detaining several protesters who pushed and shoved with officers.
Protest leaders shouted from the stage, urging police to leave. Barriers were quickly erected between police and protesters as an organizer urged calm and the activists started to disperse.
In Washington, protesters demanded that President Barack Obama immediately withdraw all U.S. troops from Iraq, saying thousands of Iraqis have died and thousands of American troops have been wounded or killed.
"We think it's especially important for this new administration to feel the pressure from people that we don't want more war," said Obama supporter Pat Halle, 59, of Baltimore.
Anti-war activists said even though former President George W. Bush is out of power, they are disappointed with what they see as stalled action from Obama.
"Obama seems to be led somewhat by the bureaucracies. I want him to follow up on his promise to end the war," said 66-year-old Perry Parks of Rockingham, N.C., who said he served in the Army for nearly 30 years, including in Vietnam.
Obama has said he plans to withdraw roughly 100,000 troops by summer 2010. He promises to pull the last of the U.S. troops by the end of 2011, in accordance with a deal Iraqis signed with Bush.
There were about 138,000 troops in Iraq as of March 13.
In the video...
Andrew Bacevich is a professor of International Relations & History at Boston University. He has written several books, including The Limits of Power: The End of Military Exceptionalism and The New American Militarism: How Americans Are Seduced by War.
Thomas J. Barfield is a professor of Anthropology at Boston University and the President of the American Institute of Afghanistan Studies.
Robert Pape is a professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago specializing in international security affairs. He is the author of Dying to Win: The Strategic Logic of Suicide Terrorism.
Carl Conetta is the Co-Director of the Project on Defense Alternatives.
Faiysal Alikhan is the Founder of the Foundation for Integrated Development Action. He chairs Pakistan’s International Chamber of Commerce Commission on Customs and Trade Regulation.
Stephen Kinzer is a foreign correspondent, writer, and the author of several books, including Overthrow: America’s Century of Regime Change from Hawaii to Iraq.
Shukria Barakzai is a member of the Afghan parliament and helped draft Afghanistan’s constitution. She is the founder and editor-in-chief of Aina–E–Zan (Women’s Mirror), a weekly newspaper for women in Kabul, Afghanistan.
Dr. Ramaza Bashardost is Afghanistan's former Planning Minister, a current member of parliament and an Independent candidate in the upcoming Presidential Election.
Mohammad Osman Tariq is president of the pro-democracy group the National Council for Peace and Democracy in Afghanistan. He was a Mujahid commander and fought against the Russians in the Soviet-Afghan war. His recent publication Tribal Security System in Southeast Afghanistan is available here.
Ruslan Aushev is a retired Lt. General in the Russian Army and is Chief of the Committee of Russian Afghan Veterans. He is a former president of Ingushetia.
Anand Gopal is Afghanistan Correspondent for the Christian Science Monitor.
More Troops + Afghanistan = Catastrophe (Full Video) - Rethink Afghanistan Part 1
NPR.org, March 8, 2009 · The U.S. military in Baghdad has announced it will be withdrawing 12,000 American troops in the next six months.
In a statement, the U.S. military said that two brigade combat teams who were scheduled to redeploy in the next six months along with enabling forces such as logistics, engineers and intelligence will not be replaced.
That would reduce the number of U.S. troops in Iraq — currently around 140,000 — by around 12,000. A U.S. combat brigade typically has 4,000 to 5,000 soldiers.
The announcement is an initial step in President Obama's plan to end combat operations in Iraq by August 2010. Beyond this drawdown, U.S. troop strength is not expected to be significantly reduced this year.
Iraq still has to conduct crucial national elections at the end of the year. And while violence is dramatically down, there are still daily attacks — a suicide bomber blew himself up Sunday outside Baghdad's main police academy, killing and wounding dozens.
What can you say?
This madman was President of the United States and Kissinger is still around peddling the world view he honed as a Rockefeller empire employee.
What the Vietnam anti-war
movement stopped
While getting exact numbers of deaths in Afghanistan is virtually impossible given the chaotic situation on the ground, particularly in the restive south, the report once again points to the absurdity of last month’s NATO report, which claimed only 973 civilians overall killed and only 97 by international forces.
Want information on the March 21st March on the Pentagon?
Go to http://www.PentagonMarch.org
Why We're Marching on the Pentagon
Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine ... Occupation is A Crime
Why are we still marching even after the war criminal George W. Bush has left office? Because the people must speak out for what is right. More than 1 million Iraqis have died and tens of thousands of U.S. troops have been wounded or killed.
