Dear UJP Activist,
In response to rising tensions between the U.S. and its NATO allies and Russia, UFPJ has continued to advocate for an end to all combat, support for an arms embargo, nuclear disarmament, and a commitment to diplomacy and aid for the civilian victims of conflict around the globe.
We urge U.S. peace activists and organizations to join our sisters and brothers across the Atlantic by taking action to oppose NATO during its summit in Warsaw from July 8-10. Throughout the counter-summit taking place in Poland at the same time, peace groups around the world will hold teach-ins and demonstrations (including
a major rally on July 9 in NYC) to call for United States forces to withdraw from Europe and other conflict zones and for NATO to be disbanded.
If your group is already participating in this international call-to-action to say “No to NATO, No to War!”, please let us know what you’re up to by sending a message to
info.ufpj@gmail.com and
adding your action to our calendar.
If you haven't already seen the
video of UFPJ’s “No to NATO, No to War!” panel at the recent Left Forum, hosted by Peace and Planet and featuring speakers from UFPJ member groups,
please view it here and share it with your lists. It’s a great resource.
Despite its claims, NATO (the North Atlantic Treaty Organization) was never just a defensive alliance, and since the end of the Cold War it has been transformed into a global alliance structured to wage “out of area” wars in Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, as well as to “contain” China.
NATO’s creed is aggressive, expansionist, militarist and undemocratic.
NATO's own official website
states: "Nuclear weapons are a core component of NATO’s overall capabilities for deterrence and defence alongside conventional and missile defence forces... as long as nuclear weapons exist, it will remain a nuclear alliance."
UFPJ has long opposed the continuation and expansion of NATO. In May of 2011, UFPJ helped to organize the NATO
counter-summit in Chicago and declared:
[I]t’s long past time to end the U.S./NATO war in Afghanistan, bring home all U.S. and NATO troops from Afghanistan, Iraq and around the world, to end the attacks on Libya and to begin to rid the world of weapons of mass destruction and redirect monies from wars and weapons back to our communities.
Since then, the global peace movement and UFPJ have struggled to analyze and address conflicts and crisis involving the U.S., NATO, and Russia; particularly those in
Ukraine and
Syria.
From Yugoslavia to Afghanistan and Libya, the U.S. has used NATO to enhance and extend its military, economic and political aims to ensure U.S. and Western European dominance of the resources, markets and labor of the Global South. And it has spread the cost of these misadventures to its NATO partners.
While ignoring human needs here at home, the U.S. has spent more than a trillion dollars on the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, and tens of billions of dollars more each year to maintain hundreds of military bases and nuclear weapons across Europe. Instead of pouring money into NATO, our tax dollars should be used to provide real security by creating green jobs and investing in infrastructure modernization for the 21st century, clean water, education, housing and health care for all.
The crisis of everyday life in countries around the globe demands international cooperation based on respect for international law, and national sovereignty, not wars and an escalating global arms race driven by the U.S. The time to end NATO is now!
Over the years, our demands on NATO have been clear:
- Complete withdrawal of all U.S. and NATO troops from the Middle East;
- Withdrawal of all foreign deployed U.S. troops, bases, nuclear weapons and “missile defenses”;
- Substantial reductions in U.S. and NATO military spending to fund our communities and meet human needs.
- Recognition of the UN Charter and International Law as means of resolving international disputes;
- No additional deployments of U.S. forces, equipment, or supplies to Europe or the Middle East;
- Reversal of NATO decisions to expand rapid reaction forces and supporting infrastructure in Eastern Europe, and particularly in states on Russia’s borders;
- Termination of programs to deploy U.S. ballistic missile defenses in Europe;
- A moratorium on military exercises by all parties in and around Ukraine and European states bordering Russia;
- A moratorium on exercises and tests of nuclear-armed forces worldwide;
- Immediate removal of U.S. nuclear weapons from Europe;
- Retire NATO!
With increasing conflict and violence at home and abroad, the need for a strong peace and antiwar movement has never been greater. We hope that you will:
- Watch and share the video of our “No to NATO, No to War!” panel
- Support the international call-to-action from July 8-10
- Attend and promote the July 9 demonstration in New York
- Post your actions to our calendar
Together, we will put a halt to nuclear threats and endless war.
In Solidarity,
The United for Peace and Justice Coordinating Committee
Newsletter:
No comments:
Post a Comment