Tens of thousands of troops would stay in Iraq if Democrat wins

March 6, 2008

Despite the rhetoric of the Democratic presidential candidates, significant numbers of U.S. troops will remain in Iraq regardless who wins in November.

In their final push to win the nomination, Sens. Barack Obama of Illinois and Hillary Clinton of New York are repeating their vow to start withdrawing U.S. forces shortly after taking office. But both candidates draw a distinction between "combat" troops, whom they want to withdraw, and "noncombat" troops, who will stay to battle terrorists, protect the U.S. civilian presence and possibly train and mentor Iraqi security forces.

Conducting such missions would likely require the sustained deployment of tens of thousands of American military personnel, foreign-policy advisers from both campaigns acknowledge.

"No one is talking about getting to zero," said a foreign-policy adviser to Sen. Obama.

Read more . . .

________________________

Ralph Nader and the Antiwar Movement

March 5, 2008

One week ago, Ralph Nader announced officially on Meet the Press that he would be running for office. Interestingly, he chose to address his candidacy without really calling to attention the fact that he is running for the Green Party nomination. Whether he becomes the Green Party presidential candidate after the Green Party convention in the summer or not, Ralph Nader and his fellow supporters from the Green Party will have it exceptionally rough during this election.

It’s not like they haven’t been met with issues before. The system has always been stacked against them. Draconian ballot access laws, exclusion from debates, and political bigotry all are expected by the Nader campaign and the Green Party.

There are also the widespread myths and allegations that Nader threw the election to George W. Bush in 2000 or that Nader cost Gore the election in 2000 by siphoning votes away from him.

And now as the Iraq War rages on, Nader will have to deal with the antiwar movement’s opposition to participating in this election.

Read more . . .

________________________

Do You Want the Military Industrial Complex Counting Your Votes?

March 04, 2008

Major Player in Military Contracts Seeks to Buy Diebold

For the last two years United Technologies has been seeking to purchase the Diebold Corporation. Diebold’s main business is ATM machines but, it is the manufacturer of election equipment under the name Premier Election Solutions. Its software is responsible for counting votes throughout the United States.

Business Week, in its report on the attempted purchase, wonders why United Technologies would want to acquire Diebold, writing “Some analysts are wondering how United Technologies would benefit from acquiring Diebold, which generates more than two-thirds of its revenue from ATMs – a business that United Technologies is not in.”  Perhaps it’s not the ATM business that United Technolgies is interested in; maybe it is the election business?

Read more . . .

________________________

Obama on Iraq: Fewer Troops, More Blackwater?

March 3, 2008

JEREMY SCAHILL, DEMOCRACY NOW: I started looking at Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton's Iraq plans, and one of the things that I discovered is that both of them intend to keep the Green Zone intact. Both of them intend to keep the current US embassy project, which is slated to be the largest embassy in the history of the world. . . . I think it's 500 CIA operatives alone, a thousand personnel. And they're also going to keep open the Baghdad airport indefinitely. And what that means is that even though the rhetoric of withdrawal is everywhere in the Democratic campaign, we're talking about a pretty substantial level of US forces and personnel remaining in Iraq indefinitely. . .

Obama is saying he wants to keep the embassy. Obama is saying he wants to keep the Green Zone. Obama is saying he wants to keep the Baghdad airport. Who's guarding US diplomats right now at this largest embassy in the history of the world? Well, it's Blackwater, Triple Canopy and DynCorp; it's these private security companies. . .

And so, the situation right now is that Obama seems to have painted himself into a corner on this issue, because the reality is, Obama's people are saying, well, we're going to increase funding to the State Department's Diplomatic Security division. They say, ideally, the people we want to be guarding US diplomats in Iraq will be fully burdened US government employees who are accountable to US law. But the irony right now is that the war machine is so radically privatized that there are about 1,100 mercenaries doing diplomatic security in Iraq right now. There are only 1,400 diplomatic security agents in the entire world, and only thirty-six of them are in Iraq.

Read more . . .

________________________

On NBC, 'Expertise' Means Getting Iraq Wrong

February 29, 2008

Action Alert

In the February 26 Democratic primary debate, sponsored by MSNBC, NBC anchor Brian Williams questioned Democratic hopeful Barack Obama about his fitness to compete in a presidential race, with the "vast foreign policy expertise and credibility on national security" of Sen. John McCain.

Obama's rival, Sen. Hillary Clinton, "has compared your foreign policy expertise to that of George W. Bush at the same period," Williams said. "Provided you could be going into a general election against a Republican with vast foreign policy expertise and credibility on national security, how were her comments about you unfair?"

Yet on what most would call the most important recent issue of "national security"--Iraq--McCain was stupendously wrong.

In a pre-invasion interview on CNN (Late Edition, 11/29/02), McCain stated:

Read more . . .

________________________

McCain, Obama in heated exchange over Iraq

February 28, 2008

Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama engaged in a pointed exchange over al Qaeda in Iraq on Wednesday.

McCain questioned whether Obama was aware of the al Qaeda base. Obama's response was: "There was no such thing as al Qaeda in Iraq until George Bush and John McCain decided to invade Iraq.

