[Peace-discuss] some things AWARE might call on the Obama adminstration to do (for Main Event, and maybe Farmer's Market)

[Stuart Levy]

On Fri, Nov 28, 2008 at 11:49:32PM -0600, C. G. Estabrook wrote:
> Why can't we take seriously what Obama says?  He announces murder and 
> mayhem. Why shouldn't we believe him?

He also says he'll close Guantanamo and end torture.  And remove troops from Iraq.
And negotiate with Iran, of which he's also said (to AIPAC) that there is
no greater threat to Israel's existence.

He says lots of things.  Do we believe them all?
Including apparently contradictory statements?

Something I hope our statement ends up doing is calling on an Obama admin
to hold it to the best of what he's said, and then add to that what we would
have liked to hear a candidate say.

... and then in looking for material, I ran across this lovely quote:

   My aim is to agitate and disturb people.
   I'm not selling bread, I'm selling yeast.
     - Miguel de Unamuno

Anyway, I've opened too timidly (stale yeast?).
Thanks, Neil and Carl and Mort, for upping the ante.  

> Morton K. Brussel wrote:
>> Thanks Stuart for your efforts. Trying to say everything that needs saying 
>> in a necessarily succinct and compelling way is a very tough task.
>> The remarks by Neil and Carl are generally apt and useful, although we 
>> cannot logically condemn the actions of the Obama administration before it 
>> acts. We ought, however, warn that the current Obama appointments do not 
>> bode well for necessary change.
>> I have another suggestion; there is a need to bring to justice those who 
>> have initiated our wars, undermined our civil rights, trampled the 
>> constitution, ruined our economy, and brought worldwide opprobrium upon 
>> the country.
>> I have not found the satisfactory list from UFPJ that I thought I received 
>> some time ago. However, they have program statements which list various 
>> items which may be useful. See
>>     http://www.unitedforpeace.org/downloads/DRAFT%20program%20_2.pdf
>> I fear that with so many suggestions, so many issues, the task of creating 
>> the desired pamphlet may become overwhelming. But something even imperfect 
>> or incomplete is better than nothing.
>> --mkb
>> On Nov 28, 2008, at 4:12 PM, Stuart Levy wrote:
>>> At recent AWARE meetings we'd talked about what we might call
>>> on the new Adminstration to do and not do.  This will go into a flyer
>>> for the Dec. Main Event protest, and onto the web site, at least,
>>> and I hope also as a Farmer's Market handout.
>>>
>>>
>>> Here are some points, many adapted from Just Foreign Policy's call,
>>> but I've at least edited them, so please direct objections to me.
>>>
>>> [Mort, you'd mentioned a call like this from UFPJ, but I'm not
>>> seeing it, unless you mean the "Statement from UFPJ on the Election
>>> of Barack Obama", which is hope-full but not very specific.]
>>>
>>> Absent here is *anything* about the bailout or about the economy.
>>> I think we should speak to that! but invite others here to submit
>>> suggestions.   (Ricky's Social Monetary Fund?  Sheila Bair's call for
>>> widespread gov't support for homeowners facing foreclosure, or Dean 
>>> Baker's
>>> to offer a fair market rent?  Follow through on the campaign promise to
>>> roll back the tax cuts for high-income people?   Enact Bernie
>>> Sanders' income surtax on high-income people?  What?)
>>>
>>> Please comment!  If you see something important that's missing,
>>> if you have better words, if some issue doesn't seem high priority, or
>>> if you see something that's just wrong, please speak up.
>>>
>>> If nobody objects too strongly, I may print a few of these (with edits
>>> as they come in through Sat AM) to hand out tomorrow at the Farmer's 
>>> Market,
>>> but wouldn't consider that a final draft if so.  Hoping we might have
>>> a more settled version by Main Event (Dec 6th).
>>>
>>> I'd like to keep it to one page -- it's about 3/4 page now.
>>> ===========================================================================
>>>
>>> - Follow through on withdrawal of *all* US troops from Iraq,
>>> by the end of 2011 if not sooner, as recently agreed to by the Iraqi
>>> parliament.  Military contractors, who have replaced many troops,
>>> must likewise leave Iraq.  Make it plain to Iraq and the world that
>>> the US will maintain no military bases there.
>>>
>>> - State clearly that the US supports the Afghan government's efforts to
>>> reconcile with the Taliban, including all who are willing to talk.
>>>
>>> - Cease incursions into Pakistan.  Even if attacks might stop some
>>> insurgents, the inevitable civilian casualties can only motivate more
>>> enmity and destabilize the Pakistani government.
>>>
>>> - Start afresh on US efforts to resolve Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  
>>> Take
>>> seriously US policy which opposes Israeli West Bank settlements as an
>>> obstacle to peace.  Deal with Hamas - whatever else one may think of 
>>> them,
>>> they won free and fair democratic elections, and have been providing
>>> services to their people as well as they can.
>>>
>>> - Reaffirm your pledge to talk to Iran without preconditions.
>>> Establish real diplomacy, beginning with the establishment of US 
>>> diplomatic
>>> representation in Iran, as the Bush Administration has proposed.
>>> Make clear that the United States has no dispute with a peaceful
>>> Iranian nuclear program that is transparent and complies with 
>>> international
>>> agreements.  Make clear that the United States has no dispute with 
>>> peaceful
>>> cooperation between the governments of Iran and Iraq. Make clear that the
>>> United States welcomes the cooperation of Iran in helping to resolve the
>>> conflicts of the Middle East, including the conflict in Afghanistan, the
>>> Israel/Palestine conflict, and conflicts in Lebanon.
>>>
>>> - Put our vast military spending on the table for cuts.  Consider Rep.
>>> Frank's proposal for 25% cuts.
>>>
>>> - End our long-running, counterproductive embargo against Cuba, and open 
>>> a
>>> dialog with the Cuban government.
>>>
>>> - Repair relations with Venezuela and Bolivia, including restoring 
>>> Bolivia's
>>> preferential access to US markets.  The Bush Administration's proposed
>>> suspension could cost tens of thousands of Bolivians their jobs.
>>>
>>> - Obama's call for closure of Guantanamo Bay detention camp, and saying 
>>> that
>>> the US will not commit torture, are laudable but insufficient.  Prominent
>>> figures in the Bush Administration made arguments, including legal 
>>> opinions,
>>> that torture, indefinite detention, and extraordinary rendition were
>>> acceptable and necessary, and have faced no consequences.  The temptation
>>> to return to such practices will remain unless it's made clear that
>>> expediency does not trump Constitutional protections and international 
>>> law.
>>>
>>> - Repudiate the Bush Administration's signing statements, and the
>>> whole notion that a President can override laws by fiat.  Honor
>>> our democracy and stop this terrible precedent now.
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