The Iraq and Afghanistan war will drag on for years unless we act now.
The cost in lives and resources is criminal regardless of whether the Democrats or Republicans are in charge of the government.
We must also act to end U.S. support for Israel’s ongoing war against the Palestinian people. The Bush Administration gave the green light and provided the weapons and the money for Israel’s recent war against the Palestinian people in Gaza. More than 5,000 Palestinians were killed or wounded; the majority of casualties were civilians, including hundreds of children, in this high-tech massacre. “We the People” pay the bill as the U.S. provides $2.5 billion a year for Israel’s massive military machine.
Why We Say "Bring All the Troops Home Now Not Later!"
If Bush’s war and occupation of Iraq was an illegal action of aggression—and it was—how can the new government say that it can only gradually end the war over a number of years? The Iraqis don’t want foreign military forces running their country. No one would!
The Pentagon has employed 200,000 foreign contractors (mercenaries) and 150,000 U.S. troops to maintain the occupation of Iraq. They have no right to be there. A few thousand are being brought out of Iraq only to be redeployed to occupy Afghanistan, and the fools in the media proclaim “the war is winding down.” That is not true.
President Obama decided to keep the Pentagon just as it was under Bush. He even selected Bush appointee Robert Gates to keep his position as chief of the Pentagon. Gates announced that the new administration would double the number of troops sent to Afghanistan. That is certainly not the “change” most people thought was coming following the end of Bush’s tenure.
These are wars for domination in the Middle East and Central Asia.
The people of the United States want change. We are sick and tired of wars of aggression waged abroad under false slogans of “national security.” These are wars that reap massive profits for corporate weapons-makers with the promise of winning control over the vast oil and natural gas reserves in the Middle East and Central Asia.
Working people may have another definition for “national security.” What really makes the people “insecure?” Ask the 2.3 million families who are losing their homes because they are being foreclosed when they can’t pay their steep debts to the banks. Ironically, when these same parasitic bankers couldn’t pay their debts, the federal government rushed in with a $2.5 trillion bailout using our tax dollars.
Or ask working-class students who are being laid off from their jobs just as tuition costs soar out of reach. What defines “security” for millions of young people whose future is at stake? Do they want tax dollars spent to kill poor people abroad or to finance education?
We will march on Saturday, March 21, the sixth anniversary of the start of the Iraq invasion, to demand that taxpayer dollars be used to meet people’s needs—here and everywhere. This year’s real Pentagon war budget will top $1 trillion.
This amount could create 10 million jobs, provide healthcare and education for all, rebuild New Orleans, and repair much of the damage done in Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine. We need money for jobs, housing, health care and education, not for wars of aggression.
The occupation of Iraq alone costs $12 billion each month. This amounts to $400 million each day, $16.7 million per hour and $278,000 per minute.
The Pentagon war machine does not act in our interests. Its wars benefit the biggest corporations and banks that seek to control the markets and riches of the Middle East. The people of Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine are not our enemies. They want to live free from colonial-type domination. Only a people’s movement demanding an end to U.S. wars and militarism can win justice for people here and abroad.
Get Involved
- Add a link
- Download flyers and posters
- Sign up if you are organizing transportation
- Endorse
- Sign up to volunteer
- Donate
Go to http://www.pentagonmarch.org for more information.
A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition
http://www.answercoalition.org/
info@internationalanswer.org
National Office in Washington DC: 202-544-3389
New York City: 212-694-8720
Los Angeles: 213-251-1025
San Francisco: 415-821-6545
Chicago: 773-463-0311
We are in historic times. The Obama campaign mobilized millions of people, and his election has brought a new sense of hope and possibility to the nation. United For Peace and Justice is building on this momentum and the rich history that made the election of an African-American possible.
With the inauguration coming the day after our nation celebrates the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday, we are reminded again of King's courage and wisdom in connecting the issues of poverty, racism and war. In honor of his legacy, United For Peace and Justice is launching our BEYOND WAR, A NEW ECONOMY IS POSSIBLE: YES WE CAN! Campaign that will kick off on January 19th and culminate its first phase on April 4th with a massive mobilization in New York City.Visit here to see the document of the campaign voted on at the National Assembly.