"McCain was in Tyler, Texas, and Obama was in Columbus, Ohio.

"I understand that Sen. Obama said that if al Qaeda established a base in Iraq that he would send troops back in militarily. Al Qaeda already has a base in Iraq. It's called al Qaeda in Iraq," McCain said.

Read more . . .

________________________

The Democratic Debate in Cleveland

February 27, 2008

MR. WILLIAMS: Senator Obama, yesterday Senator Clinton gave a speech on foreign policy and I'm going to read you a quote from it. Quote, "We've seen the tragic result of having a president who had neither the experience nor the wisdom to manage our foreign policy and safeguard our national security. We cannot let that happen again. America has already taken that chance one time too many." Some of the comments in the speech were more pointed. The senator has compared your foreign policy expertise to that of George W. Bush at the same period. Provided you could be going into a general election against a Republican with vast foreign policy expertise and credibility on national security, how were her comments about you unfair?

SEN. OBAMA: Well, Senator Clinton I think equates experience with longevity in Washington. I don't think the American people do and I don't think that if you look at the judgments that we've made over the last several years that that's the accurate measure. On the most important foreign policy decision that we face in a generation -- whether or not to go into Iraq -- I was very clear as to why we should not -- that it would fan the flames of anti-American sentiment -- that it would distract us from Afghanistan -- that it would cost us billions of dollars, thousands of lives, and would not make us more safe, and I do not believe it has made us more safe.

Read more . . .

________________________

Obama and Clinton Split Hairs on Foreign Policy

February 26, 2008

The Democratic presidential nominating contest between Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) and Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) couldn’t be closer. Neither, at first glimpse, could their foreign policy positions. Take Iraq. Although Clinton voted to authorize the Iraq war and Obama opposed it from the outset (prior to joining the Senate), both have pledged to begin a phased withdrawal of U.S. troops within the first few months of their administrations. Clinton would leave residual forces inside the country to protect U.S. interests and root out terrorists (Foreign Affairs) and so would Obama. Neither Obama nor Clinton has specified the number of troops to be left behind in Iraq. The Illinois senator would escalate military operations in Afghanistan (Foreign Affairs), as would Clinton. Both would also ratchet up diplomacy on ending Iran’s nuclear program. On the globalization front, both promise to end corporate subsidies they believe reward corporations for sending jobs abroad.

Read more . . .

________________________

For candidates, Iraq debate shifts

February 25, 2008

While it may have been eclipsed by the economy, Iraq is almost certain to remain a top issue in the presidential campaign – though perhaps in a different way than anticipated just a few months ago.

Until recently, the debate over Iraq was framed in simple terms: withdraw or not? Democrats were essentially on one side, and the Republicans on the other.

But now a sustained reduction in violence, as well as still-fledgling but gathering signs of Iraqi political progress, is adding up to a new focus for the Iraq debate. The question, some experts say, is now less one of whether the United States will remain in Iraq under the next president, and more what kind and size of presence it will be over the course of the next presidency.

Read more . . .

________________________

The Three Trillion Dollar War

The Bush Administration was wrong about the benefits of the war and it was wrong about the costs of the war. The president and his advisers expected a quick, inexpensive conflict. Instead, we have a war that is costing more than anyone could have imagined.

The cost of direct US military operations - not even including long-term costs such as taking care of wounded veterans - already exceeds the cost of the 12-year war in Vietnam and is more than double the cost of the Korean War.

Read more . . .

________________________

The Democratic Party and the Business of Elections

February 22, 2008

One of the biggest mistakes a voter can make is to project their own values onto a political candidate. The glittering generalities of the candidates, unfortunately, make such projections extremely common. Voters hear candidates making vague claims in support of the middle class or workers, and assume that those candidates retain a strong commitment to redistributive justice. Barack Obama has perhaps been the most successful in using glittering generalities, with his continued commitment to the "audacity of hope" and "change we can believe in," as prime examples. Such slogans may make for nice sound bites, but are of little substantive value in identifying Obama's actual positions on key issues.

Obama's attempts to appeal to working Americans offer more of the same ambiguity. In one speech from this February, he promised: "as our economy changes, let's be the generation that ensures our nation's workers are sharing in our prosperity. Let's protect the hard-earned benefits their companies have promised. Let's make it possible for hardworking Americans to save for retirement. And let's allow our unions and their organizers to lift up this country's middle-class again." Such claims, although often cited by conservative media pundits as "proof" of Democratic Party "socialism," provide little basis for assessing how the party will enact progressive change.

Read more . . .

________________________

Anti-War Candidate Ron Paul Continues His Campaign

Ron Paul reactivates GOP candidacy, vows to fight this year and beyond

Wait, hold on! Don't toss those Ron Paul signs quite yet.

The 72-year-old, 10-term Republican congressman has just vowed to continue his current campaign for the Republican presidential nomination. There's been some confusion in recent days since Paul sounded like he was, in effect, withdrawing to refocus his political efforts on a well-funded House primary challenger in his home Texas district near Houston on March 4. His vocal online supporters have been less evident, effusive and at times abusive in the last couple of weeks. But now they have reason to refocus themselves too.

