Shooter Nation: Reading a Pathological Memoir 20 Years After the Invasion of Iraq
Dear readers: a Sunday instead of Monday piece this week because I want this to go up on March 19, the exact 20-year anniversay of the criminal US invasion and occupation of Iraq.
Sweet child in time
You'll see the line
The line that's drawn between
Good and bad
See the blind man
Shooting at the world
Bullets flying
Oh, taking toll
If you've been bad
Oh, Lord, I bet you have
And you've not been hit
Oh, by flying lead
You'd better close your eyes
Oh
Bow your head
Wait for the ricochet
- Deep Purple, Child in Time
"The Human Values of Comradeship and Love"
Recently in the used book section of the local Mennonite thrift store, as the 20th anniversary of the United States (US) invasion and occupation of Iraq drew near, I ran across a paperback that reminded me of what a twisted imperialist shithole of a mass-murderous nation I've inhabited all my life: Shooter: The Autobiography of the Top-Ranked Marine Sniper (New York: St. Martin's Press, 2005), by Gunnery Sgt. Jack Coughlin.
Global reckoning with U.S. war crimes: March 20, 2023
March 20 2023: 20 Years Since the U.S. launched "shock & awe" on the people of Iraq
There is no way to exaggerate how profoundly the U.S. destroyed Iraqi society, killed its people and drove them to flee; fired up sectarian violence, grew the outmoded Islamic fundamentalists and ISIS; flooded the land with toxic chemicals and weapons while taking oil; and left a poverty rate in Iraq of over 30%.
The U.S. presence in the region was the central cause of 20 years of violence, based on lies. Did anyone know in 2002-2003 that Iraq had no weapons of mass destruction? As a new anti-war activist said then, "I was sitting on my couch eating Cheetos and even I knew Bush and Powell were lying." Massive lies - regime change would bring "democracy" - and outright deceit fueled this crime against humanity.
Global Vigils to Demand Cleared Guantanamo Prisoners be Released Immediately
Debra Sweet | March 10, 2023Each first Wednesday of the month, vigils will be held globally to demand the U.S. release the (now) 17 prisoners who have been cleared. On March 8, vigils were held in London, Mexico City, Washington, and NYC. An activist in Mexico City explains why she participated.
Mexico City Guantánamo Vigil
 |
|
Natalia Rivera Scott, from Mexico4Julian, holding a sign, “In solidarity from Mexico, Close Guantánamo,” outside the US embassy in Mexico City as part of the global vigils. |
Today coordinated vigils took place: in London (the UK Guantánamo Network), Washington DC (Close Guantánamo), New York (World Can’t Wait) and Mexico City (Mexico4Julian and Amnesty International) with a beautiful surprise solidarity vigil by the Free Assange Belgium Committee.
Here in Mexico City, we stood in front of the U.S. embassy, Alli and Mary (Amnesty International activists living in this city) and me, a longtime activist and supporter of the closure of the torture facility in Guantánamo Bay.
I think most people here don’t understand my passion for this cause or how important and close to my heart it is, mainly because they don’t think it’s relevant to Mexicans or because this is happening very far away, or, as I’ve been told, “There are more important things to worry about.” But I can’t close my eyes to this. I can’t pretend the prison and the men don’t exist. I want the world to see that Mexico is present in this difficult, long and slow path towards justice and freedom. I want the men inside and outside of Guantánamo to know we won’t quit and won’t stop until that place is closed and empty.
Campaigners hold coordinated global vigilsfor the closure of Guantánamo on March 8
PRESS RELEASE
MARCH 6, 2023: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
On March 8 (international Women’s Day), campaigners in the UK, the US andMexico are holding coordinated vigils calling for the release of 18 men stillheld at the prison at Guantánamo Bay (out of 32 in total) who have beenapproved for release, and for the closure of the prison.
For International Women’s Day, they will also be highlighting the sufferingcaused to prisoners’ female relatives — their mothers, wives and daughters —through their long and inexcusable imprisonment without charge or trial.
The campaigners are from organizations including Amnesty International,Close Guantánamo, Witness Against Torture and the World Can’t Wait. Via thecoordinated vigils, which will take place on the first Wednesday of everymonth from now on, they hope in particular to raise awareness of the plight ofthese 18 men, who were never charged with a crime.
Although these men have been unanimously approved for release by high-level government review processes, they continue to be held because theseprocesses were purely administrative, and have no legal weight. Their casesstand in marked contrast to the case of Majid Khan, who was recentlyreleased from Guantánamo after serving a terrorism-related sentence,because he was able to ask a court to order his release when the governmentfailed to promptly release him at the end of his sentence.