- Click here to view resources on 'Retooling the Antiwar Movement'
- Click here to view resources on 'Resources for Base-Building'
- Click here to view news resources on the connection between war and the economy
April 4th is the anniversary of Martin Luther King's "Beyond Vietnam" speech in 1967 and, sadly, the anniversary of his death one year later. Our urgent call to end the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan will be linked to our call to help solve the current economic crisis by dramatically cutting military spending and, instead, investing in our communities.
Click here to download a PDF file of Dr. King's "Beyond Vietnam" speech. You can also listen to audio from Dr. King's speech here while reading along to the text.
Our campaign is a call for a new set of national priorities rooted in the vision and values of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. -- a world without racism, poverty, or war. To honor his work -- as well as our work of the last six years -- we are committing ourselves to working across race, class, and gender lines to build a massive people's movement with the power to help make sure the Obama administration and the U.S. Congress are in alignment with the will of the people.
Building this kind of power and movement starts from the bottom-up with local organizing and building relationships and alliances that are rooted in respect and real solidarity. To nurture the peace movement's growth into a strong ally for other movements will require work. But ending war and building justice for our communities is worth it!
There are several core elements to this campaign that we hope you will take up:
- Retooling the Antiwar Movement: We are launching this campaign in the context of this unique political moment. Our country has crossed a racial divide with the election of the first Black president. It is a moment to celebrate and to move a racial and economic justice agenda to the center of our grassroots organizing to end the wars. As a movement, we must relearn some history and deepen our analysis of systemic oppression. The UFPJ website will have resources to help facilitate discussions, strengthen organizing, and provide materials on racial justice.
- Alliance Building Work: Now is the time to take a new look at what coalition and alliance-building work means. Those of us who have spent the last six years trying to end the war in Iraq need to link up with the groups who have been active in the economic and social justice movements: what other groups are active in your community, what are their issues, what are they doing, what do they need, what do they think about the war. Together we can make a much stronger demand to end the wars and occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan and insist that money is spent on creating jobs, rebuilding infrastructure, building a green economy, stopping housing foreclosures, providing health care, and meeting the other needs of our communities.
- Base-building Work: expanding our memberships, our lists, and our power. Now more than ever people want to talk about the role of our government and what we might expect or not from the Obama administration. Let's engage them and listen to them. Let's use this moment to educate people on the costs of war and how the issues are connected. Let's invite people to join our groups and at least to sign up on our contact lists.
We encourage your group to take some time to think about how King's work and the framework of the Yes We Can campaign can support and be integrated into your local work.
United for Peace & Justice : Beyond War, A New Economy Is Possible: Yes We Can!
In historical terms, it is impossible to separate Israel's offensive against Hamas in Gaza from the long narrative of conflict and mutual grievance in the region.
In geographic terms, the war over a tiny plot of land cannot be detached from the wider involvement and strategic interests of other countries: Syria, Egypt, the US, Iran.
All of which makes it difficult to judge where - even if a unilateral Israeli ceasefire holds - the war really begins and ends.
That fact alone explains why the operation represents a defeat for Israel, as was always likely to be the outcome. The notion that the country's security problems can be resolved by the unilateral use of extreme force is a persistent delusion among Israeli politicians. In this case, the problem was perceived to be Hamas rocket fire into southern Israel; the solution was judged to be a war against Hamas. That analysis did not allow for the vital, humane recognition that, in densely populated Gaza, an all-out war against Hamas is, by necessity, an attack on the civilian population.
Even on its own terms, the campaign has failed. Israeli authorities will insist that they have limited the ability of Hamas to launch rocket attacks. But the ostensible war aim was destroying that capability completely.
A look at the major international and civil conflicts currently erupting around the world.
View What’s All the Fighting For?
The event, held in Federal Plaza right in front of Obama’s transition office, was part of plans for two days of action; tomorrow the activists plan to be in Obama’s neighborhood calling for an end to U.S. wars of aggression.
Those present at the rally strongly demanded that Barack Obama end the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan by immediately and completely withdrawing U.S. forces from the Middle East and by bringing the “war on terror” to an end.
The protest specifically called for antiwar activists to step up their efforts to call attention to important issues and declared, “Now is the time to speak out and demand real change and justice.”
The action was held on the same day as the United for Peace and Justice National Assembly. That and the weather, which consisted of cold 20 to 30 mph gusting winds, all had an effect on the number of people who came out to participate.
As one activist named Neal (who is with Jews for Justice) said, “This is the first speak out of this sort [that I know of] since Obama has been elected [which pointed] out how the president-elect is going to continue all the policies to achieve what he said would be another American century. This means war and injustice for U.S. Empire. It’s very important [that] we’re out here.”