But Wednesday he struck a different note. "I will stay in as long as my supporters want me to," the Texas congressman promised CNN. "And I say as long as the number of volunteers continues to grow, and the money comes in, and there are primaries out there, and they want me to be involved, I am going to stay involved."

Read more . . .

________________________

2008 A Year of Opportunity for Peace Advocates

February 20, 2008

McCain’s Only Path to the White House is Pro-War Thereby Ensuring a Debate on U.S. Militarism

By Kevin Zeese

Senator John McCain has only one issue with the chance of uniting the Republican base and presenting a challenge to the Democrats in the General Election – war and more of it.  

Senator McCain describes the “war” against “Islamic extremism” as the “transcendent challenge of the 21st century.”  He describes Iraq as a war the U.S. must win and has promised there are “more wars to come.”  He supports the use of military force against Iran, even singing about bombing Iran jokingly. And he has described the U.S. stay in Iraq as something that could last 100 years and be fine with him.  Pat Buchanan says that “McCain makes Cheney look like Gandhi.”  

McCain knows the election needs to be framed around the question he describes as “who can best make this nation safer?”  If the presidential debate is about “change,” McCain looses.  If it is about the “war against Islamic extremism” it plays to his strong suit. As a result the McCain campaign presents an opportunity for the peace movement to debate whether American militarism is appropriate, effective and the best use of U.S. resources.  

Read more . . .

________________________

Jewish functionaries stirring the Clinton-Obama race

February 18, 2008

Tensions in the race between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination are mirrored in the American Jewish community. As the gap between the front-runners narrowed in the primaries, the clash between the two Jewish camps has become more heated.

Official Israel is making an effort to maintain a respectable neutrality. Has-beens are being called into the ring, like a former ambassador to Washington, Dan Ayalon, who jabbed Obama in a sensitive spot - the volume of his support for Israel.

Read more . . .

________________________

Clinton bucks the trend and rakes in cash from the US weapons industry

February 18, 2008

The US arms industry is backing Hillary Clinton for President and has all but abandoned its traditional allies in the Republican party. Mrs Clinton has also emerged as Wall Street's favourite. Investment bankers have opened their wallets in unprecedented numbers for the New York senator over the past three months and, in the process, dumped their earlier favourite, Barack Obama.

Mrs Clinton's wooing of the defence industry is all the more remarkable given the frosty relations between Bill Clinton and the military during his presidency. An analysis of campaign contributions shows senior defence industry employees are pouring money into her war chest in the belief that their generosity will be repaid many times over with future defence contracts.

Read more . . .

________________________

Bush's Actions Making Iraq THE Election Year Issue

February 14, 2008

The last thing the Bush White House would want, you might think, would be to make the 2008 presidential election a referendum on the unpopular war in Iraq. The 2006 congressional elections were such a referendum, and the Republicans got hammered.

But President Bush, newly confident that his troop-surge strategy is working, is taking steps that are likely to guarantee another Iraq-driven election. He favors keeping a big U.S. force in Iraq through the November elections, probably close to the pre-surge level of 130,000 troops. That large presence will draw Democratic fire -- and it will make the presidential contest all the more a test between a pro-war Republican nominee and an antiwar Democrat.

Read more . . .

________________________

The Rise of the Imperial Class

McCain is their avatar, and war is their mother's milk

Matt Welch, the new editor of Reason, gave a talk at the Cato Institute about his new book, John McCain: The Myth of a Maverick, in which he sums up the grave danger to the republic represented by the McCain campaign. Welch remarked that McCain is part of the "imperial class," pointing to the politico-military legacy of his father, an admiral, to underscore the point that the putative GOP nominee is revving up his motor to become the most militaristic American president since at least Teddy Roosevelt – perhaps the most belligerent ever.

I agree with him about McCain, but what I want to focus on is the rise of this "imperial class," which seems like a good moniker: certainly it captures the essence of what this phenomenon is all about – a development made possible by and intimately bound up with our "progress" on the road to empire.

Read more . . .

________________________

Why the US has really gone broke

February 13, 2008

Global confidence in the US economy has reached zero, as was proved by last month’s stock market meltdown. But there is an enormous anomaly in the US economy above and beyond the subprime mortgage crisis, the housing bubble and the prospect of recession: 60 years of misallocation of resources, and borrowings, to the establishment and maintenance of a military-industrial complex as the basis of the nation’s economic life

The military adventurers in the Bush administration have much in common with the corporate leaders of the defunct energy company Enron. Both groups thought that they were the “smartest guys in the room” — the title of Alex Gibney’s prize-winning film on what went wrong at Enron. The neoconservatives in the White House and the Pentagon outsmarted themselves. They failed even to address the problem of how to finance their schemes of imperialist wars and global domination.

Read more . . .

________________________

Meet Obama's Foreign Policy Adivsors

February 11, 2008

ALLAN NAIRN: Well, Obama's top adviser is Zbigniew Brzezinski. Brzezinski gave an interview to the French press a number of years ago where he boasted about the fact that it was he who created the whole Afghan jihadi movement, the movement that produced Osama bin Laden. And he was asked by the interviewer, "Well, don't you think this might have had some bad consequences?" And Brzezinski replied, "Absolutely not. It was definitely worth it, because we were going after the Soviets. We were getting the Soviets." Another top Obama person.

