Next time someone tells me to “support our troops”, I’m going to point them to One Utah, where Cliff Lyon has posted some soldier made Youtube videos from Iraq.
Just after George W. Bush made his speech to the American public last Thursday night giving his compelling reasons for maintaining a strong military presence in Iraq since “progress” is supposedly being made, this report came out:
Iraq report shows slow progress being made
as reported by ctv.ca and the Associated Press
The report indicates that, while the Bush administration plays up the “accomplishments” made in Iraq, in fact “meager” progress is being made. While Bush plays games to get the American public to think that there will be a decrease in troops, the reduction is, in reality, a decrease in the increase of troops:
American political historian Allan J. Lichtman likened Bush to a used car salesman.
“What he’s done here is what the used car salesmen do,” he told CTV’s Canada AM Friday. “They jack up their prices, he put more troops in. Then they lower the price and say — ‘Look, a big sale, you’re saving money,'” he said.
“There is no troop reduction, there’s only a reduction of the increase,” he said.
Meanwhile, more troops are dying, more Iraqis are dying, the country continues to be in shambles, money continues to be diverted from services for American citizens to the war department to “combat terrorism” and the spineless Dems continue to emphasize what they are calling “redployment” instead of having the troops stand down and return to their U.S. bases.
The U.S. needs to get out of Iraq –NOW.
(See this post also at the Green Party of the United States Peace Action Committee’s blog.)
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged anti-war, facism, government corruption, iraq, peace, u.s. domination
It evokes a tragedy that marks an epoch. From the outset, the warfare state has exploited “9/11,” a label at once too facile and too laden with historic weight — giving further power to the tacit political axiom that perception is reality.
“Sept. 11 changed everything” became a sudden cliche in news media. Words are supposed to mean something, and those words were — and are — preposterous. They speak of a USA enthralled with itself while reducing the rest of the world (its oceans and valleys and mountains and peoples) to little more than an extensive mirror to help us reflect on our centrality to the world. In an individual, we call that narcissism. In the nexus of media and politics, all too often, it’s called “patriotism.”
What happened on Sept. 11, 2001, was extraordinary and horrible by any measure. And certainly a crime against humanity. At the same time, it was a grisly addition to a history of human experience that has often included many thousands killed, en masse, by inhuman human choice. It is simply and complexly a factual matter that the U.S. government has participated in outright mass murders directly — in, for example, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Panama, Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Iraq — and less directly, through aid to armies terrorizing civilians in Nicaragua, Angola, East Timor and many other countries.
Today should serve as a reminder that our world is not any safer than before September 11, 2001. The U.S. government has seen to that. “Safer” isn’t the word. “Dominated”, yes.
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Tagged Activism, afghanistan, anti-war, government corruption, iran, iraq, military industrial complex, peace
Call out the Instigator
Because there’s something in the air
We got to get together sooner or later
Because the revolution’s here
You know it’s right!
-Thunderclap Newman
I’m not backing off. I tried to remove myself from the political realm of the US, what BushCo is turning into an Evil Empire, but the blatant audacity of George commuting Scooter’s sentence (he’s not ruling out a full pardon —and you know he will) has dragged me kicking and screaming back in. I can’t sit back and let this BushCo drag our country further down into the murky quagmire of Fascism and violence, taking the rest of the world with them!
I have sat quietly back these past five weeks as the slaughter in Iraq sorrowfully surges along with George’s bloody escalation—and as the philosophical opposition to the war has soared to almost four out of every five Americans. I have remained silent when Senator Barack Obama said that impeachment is only reserved for “grave, grave” breeches! Well, BushCo has created hundreds of thousands of graves dug by their lies and greed. For cripes’ sake, George admitted to breaking the FISA Act (which is a felony) that also breeched the 4th Amendment to our Constitution that already prohibited illegal search and seizure. How was Bill Clinton’s offense graver than George’s, Dick’s, or Scooter’s? Did we ever think that the criminality and arrogance of the Nixon White House would be eclipsed in our time with nary a “baaaah” from the Sheeple in Congress?
George has said that America doesn’t “do torture” when we have all seen the images of torture from Abu Ghraib (don’t believe your lyin’ eyes) and know that hundreds of people sold to the US Army for an immoral bounty are incarcerated within the inhumane confines of Guantanamo Prison which is right in our own back yard.
I have had to bite my tongue – HARD — as the George and Dick crime cabal, (formerly known has the executive branch) have claimed that their offices are not to be held up to the same standards of accountability and control as any other entity in the human race, governmental or private.
