Many of you voted for Barack Obama because you hated the Bush program of open use of torture, evisceration of civil liberties and illegal wars of aggression. I ask you to look honestly at what the Obama administration has done in the past couple of years.
The Bush administration launched an illegal illegitimate war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Obama expanded those wars into Pakistan, Somalia and Libya. The Obama administration authorized the use of unmanned drones to target villages, killing more civilians than suspected terrorists, including women and children. People in Pakistani, where the use of unmanned drones is now becoming a common occurrence, are targets in a war never declared.
Are you for or against this?
The war in Afghanistan is entering its twelfth year! The region is now even less stable, as NATO coalition leaders now admit, with Special Forces, military operations, night raids that terrorize civilians and the ongoing indefinite detention of Afghan prisoners by the U.S. Afghan causalities are higher than any other time since the invasion. Obama signed an agreement keeping U.S. troops in Afghanistan until 2024.
Are you for this or against it?
The Obama administration has authorized targeted assassinations in regular Tuesday meetings. Without trial anyone can be put on the kill list and executed.
Are you for this or against it?
The Obama administration initially criticized, then extended the Bush program of indefinite detention, and has continued the practice of rendition to third countries where prisoners are tortured, a serious violation of international law. The Obama administration has refused to prosecute the Bush era war criminals who openly tortured people and is going to great lengths to prevent other countries from prosecuting U.S. officials who carried out these illegal and immoral acts. This has serious implications for the rule of law.
Are you for this or against it?
Bradley Manning, an army specialist accused of leaking war crimes to Wikileaks has been held for more than two years, to be tried on charges of sharing information with the enemy, i.e. the international news media. The Obama administration insists that Manning broke the law, while protecting those who repeatedly broke international law in committing war crimes.
Are you for this or against it?
Some people say they are against such war crimes but still support Democrats to be relevant in the “game” of elections. Those who claim to “progressive” but actively work to silence those who are publicly opposing and critiquing the Democrats should stop playing that game. How many lives and how much of your humanity are you going to sacrifice in order to be relevant to war criminals?
Any kind of justice has happened only in response to a determined movement in the streets opposing actions of the powerful. Absent a large and powerful anti-war movement, these crimes will continue no matter what president is in office.
If you are one of those who argues that Obama will be more responsive to progressive pressure in a second term, it’s time to be visible against these policies. Don’t wait until after the election. Without visible protest, you are telling the world that you are willing to accept four more years of U.S war on the world. Without visible protest now, the powers that be will be able to continue and extend a deadly agenda, and able to say, “Look, we have the backing of the American people in all this.”
If you are disappointed in Obama and outraged at these policies, join us in protest on October 6 /7/8, the anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan.
The future is unwritten, which one we get is up to us. We should speak and act in the interests of the majority, here and around the world.