AMY GOODMAN: I think his comment actually was, "What's a few riled-up Muslims?" And this, that whole idea of blowback, the idea of arming, financing, training the Mujahideen in Afghanistan to fight the Soviets, including Osama bin Laden, and then when they're done with the Soviets, they set their sights, well, on the United States.

ALLAN NAIRN: Right. And later, during Bill Clinton's administration, during the Bosnia killing, the US actually flew some of the Afghan Mujahideen, the early al-Qaeda people--the US actually arranged for them to be flown from there to Bosnia to fight on the Muslim/NATO side.

Another key Obama adviser, Anthony Lake: he was the main force behind...

Read more . . .

________________________

Less Jobs. More Wars.

February 9, 2008

________________________

Could Nader be the Come-Back Kid of 2008?

As a life-long activist in the labor, peace and social-justice movements, I've watched with amazement, wonder, and exhilaration as the American people gave us the most surprising primary races in decades; and that was just the first month! We have eight months to go and undoubtedly many surprises yet to come. The race among major party candidates has provided more highs and lows than a calliope on rocket fuel. However, we've already entered a new phase of the election cycle: the Republicans are putting aside their differences in order to unify around a strongly pro-war position. The Democrats have coalesced on a neck-and-neck race between two "triangulating" Iraq war funders whose differences are more about race, gender and style than substance. And the progressive left has, as usual, fallen into lockstep behind one or another corporate-owned Democrat like some enabling abused spouse. Honest progressives will admit that neither Sen. Hillary Clinton nor Sen. Barack Obama offer us-at this point-a seriously better chance of ending the war on Iraq and turning out attention-and tax dollars-toward desperate domestic needs than Sen. John McCain does.

Read more . . .

________________________

Iranian-Americans Seek Least-Hawkish Candidate

February 7, 2008

BERKELEY, California, Feb 6 (IPS) - Jaded toward their government back home and cynical of the current U.S. administration and the Republicans they historically supported, a new generation of Iranian-Americans appears to be looking to Barack Obama to bring about change, especially with regards to U.S. foreign policy toward Iran.

Many observers believe the refusal by the other leading Democrat for the presidential nomination, Senator Hillary Clinton, to rule out force against Iran in campaign statements, paired with her strong support of Israel, has substantially weakened her support in the community.

What troubles Iranian-American voters is the uncertainty about Senator Clinton's position on employing military force against Iran. At least with the leading Republican presidential contender, the option is clear: John McCain believes that Iran is resolute on the destruction of Israel and favours sanctions and military action against Tehran.

Read more . . .

________________________

Anti-War Candidates Are Top Recipients Of ‘08 Donations From U.S. Troops

Conservatives opposed to redeployment in Iraq have consistently claimed that U.S. troops are on their side:

President Bush: The [military] families gathered here understand that our troops want to finish the job. [Link]

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ): I want to — and I want to tell you something, sir. I just finished having Thanksgiving with the troops, and their message to you is — the message of these brave men and women who are serving over there is: Let us win. Let us win. [Link]

Yet U.S. troops disagree. Yesterday, the Center for Responsive Politics reported that members of the military donated the most not to McCain, but to two anti-war candidates:

Read more . . .

________________________

Obama: "I want to end the mindset that got us into war in the first place."

February 5, 2008

2008 Campaign provides the opportunity to build a movement for fundamental change away from militarism

The issue on which Sen. Obama scored the most points in the January 31st debate with Sen. Clinton was the Iraq occupation.   While Iraq has been pushed from the front pages, despite continued carnage, it remains a priority for many voters.   Iraq persists to be an area of weakness for Clinton in the primary. 

Indeed, the most recent CNN poll, which has Obama in the lead nationally for the first time, shows Democratic voters trust Clinton more on health care and the economy, but trusted Obama on Iraq.  Iraq is the issue propelling Obama ahead of Clinton.

Obama made a number of points on Iraq in their last debate, finishing  with: “I don't want to just end the war, but I want to end the mindset that got us into war in the first place.”  He followed that lofty goal with a promise: “That's the kind of leadership that I think we need from the next president of the United States. That's what I intend to provide.”

Read more . . .

________________________

Peace Mirage Makes Iraq a Non-Issue in Democratic Primary

January 22, 2008

Veil of Peace Rhetoric Shrouds Intent of Leading Candidates

Senators Clinton and Obama are using the rhetoric of peace candidates but when pushed admit they will be leaving tens of thousands of troops in Iraq.  They have essentially agreed on the same policy along with Edwards, while Kucinich is being excluded from debates. 

The recent Nevada debate, that included Clinton, Obama and Edwards and excluded Kucinich, put the Democratic peace mirage on display.  It remains to be seen whether the veil of peace rhetoric will be sufficient to satisfy voters opposed to the occupation in the general election. 

Read more . . .

