War is not healthy for children and other life forms.
Germ Warfare in Vietnam

RALLY, MARCH AND FORUM TO MARK ANNIVERSARY OF 2001 AFGHAN INVASION

October 15, 2011 event to tie the economy to America's ongoing wars

On Saturday, October 15, 2011, there will be an action protesting the 10th anniversary of the US invasion of Afghanistan. The event begins

with a rally at 1 PM in Shemanski Park (South Park Blocks at Salmon St), and a march at 1:30 PM will bring participants to the First

Unitarian Church for a 2:30 PM forum. The theme of the event will be "10 Years in Afghanistan: End the Wars-Bring Our $ Home." Speakers at

the rally and forum will also address these topics: --Self Determination for the Middle East / --End Militarism / --Money for Jobs and Health Care / --Protect Human and Civil Rights

Preliminary cosponsors include Peace and Justice Works Iraq Affinity, Portland Peaceful Response Coalition, the Peace Action Committee

   of the First Unitarian Church, Metanoia Peace Community and East Timor,  Action Network/Portland.

   Endorsers include Recruiter Watch PDX, Little Light of Mine, Northwest Alliance for Alternative Media & Education dba The Portland Alliance,
   Friends Worship Group, Freedom Socialist Party and Women in Black-Portland.

For more information or for your organization to get involved, contact Peace and Justice Works at 503-236-3065.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFRgEQGIDzs

Song from Veterans for Peace

"Eternal vigilance by the people is the price of liberty." -- Andrew Jackson

By Rep. Dennis Kucinich

Libyan rebels have entered Tripoli. As gun battles break out across the city, it is timely to enter into a discussion as to how the rebels arrived there. It is time to review the curious role of NATO and the future of U.S. interventionism.

NATO Pursued Regime Change for Months

A negotiated settlement in Libya was deliberately avoided for months while NATO, in violation of UN Security Council (UNSC) Resolutions 1970 and 1973, illegally pursued regime change. NATO chose sides, intervened in a civil war and morphed into the air force for the rebels, who could not have succeeded but for NATO’s attacks.

NATO acted with impunity. The NATO command recklessly bombed civilians in the name of saving civilians. Usurping the United Nations’ traditional role, NATO looked the other way as the arms embargo was openly violated by U.N. member nations.

NATO’s top commanders may have acted under color of international law but they are not exempt from international law. If members of the Gaddafi Regime are to be held accountable, NATO’s top commanders must also be held accountable through the International Criminal Court for all civilian deaths resulting from bombing. Otherwise we will have witnessed the triumph of a new international gangsterism.

Changing Reasons for Intervention

The reasons for the U.S./NATO intervention in Libya keep changing. First it was about the potential for a massacre in Benghazi. When the massacre did not materialize and once the war against Libya was underway, the reasons for intervention changed.

We were reminded Libya had spent ‘forty years under a tyrant.’ We were urged to remember the destruction of Pan Am Flight 103 over Scotland, which occurred 23 years ago this December 21st. Yet almost 20 years later, on November 18, 2008 the Associated Press reported that President George Bush called Colonel Gaddafi personally “to voice his satisfaction that Libya has settled a long-standing dispute over terrorist attacks, including the bombing of a Pan Am jet over Scotland.”

On December 19, 2003 Libya voluntarily gave up its nuclear weapon-making capability and on January 6, 2004 ratified the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. Its relationship with the U.S. on the mend, Libya then opened up to international investment and began the wholesale privatization of its industries, leading to massive unemployment and dissatisfaction with the state of things, particularly among younger Libyans.

I mention this not to sympathize with Colonel Gaddafi’s brutality or to minimize the great tragedy of Flight 103. But if the U.S. had come to terms with Gaddafi’s past violence, why does the Obama administration invoke it as justification for an attack on Libya? One conclusion could be that the reasons for the March 2011 attack were bogus.

Once into the war, the administration promptly passed off nominal responsibility for the war to NATO, after beginning the war without congressional authorization. NATO became the beneficiary of U.S. funds, U.S. war planes, U.S. drones, U.S. bombs, and U.S. intelligence assets.

NATO Violated UN Security Council Resolutions

The Obama administration violated the U.S. Constitution by bypassing Congress on the war. These are not mere academic matters. They have moved the world community from the rule of law to the rule of force and have set a precedent for NATO to become the new global-cop. Far from bringing a new level of security to the world scene, NATO has brought a new level of insecurity and unaccountability.

So Why Was It We Intervened?

The question of the reason for United States’ involvement in Libya remains.

Was the United States’ Central Intelligence Agency involved in planning for regime change prior to events in February and March in Benghazi? Did the CIA and its assets have a role in fomenting a civil war?