It didn’t matter that the activists’ numbers looked small—that they looked like what Bush would call a “focus group.” What mattered was that the activists were there speaking out and calling for an end to wars for empire.
The “No More Wars for Empire” action, whose primary organizers were from the Chicago chapter of World Can’t Wait, was endorsed and supported by a range of citizen groups: UIC Campus Antiwar Network, Chicago Peace Vigil - Art Institute, Lone Lantern for 9/11 Truth, Chicago Labor Against the War, Chicago Coalition Against War and Racism, Campus Antiwar Network, Chicago Peace Vigil - Art Institute, Lone Lantern for 9/11 Truth, Chicago Labor Against the War, Gay Liberation Network, Neighbors for Peace, West Side Greens, North Side Greens, Chicago Committee to Free the Cuban 5, 8th Day Center for Justice (and others).
Neal with Jews for Justice explained that this was not only the 60th Anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights. It was the 60th Anniversary of the UN General Assembly’s Resolution 194.
“[Resolution 194] recognizes the right of return to anyone dispossessed by an occupation. Specifically, it recognizes the right of return to the Palestinians who were chased out of their homes in the 1940s by the Zionists and then again in 1967,” said Neal.
Neal went on to explain that the “U.S. government has done nothing to ensure the rights of the Palestinians” and that “Obama is for the exclusion of the democratically elected government of Hamas from the Palestinian political process.”
“This is part of U.S. policy in labeling anybody that opposes U.S. domination as terrorists,” said Neal.
Barack Obama was elected in large part because of his promise to end the Iraq War and we want to hold him to that pledge.You can send Obama and his transition team a letter asking him to sit down with leaders of the peace and anti-war movement to talk about bringing home our troops. Read CODEPINK's “Let’s Talk” invitation to the President-elect below, add in your own words, sign your name and zip code, and send your letter. Your letter will be automatically sent to Obama via the www.change.gov website through a few clicks on our website--now there's action magic! Let’s model how we arrive at peace
Dear President-Elect Obama,
Two years ago, the peace movement celebrated an election that changed the balance of power in the Congress and the Senate. We in the anti-war community fully expected that the new Democratically-controlled Congress would move swiftly to end the war in Iraq, but we were sadly disappointed. Today we are at a similar junction, and hope not to suffer a similar setback. You were elected in large part because of your promise to end the Iraq War and we want to hold you to that pledge. This letter is an invitation to you to sit down with leaders of the peace and anti-war communities to talk about bringing home our troops. Let's talk!
We'd like to bring together leaders from a broad spectrum of groups—among them Win Without War, ANSWER, Fellowship of Reconciliation, Tikkun, CODEPINK Women for Peace, WAND, and United for Peace & Justice—for an open dialogue with you about the future of our country and its role in the world. We have been watching with some trepidation as you assemble the members of your foreign policy team, many of whom were enablers if not architects of the invasion of Iraq. We hope that in this process you will take the time to listen to peace activists who have been working daily to end the occupation of Iraq and to prevent future wars.
It is amazing that the United States will soon have a President who has the breadth of lived experience and knowledge that you do—from the streets of Jakarta to the villages of Kenya to the projects of Chicago and the halls of America's elite institutions. It would be truly amazing if you would bring your wisdom and depth of knowledge onto the world stage as an agent for peace.
Please click on the link below to send your letter to Barack Obama
TELL U.N., BUSH, CHENEY, OBAMA, MCCAIN, CONGRESS AND THE MEDIA YOU CONDEMN U.S. ATTACKS ON SYRIA AND PAKISTAN!
Please join the online campaign to CONDEMN THE U.S. ATTACKS ON SYRIA AND PAKISTAN!
YOUR EMERGENCY ACTION IS NEEDED NOW! Click HERE to Fill in Online Form
Tell U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Security Council President Wang Guangya, President Bush, VP Cheney, Sens. Obama and McCain, Secretaries Rice and Gates, Congressional leaders and members of the media you
CONDEMN THE U.S. ATTACKS ON SYRIA AND PAKISTAN!Click here to sign the online petition!
Mass Actions on the 6th Anniversary of the Iraq War -- March 21, 2009
Bring All the Troops Home Now -- End All Colonial Occupations!
Fund People's Needs, Not Militarism & Bank Bailouts!