It has been recently reported that Nancy Pelosi said that impeachment is not “worth it.” Her faulty reasoning is that impeachment would take too much time because they don’t have the votes. If they could “whip” their own Democratic caucus into shape to defend and protect our Constitution and the people of Iraq and our soldiers as they whupped, cajoled, threatened and browbeat the caucus into attaching “non-binding” time lines onto the last war funding bill, then impeachment would not only be possible, but likely.
The recent commutation of I. Scooter Libby’s sentence, however, was the straw that broke my camel’s back of exhausted ennui. Patrick Fitzgerald is a thoughtful and thorough prosecutor who did a heroic job of bringing at least one of the Bush Crime Mob to justice. Even though we were all very pleased, we knew that it was not enough and that Mr. Fitzgerald would delve deeper into the feces infested executive branch. The lawlessness of the Bush Administration has reached wild west proportions and the inmates definitely have control of the US(A)sylum.
A very dear friend of mine, Rev. Lennox Yearwood of the Hip Hop Caucus, is being harassed by the Air Force for “Conduct Unbecoming an Officer and a Gentleman” because “The Rev” fulfills his duty as an Officer and a Gentleman honorably by protesting Iraq and the Fascist Bush Regime almost constantly. The Rev is still in Individual Ready Reserve so the Air Force believes it is within its parameters to pursue the charges, although every “Officer and Gentleman(woman)” should be protesting the atrocious mistakes in the Middle East. After The Rev’s hearing on July 12th, (in Macon, GA) he is going to begin a “symbolic” walk from the Reverend Martin Luther King’s grave (Atlanta, GA) to DC — I am going to be there for him and to begin the march, but I am not going to make it symbolic.
We are going to walk from Atlanta, GA to Congress beginning July 13th and ending up in DC on July 23rd to send the mis-leaders back home to face the music of justice in their own districts.
It is about time us “peasants” (in the eyes of the Fascist Ruling Elite) march on DC with our “pitchforks” of righteous anger and our “torches” of truth to demand the ouster of BushCo. I have a dream of the detention centers that George has built and filled being instead filled with Orange Clad neo-cons and neo-connettes.
If Congress won’t dig BushCo’s political grave, it is the People’s job to do so. Thomas Jefferson said that we need a Revolution every 20 years, or so, to keep our Republic honest. Over 225 years have passed since our last Revolution (if you don’t count the War Between the States) and we are long overdue for one. Turn off your TVs, kiss your pets goodbye, bring the kids and flock to the federal seat of corruption, or join us on our walk there, for a People’s Accountability Movement to be in the face of the Criminal BushCo and the Complicit Congress for the last week of session before they go on their undeserved vacations (why do they get vacations when the Iraqi parliamentarians don’t?)
On the eve of our first revolution: You know it’s right!
Author’s note: Please, I already see “Attention Whore Back.” If anyone thinks that I am going to walk hundreds of miles in the Deep South during July for attention, then please join us! We will be publishing our route and plans for Accountability events along the way, within the next few days. Stay tuned.
Cindy Sheehan is the mother of Spc. Casey Austin Sheehan who was KIA in Iraq on 04/04/04. She is a co-founder and President of Gold Star Families for Peace and the author of two books: Not One More Mother’s Child and Dear President Bush.
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Tagged Activism, anti-war, camp casey, government corruption, iraq, military industrial complex, peace
There has been a call to action from Sept 22 – 29 in protest to the ongoing Iraq War and the Congress continuing to fund it.
The Troops Out Now Coalition has issued a call for action (below). I will personally be advocating for people to head to D.C. instead of organizing marches in their areas. Like the issued statement below, marches and rallies in our respective cities will not shut the war machine down. We must all head to D.C. in mass!
I have dreamt of this for quite some time – that the masses will head to D.C. and the roads and freeways will be filled with Americans who demand accountability from our government will proceed to the door of the heart of the U.S. government and stay there until it stops!
Congress will not end the war
Marches alone will not end the war
It’s time to shut down Washington DC –
No more business as usual!
SEPT 22- 29: It’s time to move from Protest to Resistance:
SEPT 29: Mass March on the White House
SEPT 22- 29: Encampment in front of Congress – Cut off the War funds – Build a People Peace Congress
More than 100 anti-war organizers, including many students and youths, labor, community and immigrant organizers, veterans and GI organizers gathered June 16 at the Solidarity Center in New York City for the standing-room only National Antiwar Strategy and Planning Meeting. They came from as far away as California, Cleveland, North Carolina, New Orleans and Boston to discuss the need to move from protest to resistance and build a grassroots movement to stop the war.