Was the United States, through participation in the overthrow of the regime, furthering the aims of international oil corporations in pursuit of control over one of the world’s largest oil resources?

Did the United States at the inception of the war against Libya align itself with elements of Al Qaeda, while elsewhere continuing to use the threat of Al Qaeda as a reason for U.S. military intervention, presence and occupation?

The foreign policy objectives of the Obama administration are cloudy. Pledges to end the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are in doubt. The Iraq War is supposed to be over at the end of this year, yet that promise appears to be fading. The U.S. presence in Afghanistan appears to be open-ended. The latest reports describe a U.S. commitment in Afghanistan through 2024. This raises the question as to whether the administration has full control over the military and intelligence apparatus.

In the case of Libya, now that NATO, with the help of the U.S., has brought the rebels into the streets of Tripoli to fight, what follows? What’s the plan? Who governs and for whose sake? Will Libya become NATO’s protectorate?

Collateral Damage

It is not only the Gaddafi compound in Tripoli that will be left in ruins by NATO’s actions; it will also be the Obama administration’s relationship with the African Union (AU). The AU and its member nations have been repeatedly rebuffed by the U.S. in its efforts to bring about a peaceful, negotiated settlement for the regime’s transition out of power. While the U.S., through NATO, has been bombing Libya, China has spent time building commercial opportunities across the African continent.

As the administration indulges itself with wars in Libya, Iraq and Afghanistan – spending hundreds of billions of dollars on military adventurism – the United States has massive economic problems at home. Resources which should be spent creating jobs in America are going to perpetuate war abroad. Resources which should be used to build bridges in America continue to be used to bomb bridges elsewhere.

Millions of Americans are begging for a chance to earn their daily bread while the government spends its money on daily bombing. While the government has yet to produce a viable jobs program to put millions of unemployed back to work, the waste of resources on war is guaranteed to continue: The Iraq and Afghanistan wars are not to subject to spending caps in the budget. The American people get myths, rhetoric and unemployment while war profiteers get the gold. Can you imagine what the people of Libya will get? Φ

Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), who has led the fight in the House challenging the Obama administration’s actions in Libya, released this statement on August 23, 2011.TOP THE WAR COALITION 22 August 2011 / Email office@stopwar.org.uk

Tel: 020 7801 2768 / Web: http://stopwar.org.uk / Twitter: http://twitter.com/STWuk

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/stopthewarcoalition

LIBYA AFTER GADAFFI: STATEMENT BY STOP THE WAR COALITION

The fall of the Gadaffi regime in Libya marks yet another turning point in what

has been a truly remarkable year in the Middle East. The victory of the rebels,

backed by Nato bombing in a six month campaign initiated by the British and

French governments, also heralds the rehabilitation of a discredited doctrine

-- that of 'humanitarian intervention' -- after the debacle of Iraq and

Afghanistan.

The defeat of Gadaffi is now being used to justify military action on the

grounds that it has helped the Arab revolutions. David Cameron declared outside

Downing Street 22 August 2011, 'This has not been our revolution, but we can be

proud that we have played our part.'

The hypocrisy of Cameron is staggering, given the role of British and other

western governments in backing up dictators and despots in the region -- only

halted in some places by the actions of the Arab people themselves.

The Nato intervention has not been for idealistic values. It has been about

regime change, so that a leader more acceptable to western governments and

business could replace Gadaffi.

Right to the end, NATO was bent on a military victory and bringing the

Transitional National Council (TNC) -- the Benghazi administration -- to power

in Libya by force of arms. All proposals for talks to achieve a political

solution – whether from within Libya or outside - have been brushed aside.

While many Libyans may welcome the outcome, and will be glad to see the back of

Gadaffi, it has a number of negative aspects.

From the international point of view, the most significant thing is that the

government of another Arab state has been changed by external force applied by

the big imperial powers. There is no real suggestion that the TNC could have

come to power unaided. The NATO military intervention, stretching beyond

breaking point the mandate given by the United Nations, has been decisive.

This will not be the end of the story. The experience of Iraq teaches that the

overthrow of a regime under such circumstances by no means signifies the end of

the war. Whether those who have supported Gadaffi will meekly accept the

authority of a new government imposed under such circumstances is open to

question.

Whatever happens, the deep divisions within Libyan society remain. Likewise,

given that the TNC is an amalgam of forces, ranging from the democratic to the

Islamist to leaders who are the direct employees of western interests, it may

have neither the capacity to resolve existing differences nor the ability to

prevent the emergence of new ones, within its own ranks.

David Cameron spelt out the close role Britain and the other western powers

will expect to have in running Libya, and in how much detail they have been

planned, including ‘stabilisation experts who have been planning for this

moment…for months.’