Marking the sixth anniversary of the criminal invasion of Iraq, thousands will take to the streets of Washington D.C. and other cities across the U.S. and around the world in March 2009 to say, “Bring the Troops Home NOW!” We will also demand “End Colonial Occupation in Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine and Everywhere,” and “Fund Peoples’ Needs Not Militarism and Bank Bailouts.” We also insist on an end to the war threats and economic sanctions against Iran.
The ANSWER Coalition (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) is organizing for unified mass marches and rallies in Washington DC, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Miami and other cities on Saturday, March 21, 2009. Months ago we obtained permits for sixth anniversary demonstrations. ANSWER has been actively involved with other coalitions, organizations, and networks to organize unified anti-war demonstrations in the spring of 2009. ANSWER participated in the National Assembly to End the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars and Occupations that was held in Cleveland, Ohio on June 28th-29th and attended by 450 people, including many national and local anti-war coalitions. The National Assembly gathering agreed to promote national, unified anti-war demonstrations in the Spring of 2009.
The war in Iraq has killed, wounded or displaced nearly a third of Iraq’s 26 million people. Thousands of U.S. soldiers have been killed and hundreds of thousands more have suffered severe physical and psychological wounds. The cost of the war is now running at $700 million dollars per day, over $7,000 per second. The U.S. leaders who have initiated and conducted this criminal war should be tried and jailed for war crimes.
The war in Afghanistan is expanding, and both the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates and Congressional leaders have promised to send in more troops. Both have promised to increase the size of the U. S. military. Both have promised to increase military aid to Israel to continue its oppression of the Palestinian people, including the denial of the right of return.
While millions of families are losing their homes, jobs and healthcare, the real military budget next year will top one trillion dollars, $1,000,000,000,000. If used to meet people’s needs, that amount could create 10 million new jobs at $60,000 per year, provide healthcare for everyone who does not have it now, rebuild New Orleans and repair much of the damage done in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Federal bailouts of the biggest banks and investors many of whom have also made billions in profits from militarism, are already up to an astounding $2.5 trillion this year. None of that money is earmarked for keeping millions of foreclosed and evicted families in their homes.
Coming just two months after the inauguration of the next president, March 21, 2009 will be a critical opportunity to let the new administration in Washington hear the voice of the people demanding justice.
Click this link to endorse the March 21 Actions
If you're planning a local March 21 anti-war action, let us know by clicking this link.
A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition
http://www.answercoalition.org/
info@internationalanswer.org
National Office in Washington DC: 202-544-3389
New York City: 212-694-8720
Los Angeles: 213-251-1025
San Francisco: 415-821-6545
Chicago: 773-463-0311
The goal of Peace Action's 'No Soldier Left Behind' campaign is simple. To tell the incoming administration that there is still a groundswell of support to end the occupation of Iraq and bring our troops home.
So far, almost 1,000 signatures have been collected. Between now and the Inauguration, Peace Action will gather another 2,000 with your help.
The Iraq occupation is all but eliminated from the Presidential debate. It's the economy that's in the headlines now. The economic crisis has us all worried and cost of the occupation has made it worse. It's easy to imagine the next administration ignoring this connection to put the issue of Iraq on the back burner for political gain.
The emerging consensus may be more frightening. Both candidates have advocated moving the quagmire from Iraq to Afghanistan. That means sending the troops there instead of bringing them home.
Will you help Peace Action make it clear to the next administration we want our troops home, not shuttled off to another quagmire?
We're working to undo over a year of political messaging, refuting the Bush spin: that the surge has worked, Afghanistan is the 'good war', and the 'war on terror' must be fought militarily. The truth is: the surge is unsustainable; there is no good war; and, real security from terrorism requires international cooperation and diplomacy.
There is no military solution in Iraq or Afghanistan - or anywhere. You cannot bomb for peace. If we don't take action TODAY - before the next President is elected - two years from now, we'll be talking about billions of dollars and hundreds of lives lost in Afghanistan.
The truth is we can stop this now - but only with your help.
'No Soldier Left Behind' sends a clear message to the next administration; nothing short of bringing our troops home will do. There are solutions to the security problems in Iraq and Afghanistan that do not directly involve the U.S. military. The next President will have the power to implement those solutions or continue Bush's march deeper into a global war.
Please support 'No Soldier Left Behind'. We have real problems in our own country that spending billions of tax dollars in Iraq and Afghanistan won't fix.Sincerely,
Kevin M. Martin
Executive Director
Peace Action
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