________________________

McCain and the Militarist Mentality

Amid all the media-generated hype surrounding John McCain's narrow victory in the South Carolina primary – which portrays him rising, phoenix-like, from the ashes of what many considered a failed last hurrah – one anomaly stands out: he did well among antiwar voters. This seems counterintuitive, at first, especially when one considers that McCain is the candidate of the so-called "surge" and has always been among the biggest warmongers on the block – not only when it comes to Iraq, but even regarding interventions that Republicans opposed, such as in Kosovo. In that case, you'll recall, he urged the Clinton administration to launch a land invasion of the former Yugoslavia: just Google McCain and "boots on the ground," and you'll come up with the one underlying consistent theme of McCain's life as a public figure – he always takes the most belligerent foreign policy stance imaginable, no matter what the context.

________________________

July 2, 2007
An Open Letter to America:
“Now is the time for us to stand up and stand together”

By Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Jr. 
July 1, 2007

My Fellow Americans:

The power of our voices against the U.S. occupation of Iraq is reaching the top echelons of the military and the administration.  Our government is persecuting Americans who speak out against the U.S. military presence in Iraq.  The U.S. military has launched politicized attacks on its own military members and moral leaders who oppose the war to discredit their voices of dissent.  Read Rev. Yearwoods full letter...
_________________

June 13, 2007
Lieberman Favors Military Strike on Iran -- Tell Joe His Position is Irresponsible and Counterproductive
Sen. Joe Lieberman said Sunday on "Face the Nation" that "I think we've got to be prepared to take aggressive military action against the Iranians to stop them from killing Americans in Iraq,'' adding that that would include a "a strike over the border into Iran." Read the full article on Lieberman's endorsement of bombing Iran here.

In response to Lieberman's public statement, Thursday, June 14th, a coalition of groups spearheaded by CODEPINK are meeting with Sen. Lieberman to talk about his recent call to take military action against Iran.

Please support this action by calling Senator Lieberman's office at (202) 224-4041 and expressing opposition to his call for attacking Iran. Let him know that such an attack will be counterproductive, create another battlefront in the Middle East at a time when the U.S. is stretched thin and losing in Iraq. Remind him that the U.S. has finally begun negotiations with Iran and diplomacy should be pursued.
_________________

June 4, 2007
What Does It Mean To Be Occupied?
Yesterday VotersForPeace had the honor of meeting Iraqi labor leader Hashmeya Muhsin Hussein, President of the Electrical Utility Workers Union and the first woman to lead a union in Iraq. Hashmeya is here on a speaking tour on behalf of US Labor Against the War to talk about the Iraqi oil law and its implications for Iraq. Hashmeya was unbelievably gracious to all of us hosting her when she said that it is "up to Iraqis" to bring an end to the occupation. She stressed how important it is for the Iraqi Parliament and cabinet to call for an end to the US occupation-- and it looks like that may be closer to reality after an important vote in the Iraqi parliament yesterday that may force the end of the occupation this year.

In an interview with David Swanson, Hashmeya said that withdraw of all US troops out of Iraq is "the only solution for the Iraqi people." Hasmeya emphasized that Iraqis do not want to be occupied, and that the occupation is only doing more harm to the country.

To better understand what it means to be occupied, check out the video link below of a street action organized by Iraq Veterans Against the War. IVAW members re-enacted typical missions in Iraq with the support of civilian volunteers. The action was staged New York City on May 27, 2007, and was meant to show Americans what it really means to be occupied.



_____________________

June 1, 2007
Send-Off Rally and Press Conference for Iraq Veteran
Former Marine Facing Punishment for Protesting the Iraq War

When: Friday, June 1 @ 5:00pm
Where: Union Station, Washington, DC

Iraq Veteran Adam Kokesh is facing a Separation Hearing from the Marines for speaking out against this illegal & immoral war.  Kokesh served in Iraq , received an honorable discharge and is now a civilian member of the individual ready reserve.  The Marines have scheduled a hearing because of his involvement in a protest where he wore his uniform.  You can read about Kokesh's case in this Washington Post article.

The hearing will be held in Kansas City , MO on June 4th at the Marine Mobilization Command.  Adam Kokesh, his attorney, and his witnesses, will be taking the Yellow Rose of Texas Peace Bus from DC to Kansas City .  Come join us as we see him off on his 4 day trip to Kansas City where he dares to speak truth to power regardless of the consequences.

_________________

May 30, 2007
The Real Deal on Iraqi Oil   |   Iraqi Labor Leaders Tour the US to Protest the Theft of Iraqi Oil
The US is forcing an oil bill through the Iraqi parliament which will wrench Iraq's oil resources away from the people and into the hands of foreign oil companies. In response to this and the continued oppression of women and labor leaders in Iraq, US Labor Against the War (USLAW) has organized a Voices of Iraqi Workers Solidarity Tour from June 4-24 with two of Iraq's foremost union organizers and social justice leaders. This is a rare opportunity to hear directly from Iraqi oil workers on these pressing issues.
Visit their website and find an event near you.
You can download a flier here. 

JOIN IRAQI WORKERS TO SAY:  HANDS OFF OUR OIL!  
Put a spotlight on the consulting firm hired by the US Government to write the new Iraq Oil Law

WHEN: Tuesday, June 5 @ 5:00pm
5:30 p.m.- march to the Capitol for a picket line (about ¾ of a mile)
WHERE: Offices of BearingPoint
80 M St. SE – near Navy Yard Metro

Join Faleh Abood Umara, General Secretary of the Iraq Federation of Oil Workers, and Hashmeya Muhsin Hussein, President of the Iraq Electrical Utility Workers Union, when they pay a visit to BearingPoint, the agent of the US government's effort to rob the Iraqi people.