Ordinance banning nuclear weapons
Tom Charles | March 5, 2023
My name is Tom Charles and I am a member of Veterans For Peace, Chapter #35, here in Spokane, WA. On Nov. 7, 2022, our City Council passed an Ordinance that made our city nuclear-free and prevented our city from doing business with the nuclear weapons industry. That Ordinance became official on Dec. 21, 2022. We worked with our City Council members, and this Ordinance was a three year effort. Our City Council President, a lawyer named Breean Beggs, wrote the Ordinance and it has passed legal muster. We are hoping to share copies of our Ordinance with any other cities or entities, whether here or abroad, interested in similar goals. Our hope is that if enough of us pass similar legislation, it will send a strong message to our federal and state governments that we demand action in the effort to rid our world of nuclear weapons. As a result, we would appreciate advertisement of our Ordinance in any appropriate publications that you have at your disposal. I have included a copy of our Ordinance:
Global justice actions in NYC for March
Debra Sweet | March 1, 2023
Calling your attention, friends, to street actions this month in NYC:
Wednesday March 8, Global Action to Free Guantanamo Prisoners
4:30 - 5:30 pm, NY Public Library steps, 5th Avenue & 42nd Street
>> Facebook event
On March 8, 2023 there will be coordinated vigils and protests around the world to demand the release of the remaining 18 prisoners currently being held at Guantanamo -- despite being cleared for release. Join us!
 |
 |
Where is all this going?
Yesterday I was listening to Brian Lehrer's politics show on WNYC, the NPR station, on the year anniversay of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The guest was Ishaan Tharoor, a foreign affairs columnist for The Washington Post. I didn't hear much from him that didn't assume as true all the arguments of the U.S. in its proxy war with Russia over Ukraine, and I see very little in U.S. media today that isn't designed to keep people living here in support of U.S. aims.
This is such a bitter contrast with 20 years ago when we never saw Iraqi civilians portrayed with sympathy as the "shock and awe" hit them, nor the people of Afghanistan, Syria, Libya or Yemen who suffered from unjustified U.S. occupation.
Questioning assumptions about the war over Ukraine
Debra Sweet | Feburary 14, 2023
Readers of this message are uniformly horrified at the suffering of the Ukrainian people over the last year in what I believe is a proxy war between Russia and the U.S. that has killed and harmed so many. I've heard from some of you who say we have no choice but to support any/all actions the U.S. takes to stop Russia in hopes that the U.S. can be a force for good in this case; others are not only opposed to this war, but to all wars. Many are deeply conflicted over the possibility of this conflict going global/nuclear in scope, to the point of feeling paralyzed, particularly as the prospect of the U.S. colliding with China looms.
Justice for the 20 men already cleared for release from Guantanamo
Washington DC protest Wednesday February 15: Support the Men in Guantanamo Who Have Been Cleared for Release
12:00 noon - New Jersey Avenue & Independence Ave SE across from Longworth & Cannon House buildings
This action will take place at about the same time as a vigil in London, in front of Parliament House in London. Organizer Steve Lane says "We will have signs, but if you can bring your own orange jumpsuit it would be helpful."
State of the union is based on global war
Based on what Biden said in his State of the Union address last night, one would not learn basic features of how this Union functions, or even of huge recent events:
- The domestic prosperity Biden glorified is only possible because the U.S. is a global imperial empire exploiting the labor and resources of humanity.
- "Spreading democracy" is not what the global "war on terror," operating under the 2001 authorization in Africa and the Middle East, with troops in 800+ military bases does; it has killed millions in enforcing U.S. military supremacy to keep that global empire.
- Joe "we will never separate families" Biden continues to enforce denial of rights of asylum seekers and non-white immigrants, accepting that some children won't be found.
- The dangerous proxy war the U.S. pursues with Russia over Ukraine is neither about saving Ukrainians nor bringing peace; both Russia and the U.S. are out for dominance.
- Biden, prodded by the "freedom" fascist caucus, shot down a surveillance balloon similar to those with which the U.S. surrounds China - in addition to the placement of new bases in the Philippines and Guam, all part of increased military threats to China.
-w200.jpg)
Tweet
June 11, 2021 For...
“I do the school visits because I feel it’s important for students and young adults to have in...
Joe Urgo, a veteran who was in the U.S. Air Force in Vietnam, speaks to classes that are studying th...
World Can't Wait | April 2018
Download PDF
by the ACLU
Hastily passed 45 days after 9/11 in the name of national security, the Patriot Act was...
Open Letter in Defence of WikiLeaks’ Right to Publish. Click for more info on:
Guantánamo&nb...
.jpg "Six Ways That Obama Has Been Worse Than Bush")
from Revolution
With the presidential elections approaching, there are those who argue, yet ...
.jpg "Confirmed: Obama Authorizes Assassination of U.S. Citizen")
By Glenn Greenwald
In late January, I wrote about the Obama administration's &quo...
Curt Wechsler | January 7, 2019
Rule of Law, Not Rule of Trump
January 11, 2019, marks the 17th ...
