AMERICAN LEFT HISTORY

This space is dedicated to the proposition that we need to know the history of the struggles on the left and of earlier progressive movements here and world-wide. If we can learn from the mistakes made in the past (as well as what went right) we can move forward in the future to create a more just and equitable society. We will be reviewing books, CDs, and movies we believe everyone needs to read, hear and look at as well as making commentary from time to time. Greg Green, site manager

Saturday, September 06, 2014

Take Action!

Tell President Obama, Senators Warren and Markey, and your Representative: No New Mideast War in Iraq and Syria!

The message: “Stop the current bombing in Iraq, no new Iraq war and no to U.S. war in Syria!”

War hawks in both parties are calling the President too cautious and demanding that he increase military action in Iraq and bomb Syria immediately. President Obama is bombing Iraq and sending more troops, but has indicated that he has not decided on his Syria policy against the Islamic State (sometimes also called ISIL or ISIS).

U.S. drones and planes are acting as if they are the Air Force for Shi'ia militia forces in Iraq's civil war, and the risk continues to grow of yet another full-fledged regional war in the Middle East. We need to keep the countervaling pressure on to find peaceful alternatives to the relentless slide to war. There is no military solution to ISIS.

What is ISIS?

Confused about ISIS and its origin and proliferation? Then you should hear this panel discussion on Iraq and Syria.

Thursday, September 4
6:00 - 8:00 pm
Watch Livestream

Panelists:
Phyllis Bennis, Institute for Policy Studies
Stephen Miles, Win Without War
Yasir Shallal, Iraqi American activist

The House of Representatives passed H. Con. Res. 105, stating clearly that there is no legal authority for U.S. military involvement in Iraq without express Congressional approval. President Obama made it clear a year ago that he believed he needed to go to Congress before taking military action against Syria. We must forcefully mobilize the voice of the American people to tell our leaders– NO NEW WAR IN IRAQ! ---. NO US WAR IN SYRIA!

Pro-war politicians from both parties are demanding military action in Iraq and Syria to do anything it takes to stop ISIS. Sadly, they forget that it was precisely ill- conceived military actions that gave birth to ISIS in its previous incarnation as Al-Quaeda in Iraq, fighting the foreign invaders and occupiers, and that later nourished it with our ill-considered actions stoking the civil war in Syria and contributing to sectarian strife throughout the region and in Iraq in particular.

ISIS has horrified much of the world by publicly executing two captured American journalists and threatening minorities and Sunnis who disagree with them. IS strength

Unfortunately, the U.S. is falling back into the old habit of military intervention, which will only give ISIS what it wants -- a war with the West. By wading into this sectarian conflict, the U.S. will once again risk driving Sunni Arabs into the arms and recruitment offices of ISIS.

We should respond through the U.N. to the huge, growing humanitarian crisis. We should work with all governments in the region, including Iran, Russia, Syria, and Turkey, to isolate and prevent funding for ISIS. But U.S. military intervention under any pretext will only worsen the suffering and increase the conflagration.

Tell President Obama, Senators Warren and Markey, and your Representative to oppose U.S. military action in Iraq and Syria.

For peace,

Shelagh Foreman
Program Director

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