Under these circumstances, the main demand must be an end to all forms of NATO

interference in Libya – not just the end of the bombing, but the withdrawal

of special forces and a halt to all forms of political interference. The only

solution to the crisis in Libya will have to be a Libyan solution. Recent

history, from Iraq to Afghanistan, teaches that too.

But beyond that, we must recognise the danger that even a passing 'success' in

Libya may embolden the US, British and French governments to believe that the

idea of 'liberal interventionism', discredited after Iraq, can be revived on a

broader scale. Of course, however it ends the Libyan conflict has not gone as

expected and none of the leaders of the aggression have dared introduce ground

troops into the war. Nevertheless, the danger of extending the intervention to

Syria as part of a programme to control and suppress the 'Arab Spring' is not

inconceivable and must be mobilised against.

The old rulers will not be missed if and when they depart. The decisive issues

– genuinely democratic and popular regimes across the Arab world, the

exclusion of great power interference in the region and justice for the

Palestinian people – remain in the balance and require our solidarity.

LINDSEY GERMAN, National Convenor, Stop the War Coalition

ANDREW MURRAY, National Chair, Stop the War Coalition--

“I believe this event has the potential to make real change. I'm very tired of seeing the wars continue year after year while human needs are ignored. I've been to many demonstrations where we spend a day (sometimes a night in jail) but then go home and nothing changes. This is what we need to do and I will be proud to be a part of it."

— Vicki Andrews

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Dear Friends,

As we write this, the counter on the october2011.org website reads 50 days, 18 hours and 55 minutes. In some ways that feels too far away. So much is happening that we wish we could start the occupation today. And in some ways it feels as though it is coming too quickly because there is so much to do to prepare.

Preparation is the key word and the october2011 committees are busy meeting to organize logistics, education, outreach and more. A key component of the preparation is to promote nonviolence. It is important that we maintain a nonviolent presence no matter what happens. Experience tells us that there will be infiltrators who try to stir up violence in order to justify a police crack-down. Here are three ways that we can prevent this and keep ourselves safe:

Nonviolence training – we are organizing regional nonviolence training sessions in the weeks leading up to the action. Please let us know if you are a trainer or have an organization or space that can host a training. There will also be nonviolence training daily in DC.
Peacekeepers – the Veterans for Peace just completed their national conference at which they trained people to watch for violence, handle police infiltrators, direct participants away from violence, and communicate so that violence can be prevented or stopped.
Peace cameras – we invite you to bring cameras and we will have ours going too in order to document any incidents of violence instigated by police.

Some groups are planning to stay together as communities, also known as affinity groups. These are being organized by geographic region and by shared interests. If you are coming as an affinity group, let us know so that others who are not in a group and who would like to join one will know what yours is about. Some people are discussing and forming communities on the website.

Remember that the website is your resource. There is a Travel forum and a Housing forum. New information was placed on the Housing forum this past week. We encourage you to use the Discussion board in order to get to know each other.

Our stories are why we are doing this. The American story is now too much a story of unemployment, foreclosure, lack of access to health care and injustice. Some who are coming to Freedom Plaza were willing to share their stories with us. Please read about David and Leslie. You can tell your story on the new “Why I Will Be There” forum.

We welcome our new ‘Local contacts’ and are looking for more. If you are interested, please let us know at info@october2011.org.

In peace and solidarity,
The october2011 Movement

Peace and Justice page

“End the war, not just the surge”