September: The next big confrontation over the war
The meeting focused largely on a proposal from the Troops Out Now Coalition for an Encampment to Stop the War and a Mass March in Washington during the week of September 22-29. According to the Washington calendar, this will be the next big political confrontation on the war. This is when the House and Senate debate war funding for 2008. And it is when General David Petraeus reports to Congress on the status of Bush’s troops “surge.”
Many applauded this proposal as the necessary next step to take the struggle against the war to a new level of resistance. The encampment has the potential to ensure that another war vote does not go unchallenged. The proposal opens an opportunity for an independent intervention representing the people, who are overwhelmingly against the war.
Many ideas were raised for the week-long encampment, including a proposal for a Peoples’ Peace Congress to challenge the corporate war Congress in Washington. At such a gathering, different groups could argue for better uses for the funds now earmarked for war. By demanding funds for health care, education and job creation, for example, they could directly confront the “war Congress” meeting at the Capitol.
Youth activists reported on their work to build a national student strike during the week of the Encampment. Activists volunteered to begin working on logistics, housing, transportation, and the many other tasks involved in bringing an encampment to Washington. Others are working to bring musicians, artists, and poets to DC for the Encampment and March. Activists and organizations have volunteered to set up tents at the Encampment that focus on particular issues.
Only the people will stop the war
The Democratic Party bait & switch
Many took note of how the Democrats had betrayed their clear electoral mandate to end the war.
 |
| House Speaker Pelosi and President George W. Bush |
It was clear to all that despite being elected to bring the troops home and end the criminal occupation, the Democrats in Congress have completely capitulated to Bush on the issue of continuing to fund the war. Even a determined congressional minority of Democrats could block the funding for the war—if they had really decided to end the war. They could disrupt and filibuster. They could call on people from around the country to surround Congress. Instead, while posing as the “anti-war” majority party, the Democrats have completely capitulated to Bush and the Pentagon.
Building an independent movement is more important than ever, as pressure grows to abandon struggle on the streets and surrender the antiwar movement to the Democratic Party, a party that now completely shares in complicity for the criminal war and occupation in Iraq. Participants noted that Wall Street and their mouthpieces always want to divert the mass movement into safe channels—into lobbying and voting and trusting in the bought-and-paid-for politicians. The challenge is to develop clear demands that move the struggle into the streets.
Back to the streets:
Unite to shut down the war
Many present noted that the lack of unity in the antiwar movement is a crisis that must be frankly addressed. Some noted that during the last struggle over war funding in March, the movement had a real opportunity to intervene if it acted decisively. Instead, organizations and coalitions called competing events in different venues, deliberately timed to undermine participation in other actions. This sort of cynical maneuvering for organizational advantage weakens the movement, demoralizes activists, and only plays into the hands of Bush and the warmongers in Washington.
TONC organizers and others stressed that the September struggle over the war funding is a crucial fight that can be a real opportunity to galvanize the struggle against the war, particularly if the movement can unite. There was a broad consensus on the need to reach out to ALL national antiwar coalitions, as well as the many local grassroots organizations, to build a united demonstration that will be as large and as strong as possible. TONC organizers emphasized that they welcome and encourage discussion and suggestions for modifying and improving the proposal for the actions in September.
Many participants also emphasized the importance of uniting the struggle against the war abroad with the struggle against the war at home. Those at the meeting encompassing these struggles included Teresa Gutierrez, a leading organizer of the May 1st Coalition for Immigrant Rights, Brenda Stokely of the Million Worker March Movement, Larry Hales of the Colorado United Communities Against Police Brutality, along with many trade union activists.
Regarding the content of the anti-war call, there was overwhelming sentiment that it should be for immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, with many expressing solidarity with the resistance movements in those countries and in Palestine and Lebanon. The TONC organizers took note of the U.S. threats against Iran and are raising slogans against U.S. aggression against Iran, too.
Together we can and must change the political agenda
The struggle to stop the war has made tremendous gains. The vast majority of the people are now opposed to the occupation. G.I. opposition is growing as soldiers increasingly oppose being sent to fight and die in this horrific war, in which they have no interest. The politicians in Washington are clearly on the defensive, as their dreams of Empire in the Middle East crumble, their lies about the war are exposed, and as the vast majority of people here and worldwide oppose their heinous war.
But we must do more! The war in Iraq is not a “failed policy;” it is a horrendous crime against the Iraqi people. It must be stopped! Everyday the occupation brings more death and destruction to the Iraqi people. It brings more deaths and serious injuries to U.S. youth who are trapped in this war, and return home to find inadequate medical care and benefits.