Together we will expose the "Oil Law" for what it is: the bitter fruit of Invasion, Occupation, and Plunder.

For further information go to www.uslaboragainstwar.org or call 301.270.2355

______________________

May 25, 2007
Congress Gives Another Blank Check to Bush for the Occupation of Iraq
In a capitulation to President Bush, Congress has passed an Iraq War funding bill stripped of a timetable for withdrawal.
Please call your member of Congress on the Congressional Switchboard at (202 )224-3121 and let them know what you think about their vote!
Senate voted 80-14 in favor:
Find out how your Senators voted here.
House voted 280-142 in favor:
Find out how your Representative voted here.

________________

May 24, 2007
It's All About Oil
By Dennis J. Kucinich
Congressman Kucinich's speech before the United States House of Representatives on the Bush Administration's efforts to privatize Iraq oil, and the disastrous implications of it.
You can watch his press conference here:

____________________

May 15, 2007
Forty People Arrested Protesting War During
‘Mother of a March’ in DC
More than 250 anti-war advocates marched through Washington, DC to Capitol Hill on Monday, May 14, as a part of the "Mother of a March", an action spearheaded by Cindy Sheehan whose son died in Iraq. In front of the Cannon House Office Building the demonstrators formed two circles of peace with 40 refusing to move from the center of the street when ordered by the police.  In the middle of the two circles was an American flag flying at half mast.

As the 40 were arrested the crowd chanted “Arrest George Bush” and “Stop the Funding, Stop the Killing.” Rev. Lennox Yearwood, who was also arrested, pointed out that from the time the crowd marched from the White House to Capitol Hill two more U.S. soldiers were reported dead.

The march kicked off a “Summer of Action” where anti-war demonstrators will SWARM on Congress from today until June 31 advocating an end to the war.  Numerous speakers urged peace voters to put “peace before partisanship”, and reminded voters that thus far the Democrats have not lived up to the mandate of the voters who elected them to end the war.

Tina Richards, a Marine Mom whose son served two tours of duty in Iraq and now has been found by the VA to be 80% disabled, said the purpose of the SWARM is to “bring citizen pressure on Congress so that they fulfill the mandate of the American voters who put the Democrats in power to end the war.” 

Read more about the SWARM on DC below!
_____________

SWARM DC!
Join Tina Richards, Linda Schade, Kevin Zeese, Rev. Yearwood and many more for a summer of action to protest the illegal US occupation of Iraq!


Stay in DC for a few days or weeks while meeting with members of Congress, attending hearings, conducting protests, sit-ins and media events.
SIGN UP HERE!
_____________________

May 11, 2007
House Passes New War Funding Bill
Two Iraq war funding bills were voted on by the House yesterday, resulting in the passage of a new funding bill that would immediately provide $43 billion for the war and mandate another vote by July 24 on another installment of $40 billion.  This bill (HR2206) sets benchmarks for the Iraqi government but does not enforce a firm timetable for withdrawal.  The bill will now move to the Senate.

Another bill (HR2237) introduced by Rep. Jim McGovern called for a withdrawal from Iraq within 9 months.  The bill was backed by Pelosi and Murtha but it was defeated 171 - 255.  This was the best vote yet for the peace movement and it will be offered for another vote in July.  Find out how your Representative voted for this bill here: http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2007/roll330.xml.  If your member voted YES, be sure to thank them!
__________________

Iraqi Lawmakers Back Bill on U.S. Withdrawal
By Joshua Partlow, Washington Post Foreign Service
Washington Post, May 11, 2007; Page A1
A majority of members of Iraq's parliament have signed a draft bill that would require a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. soldiers from Iraq and freeze current troop levels. The development was a sign of a growing division between Iraq's legislators and prime minister that mirrors the widening gulf between the Bush administration and its critics in Congress.
Read more...
_________________

May 10, 2007
Call your Representative NOW and tell them to vote YES on H.R. 2237!
Rep. Jim McGovern's (D-MA) bill, HR 2237, is being voted on in the House TODAY and we need your calls of support! Call the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask to speak to your Representative. HR 2237 calls for troop withdrawal and to cut off funding for the war. This is a significant victory for the anti-war movement and the anti-war members of congress-- but only if the House passes this important piece of legislation.

The bill would redeploy troops from Iraq quickly and cut off funding for the war. In addition, it requires that all U.S. military bases in Iraq be turned over to the Iraqis. But, some important changes have been made:
- The word 'withdrawal' is replaced with 'redeployment';
- It would go into effect '90 days after enactment' instead of the 30 days in the original bill;
- It would withdraw all US troops except for troops engaged in limited operations against al Qaeda and other foreign terrorist, and for training Iraq troops; and
- In addition to clarifying that economic and social reconstruction aid for Iraq continues, it adds the word 'diplomatic' as well, so that funding for our embassy personnel is not cut off.

