Tue, 10 Nov 1998 IRAQ ACTION DIGEST
__________________________________________________________
A Project of the Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR)
Box 271 Nyack, New York 10960
(914) 358-4601
forbsp@igc.org
__________________________________________________________
This digest contains more local events around the nation, a press release
from Kathy Kelly, a new sample letter to the editor by Perry Keidel of
Veterans for Peace, and a new web site in the UK with sanctions information.
Please continue to post events and actions. Those cities, with large
representation on this list-serve, and without planned events, are
especially encouraged to schedule protests and mail me information.
Nick Arons
FOR
__________________________
Local events:
ANN ARBOR, MI
Demonstrate the "day after" a military attack, at 5 pm
at the Liberty and 5th Federal Building, if the "day after" is a weekday,
or at 12 noon, if the "day after" is a weekend.
HARTORD, CONNECTICUT
The day after attack
11:30-12:30 at the Federal Building
457 Main Street, Hartford
Tim Craine, Committee to Oppose Gulf War II
tcraine@hotmail.com
SAN JOSE, CA
Day after attack
5pm
Federal Bldg (San Carlos & 2nd St)
Coalition to Lift Iraq Sanctions
408-297-2299, 650-493-9044, 408-428-7379
SAN FRANCISCO, CA
Day after attack
5pm
at Market & Powell
415-821-6545
International Action Center
BURLINGTON, VERMONT
Day of attack (Day after if attack occurs in the afternoon)
12 noon
Federal Bldg (Pearl St & Elmwood)
Instant Anti-War Coalition
If you live near UVM, meet at the Royall Tyler steps at 11:15 to walk to
Fed Bldg.
WASHINGTON DC
Day of/Day after attack
first 5pm after U.S. attack
at the White House (16th St & Pennsylvania Ave NW--on the sidewalk)
International Action Center
202-588-1205
TUCSON, ARIZONA
Day of attack (Day after if news breaks after 12 noon)
4:30 pm
Tucson Federal Bldg
(also weekly vigils to end the sanctions every Thurs 4:30-5:30 at Fed Bldg)
520-323-8697
Nuclear Resister
CHICAGO
Day of attack
4:30 pm
Federal Bldg, Adams & Dearborn
312-641-5151
8th Day Center for Justice
NEW YORK
organizing meeting
Nov 16, 6:30 pm
at A.J. Muste Institute
339 Lafayette, 3rd Floor (East Village at Bleeker & Lafayette)
BOSTON
Day after attack
4:30 pm
at Park Street T-Stop
The Campaign for the Iraqi People
SEATTLE
Day AFTER attack
5pm
Federal Bldg (2nd & Marion)
Citizens Concerned for the People of Iraq, Communities Against U.S.
Military Aggression
206-789-5565
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA
Day of Attack
4:30 pm
at 13th & University
bring signs & black arm bands
ORLANDO, FLORIDA
emergency response meetings
every Wed at 10pm
front lawn of Rollins College (1000 Holt Ave)
407-987-6943
CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE
Day of/Day after attack
6pm
at State House Plaza
(weekly vigils against the sanctions at same location every Wed at noon)
603-228-0559
PORTLAND, OREGON
Demonstrate 4:00 pm-6:00 pm on the day of the attack (the next day if
bombing begins after 4:00 p.m.)
Federal Building, SW 3rd and Jefferson.
Contact: Peace and Justice Works, (503) 236-3065.
(503) 236-3065 (Office)
pjw@agora.rdrop.com
http://www.rdrop.com/~pjw/Iraq.html
-------------------
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release Contact: Voices in the Wilderness
November 9, 1998 773-784-8065
Voices in the Wilderness Members,
Opposed to Military Strikes and Sanctions Against Iraq
to Hold Press Conference, Risk Arrest
at Federal Building
Chicago --- As the U.S. again threatens military strikes against Iraq, five
Voices in the Wilderness members who have recently traveled to Iraq will
hold a 10:00 a.m. press conference on Tuesday, November 10, at the Federal
Building. Members who returned from Iraq as recently as November 2 will
report on their interviews with UN officials in Iraq and the effect of eight
years of sanctions imposed on Iraqi civilians. Joined by supporters,
members of the group will risk arrest in a nonviolent effort to communicate
that Iraqi civilians endure lethal use of force every day as a result of
US/UN economic warfare against Iraq.
While proclaiming that no Middle East country will be allowed the "capacity"
to develop weapons of mass destruction, the US and the UK threaten to use
their vast arsenal of such weapons against a country already suffering the
consequences of brutal economic sanctions and previous bombardments.
Voices in the Wilderness member Mike Bremer, of Chicago, IL, said, "As
tensions escalate, we call for diplomatic solutions and condemn any further
military strikes against the people of Iraq. We urge the leaders of all
parties involved in the current crisis to work toward immediate lifting of
the economic sanctions as the only way to solve the most pressing crisis in
Iraq, the suffering of the Iraqi people."
"The real weapons of mass destruction in Iraq are the economic sanctions
which have already killed hundreds of thousands," said Henry Williamson, a
paramedic and Viet Nam veteran, recently returned from Iraq, who lives at a
local Catholic Worker House.
----------------------
sample letter to the editor
Dear Editor
US public opinion is no less disoriented and misinformed since the last time
U.S. war drums approached a crescendo in regards to further bombing of Iraq.
And thoughtful Congressional debate or critical inquiry in the U.S. mass
media is mysteriously quiescent whenever the President mobilizes the U.S.
military to wield his way.
Never mind that an attack on Iraq is not about the bellicose behavior
of Saddam Hussein (a U.S. pawn) but about larger U.S. strategic and economic
interests: control of oil, a mid-east base of operations...
Never mind that since 1990 the U.S. led embargo on Iraq has reduced a
modern and developed society to a level of misery and dysfunction comparable
to that recently left by hurricane Mitch in Central America.
Never mind that, contrary to Albright's statement at Ohio State in
February, the U.S. created this problem. Private U.S. corporations and
Kissinger Associates profited tremendously building Iraq's war machine, but
the costs were public. Iraq received $4.98 billion in "farm loan
guarantees" through BNL/Atlanta during the Reagan and Bush administrations,
revenues largely diverted to purchase dual use machine tool and computer
technologies, ballistic missile technologies, chemical, biological and
nuclear weapons research and development technologies.
Never mind that no rival approaches U.S. weapons of mass destruction
arsenals in variety, quality or quantity (Nuclear, Biological, Chemical
weapons; indiscriminate land mines, cluster bombs, etc.)
Never mind that fighting a periodic war somewhere is essential to field
test new weapons systems and to rationalize the maintenance of the most
advanced military apparatus in the world.
Just never mind. Iraq, East Timor, Burma, Chiapas, Angola...what do
they matter? Its profit that matters.
Perry Keidel
Veterans For Peace
Gainesville Chapter
-----
Cambridge, UK-based campaign's website:
http://linux.clare.cam.ac.uk/~saw27/casi/
In particular it has a fully searchable archive of 300 articles which have
been sent out on their email list.
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