Daddy George H.W. Bush; Bill Clinton; W. Bush and now Barack
Obama have an unbroken streak of bombing Iraq.
Let us say as strongly
as we can, that the bombing begun overnight in Kurdish areas — no matter who
“asked” for it to be done — is outrageously dangerous, will not “save
civilians,” but instead will endanger them further. Rather than protecting
people in harm's way, US bombs and secret operations are a message to other
powers that no one else will be allowed to run Iraq.
The U.S.
always says it's bombing/selling arms/torturing to “keep us safe” from
whatever group it identifies as the most dangerous target of the “war” on
terror. Each time a US president bombed Iraq, from 1990 on, whether the stated
reasons were removing Saddam Hussain, breaking a fabricated connection with Al
Qaeda, or finding weapons of mass destruction, the actual national security
need was always keeping control of that strategic, oil-rich
region.
This time, it is complicated. US military domination
of the region, from Afghanistan across a sweep to Egypt, has increased the
attraction of Islamic fundamentalism as a way of resisting western empire. US
occupation in Iraq and support for the murderous, torturing Maliki regime
created the conditions by which Iran has been strengthened in the region, and
ISIS has gained a following.
But US re-intervention in Iraq will only
create more instability.
Thanks to World Can't Wait activists in
Chicago, San Francisco Bay area, and Seattle, who have gotten right out on the
streets to protest the US bombing of Iraq.
Above: Chicago World Can't Wait, Gay Liberation Network and other
organizations quickly organized an emergency response demonstration this
afternoon. Watch video. Chicago Tribune coverage.
Watch San Francisco NBC coverage.
Genocide-Enablers Have No Right to Talk About
“Preventing Genocide”
In announcing U.S.
bombing raids on Iraq on 8/7/14, Barack Obama
declared:
“[T]housands—perhaps tens of thousands—are now hiding high up
on the mountain, with little but the clothes on their backs. They’re without
food, they’re without water. People are starving. And children are dying of
thirst.” And “innocent people facing the prospect of violence on a horrific
scale.” And that under these conditions, “the United States of America cannot
turn a blind eye. We can act, carefully and responsibly, to prevent a potential
act of genocide.”
This from the head of state of the country that has for
decades, and in recent weeks on a savage and horrific scale, is enabling Israel
to massacre the Palestinian people of Gaza, to kill their children, to bomb
their schools and power plants, to starve nearly two million people and maintain
a constant state of destruction and terror.
The head of state of the
country that is ENABLING GENOCIDE in Gaza at this very moment has no right to
speak when it comes to “preventing genocide.”
On very short notice, we are pulling together compelling, authoritative
speakers and artists, including voices from Gaza for:
Thursday August 14: An Evening of Information &
Inspiration
Cooper Union, NYC & Live on the internet 7 pm
EDT
Stop Israel’s Ongoing War
Crimes & Crimes Against Humanity Against the People of
Gaza
Invite friends via Facebook Event
Terrible crimes against
humanity are being committed in front of our eyes. Nobody of conscience can
remain silent.
Whatever the status of the fragile cease-fire in Gaza,
Israel has killed 1,900, most of them — by all accounts —
non-combatants, and likely many more in its bombardment and invasion.
Nearly two million, essentially defenseless people, are locked down in an
outdoor prison, traumatized, subject to death from the air at any moment,
without access to drinkable tap water or electricity. As they dig out from
the rubble in scenes that evoke some of the great crimes in history, as they
bury their dead, the people of Gaza continue to be subjected to collective
punishment that constitutes an ongoing war crime and crime against
humanity.
There have been important statements and courageous protests
against worldwide. Yet the horrors continue. Resistance to these crimes must
become much more broad, diverse, and determined. And those of us living in
the United States — the country that enables Israel’s crimes against the people
of Gaza, with political, financial, military, and moral support — have a
particular responsibility to resist and make clear these crimes are not being
done in our name.
Next Thursday, we will come together, physically, in
one place. We will bring diverse views and perspectives — including on the
nature and role of — Israel but a shared commitment that Israel’s ongoing war
crimes in Gaza must stop immediately. In doing so, we will strengthen the
foundation from which to call forth new and expanding waves of protest until
these crimes being perpetrated against the people of Gaza by Israel
stop.
Join us!
Johanna Bon, Dwayne Booth (Mr. Fish),
Lamis Deek, Paul DiRienzo, Joe Friendly, Alan Goodman, Rich Greve, David
Kirschbaum, Wililam Lee, Frederick Nagel, Pam Olson, Sharon Pavlovich, Stephanie
Rugoff & Debra Sweet. Veterans for Peace NYC Chapter 34 and Peace Action -
Staten Island
Thursday August 14
7pm (doors open 6:30 pm)
The Great Hall of The Cooper Union
7 East 7th Street, NYC
Nine Years After Camp Casey,
Reflections on Nixon and the Legitimacy of the
System
August 8,1974: it's been 40 years since Richard
Nixon was driven from office in disgrace, and rightly so. He didn't go because
the system "worked," as revisionist history says now.
He went because
it became necessary to preserve appearance of legitimacy for a system which
represented to billions of people the unjust Vietnam War; Cointelpro spying and
assasination programs; the beating and killing of protesters at Jackson State
& Kent State.
Nixon's impeachment brought a slew of new politicians into Congress, passing
some reforms which limited state surveillance. Nevertheless, it fell to the
Democrats to abolish welfare and deport more immigrants. If you ask me, the
system is still not legitimate.
Photo, above: was
this the day Henry Kissinger proposed, reportedly for the fourth time, the use
of nuclear weapons against North Vietnam?
August 2005: Nine years ago, Camp Casey was born by a ditch near Crawford,
TX, thanks to the determination of Cindy Sheehan to get answers from GW Bush on
why her son was killed in Iraq. Cindy Sheehan posted a thoughtful reflection on how and why it happened. It's really
worth reading and thinking about.
 From the Texas Abortion Rights Freedom Ride
The
Abortion Rights Freedom Ride is wrapping up a week in Austin, where they have
protested at the courthouse all week, as well as at Rick Perry's mansion.
Watch moving testimony from women driven to desperate
circumstances by unwanted pregnancies, as well as liberating and challenging
perspectives from the freedom riders: from Austin and Houston. Also, a
must-watch: An Abortion Rights Battle Bigger Than Texas — Interview with
Sunsara Taylor.
Next, the Freedom Ride heads down to San Antonio. See
below for the ad featured on page 3 that many of you signed and donated to
publish (click image to enlarge):
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At times like this...
From
Egypt to Ukraine, the US is enforcing empire, and using or backing military
aggression endangering millions. At times like this, it's imperative to have
organization in place to go into action, into print, and out widely and publicly
to stop the crimes of our government.
Your donations are urgently needed to produce Thursday's Gaza
event.
“You never cease to impress
me with your courage. Thank you for speaking truth to power.”
— J.A. via
Facebook
“Thank you again and again for the work you do and the
difference it makes to so many!”
— Steve, Canada
“One of the
reasons I support World Can't Wait is because it is on the street and in the
public view protesting US torture and indefinite detention and its wars of
aggression. Thank you.”
— Nancy
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