by Brian J. Trautman see page www.theportlandalliance.org/peace
President Obama addressed the nation on June 22 to explain his strategy for troop withdrawal in Afghanistan. Of the 100,000 U.S. troops currently deployed there, the announced drawdown of 10,000 soldiers by year’s end and another 23,000 by September 2012 does little to end the longest war in U.S. history. Under this plan, approximately 70,000 troops will remain in the country, roughly twice as many as when Mr. Obama took office in January 2009. According to the President, these troops will be removed “at a steady pace” through 2014. In the meantime, the human and financial costs of this war will continue to grow.
There is no military solution to the complex and long-standing sociopolitical problems facing Afghanistan and the region. As long as a U.S. policy of large-scale military aggression continues, Afghans will resist what they perceive as another foreign invasion and occupation of their country. We need a new vision and approach in Afghanistan. This starts with a cease-fire and a full withdrawal of U.S. combat forces. To lay the groundwork for domestic stability and security, Afghanistan needs an Afghan-led, Afghan-owned reconciliation process and the diplomatic and humanitarian support of a broad-based international coalition.
Since 2001, 1,657 U.S. soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan. Nearly 11,200 American soldiers have been wounded. The exact number of Afghans and Pakistanis killed and maimed due to this war is unknown, but a Brown University study put the figure at tens of thousands. A large proportion of these casualties are the result of strikes by unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), which many in the international community argue are illegal. The deadliest month for Afghan civilians since the war began occurred last May. Just this month the U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan admitted to killing innocent women and children during an airstrike on insurgents, and indicated that they are investigating a separate case of civilian causalities. These are common and unpreventable occurrences in any war, and the war in Afghanistan is no different. Since WWI there have been far more civilian casualties than military casualties in the major wars involving the U.S., and the ratio gets greater with each new war.
Support among Americans for the war in Afghanistan has dropped considerably since last year. A new survey from the Pew Research Center shows that a majority (56%) of Americans want troops pulled from Afghanistan as soon as possible. The U.S. Conference of Mayors passed a resolution on June 20 that called on leaders in Washington to “bring war dollars home to meet vital human needs.” Veterans For Peace recently signed on to a letter urging members of Congress to support an amendment to the FY12 Defense Appropriations Bill that would eliminate the funding needed to continue the war. The letter also calls on the Congress “to redirect our national priorities away from militarism and towards social justice here at home.”
According to National Priorities Project, the cost of the war in Afghanistan since 2001 is now more than $432 billion, and rising at a rate of about $2.3 billion a week. A total of $459.8 billion has been appropriated for the war through the end of the current fiscal year (Sept. 30).For the same amount of U.S. taxpayer money, the following could have been provided: 7.0 million elementary school teachers for one year, or; 94.6 million people receiving low-income healthcare for one year, or; 82.8 million students receiving Pell Grants of $5,550. Over the past decade war spending has contributed to a massive national debt and record budget deficits at the federal, state and local levels. The economic crisis has some lawmakers advocating for austerity measures that would slash funding for essential public social services, which would further damage our economy and hurt Americans already struggling to make ends meet.
The Obama administration must refocus its priorities and strengthen its commitment to the American people. The President touched on this subject briefly in his speech, stating that “We must invest in America’s greatest resource—our people. We must unleash innovation that creates new jobs and industries.” However, a shift from rhetoric to reality will require Mr. Obama and the Congress to move a significant amount of federal spending away from the military and toward the urgent needs of American communities. Bringing the war in Afghanistan to an immediate end is a good start.
-------------------------------END-----------------------------------
The writer is a U.S. Army veteran, peace educator/activist, and member of Veterans For Peace. He resides in Albany, NY.

This page is http://www.theportlandalliance.org/peace

Peace Activism

Several local peace groups have gotten together to ask City Council to pass a resolution calling on Congress to "Bring our war $$ home." The original idea grew from grassroots movements in Maine and elsewhere, that culminated in the passage of a resolution by the US Conference of Mayors in June, which Portland's Mayor, Sam Adams, supported. (The resolution was introduced by Eugene, OR Mayor Kitty Piercy.)We launched this effort at the Hiroshima Day event on August 7 and hope to get Council to pass a resolution by early October.

Please take one or more of these steps to help:

1--sign the sample letter we have provided and send it to one or as many
as all five City Council members.
http://www.facebook.com/l/vAQB7m72VAQAJJVLG7RsERMUDDXlSqk7G6Lox0Bk71HVZbA/www.pjw.info/wardollars_portlandletter.html
Download printable .pdf version of the sample letter
http://www.facebook.com/l/DAQCRO9BhAQC_MCm-LtMwdystx7Mj8K1jqSTV88Zqfk_KFw/www.pjw.info/wardollarsportland_letter.pdf

2--write your own letter or email to the Council
Commissioner Amanda Fritz <amanda@portlandoregon.gov>,
Commissioner Dan Saltzman <dan@portlandoregon.gov>,
Commissioner Nick Fish <Nick@portlandoregon.gov>,
Commissioner Randy Leonard <randy@portlandoregon.gov>,
Mayor Sam Adams <sam.adams@portlandoregon.gov>

3--Join our ongoing efforts to end senseless wars and military spending.
* Let us know if you would like to be added to the mailing list for our
organization for future efforts.
* Get your organization to sign on as a supporter of the Campaign.
Help us speak to Council, circulate letters, and build public
support.
*Forward this information widely!

Thank you Peace and Justice Works Iraq Affinity Group
with Portland Peaceful Response Coalition*
PO Box 42456 / Portland, OR 97242 / (503) 236-3065 (Office)

Sample letter to Portland City Council: Bring Our War Dollars Home

www.pjw.info

To: Mayor Sam Adams Commissioner Nick Fish Commissioner Amanda Fritz Commissioner Randy Leonard Com

Pre-War Propaganda Mounting on Iran

"Eternal vigilance by the people is the price of liberty." -- Andrew Jackson

Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), who has led the fight in the House challenging the Obama administration’s actions in Libya, released this statement on August 23, 2011.TOP THE WAR COALITION 22 August 2011 / Email office@stopwar.org.uk

Peace Activism