This is not the peace movement's perfect bill, but it does mandate a redeployment of troops quickly, and cuts off funding for the war. It also requires that U.S. military bases be turned over to the Iraqis. A stong YES vote on the bill will also send a powerful signal to the Democratic leadership that there is support in the House for cutting funding for the war.

Please call TODAY!
Call the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121, ask to speak to your Representative, and ask them to vote YES on HR 2237!
__________________________

May 8, 2007
If the Voters Were Represented, There’d Be a Veto-Proof Majority for Iraq Withdrawal
By Robert Naiman, Just Foreign Policy
If Members of Congress voted on a timetable for withdrawing from Iraq based on whether more people in their districts favored or opposed such a timetable, it would pass the House by a margin of at least 418-17, and the Senate by a margin of 98-2.  If only those Members voted yes who represent districts where at least 50% of the public supports such a timetable, it would still pass with a margin of at least 329-106 in the House and 78-22 in the Senate, a three-fourths majority in both chambers. In either case this would be far more than the margin needed to override a Presidential veto.
Read more . . .
________________________

May 4, 2007
Sen. Durbin Publicly Admits Senate Intelligence Committee Knew Bush Was Falsely Leading America to War in Iraq
OpEdNews.com reported on Wednesday that Senator Dick Durbin stood up on the Senate floor and admitted that, as a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, he was privy to top secret intelligence before the attack on Iraq that revealed that the Bush Administration was giving false and misleading information to the American public, Congress and the world to try to justify an attack Iraq. Watch the video here.

Rep. Dennis Kucinich recently introduced articles for impeaching Vice President Cheney on these same grounds. Durbin's admission does not only implicate the Bush Administration of illegal actions, but also the 16 members of the Senate Intelligence Committee which included Presidential candidate Sen. John Edwards and potential candidate Sen. Fred Thompson.

__________________

May 3, 2007
Democrats Cave In to Bush's Veto
Within just a day after Bush's veto of the Iraq war supplemental funding bill, Democrats already offered thier biggest possible concession: the removal of a timeline for withdrawal. The Democratic leadership claims to be "committed to ending this war", but we have to wonder how this will happen if they are both funding it and refusing to set an end date to the occupation.

At this time, it's absolutely crucial that every voter make their voice heard by calling, emailing, writing, meeting, and occupying their member of Congress. None of us can afford another year in this war.
Please do all you can to let your member know that you want them to stand up to Bush and deliver the mandate for peace we voted for in November.
_________________

May 2, 2007
Stand Up to Bush's Veto!
Congress is about to get a second chance to end the Iraq War and this time . . . do it right.

Last night, President Bush vetoed Congress' $124 billion Iraq War funding bill that also carried with it several restrictions on the use of force and a timetable for withdrawal. In truth, these requirements were mere suggestions that could have been waived by Bush, but still Bush refused even those minimal constraints.

Now Congress has a second shot to cut off funds for war and to put forward a bill that funds a responsible withdrawal and full care for veterans. Some members of Congress, such as Sen. Barak Obama, have irresponsibly promised to deliver a 'clean' bill without any restrictions, guidelines or accountability. At the same time, the few Republicans who have stood up against the war are facing increasing pressure from their party leadership and their base. Fortunately, there are members such as Sen. Russ Feingold who are standing up and saying 'We will not back down to Bush.'

President Bush expects Congress to respond to his veto by giving him funding for the wars without any restrictions, guidelines or accountability. We need Congress to stand up to Bush and say NO to his bullying tactics.

TAKE ACTION NOW to make sure that Congress Stands Up to Bush's Veto!

1. Call your member of Congress TODAY to say
"STAND UP TO BUSH'S VETO!"
Call the Congressional Switchboard TODAY at (202) 224-3121. Ask for the office of your Representative or Senators. If your member of Congress is not available, ask to talk to the foreign policy advisor. If you can't speak to anyone on the phone, leave a voicemail. You can find your member of Congress here.

2. Write a letter to your local newspaper.
We need to show Congress that voters support their stand up to Bush-- help us get this message out by sending your letter today!

3. Plan an action in your community!
For an idea on an action you can host, check out this historic action VotersForPeace participated in last week in the Hart Senate building. More than 100 people expressed their opposition to more funds for war, resulting in 14 unplanned arrests. Letters from military families were read as banners dropped, and a trumpeter played taps as a military chaplain presided over a dramatic reenactment of a military funeral. Keep the momentum building in your community and sign up to host an action today!

April 27, 2007
Senate Passes Bill Seeking Iraq Exit; Veto is Expected
By Carl Hulse, NY Times
The Senate on Thursday sent President Bush a $124 billion war spending measure that he has promised to veto, forcing Democrats to begin confronting the difficult question of what to do after the president acts.
_______________________

April 26, 2007
Majority of Americans Support a Troop Withdrawal Deadline
An NBC/Wall Street Journal Poll released this week shows that 56 percent say they agree more with the Democrats in Congress who want to set a deadline for troop withdrawal, versus the 37 percent who say they agree with Bush that there shouldn't be a deadline.