It will take an independent movement to stop the war, a movement that takes an independent road geared to mobilizing people in this country to challenge all of the war makers in Washington, that strongly demands the withdrawal of all U.S. troops NOW and calls for ending ALL war funding immediately.
This is a crucial time. What is needed now is an unprecedented outpouring of resistance. We must demonstrate to the politicians in Washington that we will not allow business as usual to continue.
The Troops Out Now Coalition encourages all of the antiwar coalitions on the local and national level to engage each other and where communication has broken down, to open new lines of communication so that our combined efforts will make us stronger.
Let us join forces with the movements struggling for:
* No War against Iran
* End all occupations now – from Iraq to Palestine, the Philippines, Haiti, Puerto Rico, and Afghanistan
* Impeach Bush & Cheney for War Crimes
* No to U.S. intervention – Hands off Cuba, Venezuela, Zimbabwe, and the Sudan
* Stop the raids against immigrant workers — Full rights for undocumented workers
* Justice for Katrina survivors – End racist police terror
* Free Mumia Abu-Jamal and all political prisoners
* Money for health care, jobs and education, not endless war
Together let’s unite to demand:
* Immediate withdrawal of all troops
* Cut off ALL war funding
Encampment to Stop the War blog
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Tagged Activism, anti-war, government corruption, iraq, military industrial complex, peace
The “debate” is over (I’ve been watching it via live stream),and it is highly clear that Rocky had the most rational and factual presentation. Hannity did nothing but attack Rocky and progressives and never once did he address the accuracy of Rocky’s information presented. His entire “rebuttal” to Rocky’s presentation was lame and not in defense AT ALL! He kept linking the Iraq situation back to the 911 terrorist attack and kept bringing up Clinton’s mistakes in his presidency (huh?!?). Hannity continually resorted to name calling and insults. Rocky did not. Rocky did not mention Hannity once during his initial presenation. He presented the facts. During the question answer time, Hannity consistently evade the questons. Rocky confronted the questions by providing answers.
Hannity was very nationalistic in his approach. Rocky was very humanistic and global in his approach. It was lucidly apparent who was the more concerned about humanity.
I do not have a link yet to the video of the “debate”, but watch for information at One Utah and here.
Rocky, you rock! Thank you for standing up and giving an example of gracious and courteous behavior, not to mention a well organized factual and substantiated presentation on the war crimes committed by the Bush administration.
News Links:
Rocky, Hannity go at it before rowdy crowd
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged Activism, bush regime, government corruption, Green Party, impeach bush, iraq, politics, Utah
The Democrat funded organization moveon.org has come under fire for not taking a position on stopping the Iraq War or pushing for Impeachment of the Bush Regime. Now that Bush has vetoed the Dems “plan” for spending on the Iraq War, moveon has come out with a poll to “ask the American People” if they think impeachment should be put on the table, so they can “plan their next move”.
I’m not sure what this means. Theoretically, if a move were made by conservatives to complete the online poll in favor of keeping Bush and company in office and to continue funding the Iraq war, would moveon then support the results of such a poll?
The Green Party is the only political party with guts enough to take a position on the Iraq War and on Impeachment. People should top wasting their time with Democrat funded projects and join up with a party that is not afraid of taking action. The Green Party has action committees like its Peace Action Committee (GPAX) which is present at every major action in Washington, D.C. and members of which are continually out in the streets doing direct action and taking a stand.
I think that moveon should move along and get a grip – take a position already! Better yet, its position should be joining the Green Party!
Yesterday I participated in an “emergency rally” to protest the ongoing funding of the Iraq war, particularly in the wake of Bush’s veto on the funding bill. Not that I was for the funding bill in the first place, but this is yet another item to add to the Impeachment pile. Here are some photos:
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Tagged Activism, bush regime, government corruption, impeach bush, iraq, politics, Utah
Every week for the past 5 1/2 years I have been participating in a sidewalk vigil in downtown Salt Lake. We have signs, flags and sometimes do special things for certain events. We have a fluctuation of participants each week – we’ve had 50 and we’ve had one. We vigil in all weather every week.
We mostly get positive responses but we do get a percentage of the typical, unintelligent “Get a job!”, “Get a life!”, “We love Bush” stuff. Sometimes we get things thrown at us. It’s also amazing how angry some people get at us just over the sign we are holding.
Here is a photo of a vigil participant from last week:
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Tagged Activism, anti-war, iraq, military industrial complex, peace, politics
I’ve posted Sean Penn’s Open Letter to the President over on One Utah. It’s very fiesty with no words minced!
Deanna Dee-Dee Taylor 