United
for Peace and Justice Joins Win Without War Call for June 26–27 Actions
from U.S.
Labor Against the War
U.S. Labor Against the War is an affiliate of United
for Peace & Justice, which has called for actions to coincide with the June
30 "transfer" of power in Iraq. Here is the UFPJ call. Send in reports
of activities planned in your community.
From: Leslie Cagan
Sent: Wednesday, June 02, 2004 12:14 PM
Subject: [UFPJ] UFPJ joins Win Without War call for June 26–27 actions
TO: Member Groups of United for Peace
and Justice
The UFPJ steering committee agreed to join forces with Win
Without War in a call for a weekend of actions around the United States just
before the June 30th “transfer”of power in Iraq. We know that many
of your groups are involved in anti-occupation activities, and some of you may
have already made plans for the June 26th – 27th weekend…which is
great. Now, as the war and occupation in Iraq continue with new deaths every
day, it is important that we re-double our efforts to end this nightmare. Now,
as the people of this country are increasingly expressing their opposition to
the Bush administration's Iraq policy, we have a new opening to mobilize our
communities.
United for Peace and Justice is pleased to be working cooperatively with Win
Without War, one of the national anti-war coalitions that formed in the run-up
to the Iraq war. The fact that Win Without War is calling for an end of the
U.S. occupation of Iraq is an extremely positive step, one we whole-heartedly
support.
You will notice in the press release issued by Win Without War (see below) that
they call for the setting of a date for the withdrawal of
U.S. troops from Iraq. United for Peace and Justice maintains our position:
we call for the immediate withdrawal of troops. Nonetheless,
our national steering committee agreed that given the situation in Iraq and
the growing anti-occupation sentiment in this country that this is the time
for a unified call from UFPJ and WWW. We continue to encourage our member groups
to call for the immediate withdrawal of troops, and we hope you will do so in
your local activities over the June 26 – 27 weekend.
As always, we urge you to post your activities on the United for Peace and Justice
calendar on our web site: http://www.unitedforpeace.org/calendar_gxinput.php
. Each
time a group posts their activities it inspires another group to plan something,
and taken as a whole, the calendar makes it possible for us all to see the breadth
of activism of this movement.
Please call our office if you have any questions or need more information.
Let's make June 26–27 a truly nationwide weekend of public action to
end the occupation of Iraq!!
Win Without War Calls for End of U.S.
Occupation,
Setting of Date for Withdrawal of Troops from Iraq
Fire Rumsfeld and Others, Let People of Iraq Govern Selves,
Says Nation’s Largest Anti-War Coalition
Announces Plans for Nationwide Protest of Bush
Iraq Policy
A coalition of 42 national organizations making up the country’s
largest anti-war organization called today for a date certain for withdrawing
all American troops from Iraq.
“U.S. actions in Iraq are squandering precious lives, national treasure and international
support,” said former Congressman Tom Andrews (D-ME), National Director of Win
Without War. “The prisoner abuse scandal has shamed America and increased
the danger to U.S. troops. The occupation is shattering hopes for genuine
Iraqi freedom and undermining U.S. and international security.”
The group announced a weekend of nationwide protests of the Bush Iraq policy on
June 26 and 27, just days before the U.S. says it will hand sovereignty of Iraq
to a UN chosen administration. The weekend action will be organized with Win Without
War members MoveOn.org and the Internet based organization True Majority as well
as the coalition United for Peace and Justice.
In a statement released today, Win Without War said any rationale that once existed
for the U.S. action in Iraq no longer works.
“There is no military solution in Iraq. We, therefore, call upon our government
to commit to ending the military and economic occupation of Iraq and to withdrawing
our troops by a date certain. There is no justification for letting any
young American be the last to die for a mistake.
“Some see U.S. withdrawal as an admission of defeat, but the far greater failure
would be to remain on the present course. The invasion of Iraq was flawed
from the beginning, and the mistakes of the occupation have compounded that error.
The war has overburdened the armed forces, drained the national treasury and sparked
worldwide animosity toward U.S. policy,” the group’s statement said.
Andrews called for the firing of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld for his complicit
involvement in decisions that led to the abuse of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib
and for his consistent misreading of the situation in Iraq. Others responsible
for the criminal treatment of Iraqis also must go, he said.
The statement of Win Without War, which represents a wide range of civil rights,
human rights, peace, religious and political organizations, follows.
End the
U.S. Military
Occupation
of Iraq
Set a Date for the Withdrawal of our Soldiers
Let the People of Iraq Govern Their Own Country
– Support
Humanitarian Relief and Economic Reconstruction
Fire Rumsfeld and Those Responsible for the Abuse
of Iraqi Prisoners
There is no military solution in Iraq. We therefore call
upon our government to end the military and economic occupation of Iraq and to
withdraw our troops by a date certain. There is no justification for letting any
young American be the last to die for a mistake.
The U.S. has a moral and legal responsibility to help finance humanitarian relief
and economic reconstruction. We must work with the UN and other international
partners to enhance the security and economic development of a post-Saddam, post-American
Iraq.
U.S. actions in Iraq are squandering precious lives, national treasure and international
support. The prisoner abuse scandal has shamed America before world opinion and
increased the danger to U.S. troops. The occupation is shattering hopes for genuine
Iraqi freedom and undermining U.S. and international security.
A majority of Iraqis wants American forces to leave Iraq now. The mere presence
of an unwelcome occupation force, exacerbated by the criminal treatment of Iraqi
detainees, is fostering insurgency. Our soldiers have become vulnerable targets
and are unable to restore order or get on with the business of rebuilding the
country. More troops will not change the reality that Iraqis and most of the world
view the American presence as illegitimate and unwelcome.
We demand full accountability for all those responsible for the abuse of Iraqi
prisoners, including senior-level military and civilian officials. Lower-ranking
troops must not be made scapegoats. The cavalier disregard for international law
reflected in this scandal has characterized the entire U.S. mission in Iraq.
The plans for creating an interim government on June 30th should foster
genuine Iraqi self-rule, not perpetuate U.S. control. Iraqis must have command
over their own security forces, and the right to negotiate an agreement setting
terms for the operation of foreign troops on their soil. The interim government
should have authority over the Iraqi economy and oil revenues and the right to
reverse or modify decisions made by the U.S. appointed governing authority.
Absent these conditions, Iraqi “sovereignty” will be a sham.
We reject the argument that America cannot withdraw from a costly, bloody occupation
that was mistaken from the beginning. Such a course will only doom more Americans
and Iraqis to die for a dubious cause at costs we cannot afford. To those who
claim that American credibility is at stake, we say that the best way to restore
America’s credibility, respect and honor in the world is through the success of
a vigorous citizen’s movement in ending the occupation and holding those responsible
fully accountable. The Win Without War coalition is fully committed to this
end.
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U.S. Labor Against War (USLAW)
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www.uslaboragainstwar.org
info@uslaboragainstwar.org
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PMB 153
1718 "M" Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20036
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-
Bob Muehlenkamp and Gene
Bruskin, Co-convenors
- Amy Newell, National Organizer
- Michael Eisenscher, Organizer & Web
Coordinator
- Adrienne Nicosia, Administrative Staff