* * *
14 People Arrested on Capitol Hill During Peace Demonstration
A dozen antiwar groups organized today's action in the Hart Senate office building which led to the arrest of 14 participants. The action included singing, banner dropping, reading of letters from military families and a Funeral for the Next Soldier with Rev. Yearwood of the Hip Hop Caucus presiding.

_____________________

April 24, 2007
Congress Investigates Military Cover-Up and Deception in the Death of Pat Tillman
When NFL star Pat Tillman was killed three years ago in an ambush attack in Afghanistan, his death was heralded as an act of bravery in the face of enemy fire. The truth of the matter, however, was that he did not die by enemy fire, but by friendly fire from an American convoy.

That truth was inconvenient for the Pentagon at a time when they were facing increasing criticism. So, rather than tell the truth about Tillman's death, the military ordered his fellow rangers not to tell the truth, lied to his family about his death, and lied to the American public. Mary Tillman, Pat Tillman's mother, said pointedly that, "This was an attempt to dupe the public and to promote this war and to get recruitments up, and that is immoral."

At the same time that Congress is investigating the death of Pat Tillman, they are also looking into another allegation of fabrication by the military-- the rescue Pfc. Jessica Lynch. Lynch, who appeared at the committee hearing (watch a video here), said she hoped to "set the record straight" about her rescue and its embellishments by the military.

____________________

April 23, 2007
Conference Committee Agrees on Iraq War Supplemental Funding
David Espo, AP
A historic veto showdown assured, Democratic leaders agreed Monday on legislation that requires the first U.S. combat troops to be withdrawn from Iraq by Oct. 1 with a goal of a complete pullout six months later.

"No more will Congress turn a blind eye to the Bush administration's incompetence and dishonesty," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said in a speech in which he accused the president of living in a state of denial about events in Iraq more than four years after the U.S.-led invasion. Read more...

_______________________

April 17, 2007
"Number 3291"
By Cindy Sheehan, Published on Common Dreams
I met the aunt of number 3291 today. I was sitting in seat 11E and a flight attendant gave me a note from a woman in seat 33C: “My nephew was killed in Iraq yesterday. I would like to meet you.”

Seat belt light or not, I headed back toward the rear of the airplane. We held each other and she said: “What can I do? My brother was in the Army and he initially supported the effort. Yesterday, he made a sign with a picture of his son saying: ‘Murdered by George Bush.’” I prayed for the Universe to give the families strength yesterday as I do everyday our soldiers are killed, as I pray for the Iraqis and their families who are also murdered unnecessarily. I don’t often get to meet the people I pray for in such a timely manner. Read more...
__________________

April 16, 2007
If You're for Peace, You Don't Vote for War
By David Cobb, The Times-Standard

In the last general election, the American people rejected the failed policies of the Bush administration, and especially the disastrous invasion and occupation of Iraq. Political pundits agreed -- the election was a clear and unambiguous message. And in only four months time, the new Congress -- led by a Democratic Party majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives -- ignored that message. Read more...
_______________________

April 10, 2007
Iraqis Call for an End to the US Occupation
Tens of thousands of Iraqis gathered in the holy city of Najaf on Monday to demand an end to the US military occupation of Iraq. Marking the fourth anniversary of the fall of Baghdad, Shiite cleric Moktada al-Sadr called for this gathering of Iraqis as he renewed a previous call for Iraqi's to cease working with US military personnel in Iraq.

Meanwhile in Washington DC, Ali Allawi, a senior advisor to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, spoke to audiences about why American forces need to make a “u-turn” and cease their military actions in Iraq.  A native Iraqi, Allawi spent 30 years in exile in the UK before returning to Iraq in 2003 at the invitation of the coalition government.  A former supporter of the occupation, Allawi served as the Minister of Finance and later as the Minister of Defense.  He kept a journal of the “American project in Iraq” during this time and eventually compiled this expertise as a first-hand participant into a book, “The Occupation of Iraq: Winning the War, Losing the Peace.

Now that the war is in its fifth year with no end in sight, Allawi believes that the war has “unleashed forces that need to be acknowledged, contained, and integrated.”  He asserts that we “cannot tackle it by throwing tanks and missiles at it, nor by throwing at it platitudes about the democratic process.”  Rather, Allawi believes that stability in Iraq is going to require concessions by all parties, countries and ethnic groups involved.  In the end, there is no easy answer, but one thing is certain: continued occupation is no answer at all. 
____________________

April 6, 2007
Peace Activists Bring the Realities of War to Easter Celebrations at the White House
On Monday, April 9, peace voters will join the Vineeta Foundation, VotersForPeace, and others for a "cluster bomb hunt" on the north side of the White House. "When you look at the message of Easter, it's about life and love and peace," said Linda Schade, executive director of Voters for Peace, another co-sponsor. "We're trying to emphasize how our actions are not in step with our values." Read the full Washington Post article
__________________

April 5, 2007
Peace Movement Takes Action Against Climate Change!
It's time to bridge the divide between the peace movement and the climate action movement! For far too long, our groups have been working on one or the other of these issues, but now is the time to acknowledge the ways in which these issues are linked and take action to end both war and climate change!
Read more...

________________

Please check out their websites for information on actions in your area, non-violent resistance trainings, and to sign up to participate