It’s looking like the U.S. — notwithstanding President Obama’s speech about “justice” and “freedom” today at the March on Washington 50th anniversary — will launch air strikes on Syria in the next few days.
It’s essential that visible protest in advance of, and in reaction to, such attacks are as strong as possible.
Protest Thursday August 29:
New York City 6:00 pm 43rd & 7th Ave Times Square Facebook Event
San Francisco day of, or day after at 5:00 pm Powell & Market
Chicago Thursday 8/29 5:00 pm Federal Plaza Adams & Dearborn Facebook Event
Find other cities listed by the Answer Coalition.
Continuing our discussion of war crimes:
According to the U.S. government and media apologists, what is a war crime, and when is it cause for action?
A war crime is when a government the U.S. is not currently allied with does something that, based on self-defined national interests, can be “exposed” to provide an advantage. By definition, the U.S. does not commit war crimes, but only acts to spread democracy and freedom.
One can put together a long list of the “war crimes” that the United States has used to justify attacks on other countries, sometimes real, sometimes fabricated. An example in Only Worse Suffering and Horror Can Result from the US Attack on Syria:
Staged, fake human rights outrages, like false testimony in the U.S. Congress that Iraqi troops disconnected incubators killing babies in Kuwait are concocted and then invoked to justify all kinds of U.S. crimes. The incubator hoax was invoked to justify the first U.S. invasion of Iraq, “Operation Desert Storm,” that killed 100,000 Iraqis and created great suffering for millions, including babies who died as a result of cutbacks in medical care resulting from U.S. sanctions that followed that war.
Then there are the war crimes at the hands of U.S. forces or their proxies, going back to Vietnam, through Korea, Grenada, Panama, El Savador and the list is really very long through Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, that were neither investigated, prosecuted, or resolved with apology by or the conviction of those responsible.
I would send you to the work of Bill Blum, and advisor to World Can’t Wait’s project WarCriminalsWatch.org, who has carefully catalogued them from the last 100 years. You can subscribe to his Anti-Empire Report.
Whenever we hear the words “humanitarian intervention,” used so freely from the Clinton administration on, we should look very closely at who benefits from what the U.S. is launching. Just because our government has a political argument for what they plan, doesn’t mean it’s based on truth.
Our stand should always be: Humanity and the Planet Come First.
Support for Prison Hunger Strikers in Washington DC
Guantanamo hunger strikers have now passed 200 days. Follow the GTMO Clock to see what has not changed, and why they must be released.
California prison hunger strikers have passed 50 days in pushing for their core demands which include an end to solitary confinement.
Thanks to the Stop Mass Incarceration Network for publishing an ad in support of the CA prison strikers today in the Los Angeles Times. They still need several hundred dollars to pay for it. We are hoping World Can’t Wait supporters will make up that amount.
Actions in Washington DC next week: Join us
CloseGitmo.net: Close Guantánamo & End U.S.- sponsored Torture came together as a group of organizations in solidarity with hunger strikers at the U.S. Navy Guantanamo Bay Detention Camp and those in prisons in California supporting the 5 Core Demands of prisoners at Pelican Bay. Key allies are Codepink, Witness Against Torture, Veterans for Peace,World Can’t Wait & Nonviolence International.
Wednesday September 4 – Busboys & Poets Social
Join us for a social event with speakers, music & poetry at Busboys & Poets at 14 & V, NW 7-9:00 pm. We will distribute Orange Ribbons and encourage people to donate to the campaign to encourage 2.7 million people to wear them. More info at OrangeRibbons.net
R.S.V.P. and info: bbp.splashthat.com
Thursday September 5 – Diane Wilson’s Trial
Diane Wilson, co-founder of CodePink and member of Veterans for Peace, fasted 57 days on water and then scaled the fence of the White House on June 26, 2013, International Day for Victims of Torture.
Diane’s jury trial will take place Thursday & Friday, September 5-6, at 9:30 AM at the DC District Court. Please come support Diane at her jury trial which may extend into the following week. Wear orange clothing or jumpsuits and bring signs.
Where: District Court for the District of Columbia 333 Constitution Ave NW
R.S.V.P. and info: dianewilsontrial.splashthat.com
Friday September 6, 12pm at the White House – Vigil & Force-feeding Simulation
A weekly vigil at the White House has been focusing on the Guantanamo Hunger Strike since February, 2013. On Sept. 6, after fasting on water-only for 61 days in solidarity with hunger striking prisoners in Guantanamo and California Prisons, Andrés Thomas Conteris will be fed with nasogastric tubes to show how prisoners are force-fed twice daily in Guantánamo.
Forced-feeding has been classified as torture by human rights organizations and is denounced by the American Medical Association. This torture is perpetrated twice daily against Gitmo prisoners and is allowed to continue as long as it is kept in the shadows, hidden from public view. This feeding will not only be done to ensure Andrés can stay alive, but will reveal in the light of day how U.S. policy practices torture.
Live streaming at White House provided by Witness Against Torture: www.ustream.tv/user/witnesstorture
Live Tweets: @witnesstorture
R.S.V.P. and info: septactions.splashthat.com
More information: info@CloseGitmo.net www.CloseGitmo.net
Debra Sweet is the director of World Can’t Wait.