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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:24.0pt;line-height:115%'> Oppose the so-called war on ISIS! <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:24.0pt;line-height:115%'> Join the fight for justice here!<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt;line-height:115%'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt;line-height:115%'>The government says it’s fighting to stop ISIS’ terrorism. If that’s the reason, we’d bomb Saudi Arabia! <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt;line-height:115%'>In fact, US bombings started right after ISIS captured oil-rich areas of Iraq. Before then, the US did nothing for over a year while ISIS imprisoned, tortured and murdered Syrians fighting against the dictator Assad. This is another war over corporate oil profits and defending corrupt “allies” , not ‘ fighting terrorism” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;line-height:115%'>What impact does US coalition bombing ISIS have in Syria and Iraq? </span></b><u><span style='font-size:16.0pt;line-height:115%'>It makes ISIS stronger.</span></u><span style='font-size:16.0pt;line-height:115%'> It makes ISIS <u>look like</u> the defender of Sunni Muslims against 3 widely-hated “evils”: western imperialist countries (US, Britain, France); Iran and Iraq; and regional tyrants (Saudi Arabia, Gulf oil monarchies). As a result, they’ve recruited 10,000 new fighters since the bombings began 2 months ago. Good for ISIS and war profiteers; bad for us.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;line-height:115%'>What should be done about ISIS? </span></b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;line-height:115%'>Support those fighting repression, poverty and corrupt regimes in Syria ( Kurdistan Workers Party ) and Saudi Arabia. Their victory will end ISIS’ appeal. All these governments suppressed the Arab Spring uprisings of 2011. They all use religious and national differences to divide and rule. All these US allies enrich their 1% and make life worse for most people there, just like here. That’s why the US coalition cannot possibly bring the reforms needed to end support for ISIS. They can only make things worse, just like the US invasion, occupation and massive destruction did in Iraq.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;line-height:115%'>If the US and allies’ war is not the answer, what is? </span></b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;line-height:115%'>Popular revolutions there will use the vast oil wealth for education and provide useful work for all. They will have to develop unity against their 1% to do that. Only that can overcome the religious divisions perpetuated by their elites <u>and</u> by ISIS. People here also need to take control over our vast resources for a decent life and our future. Just like there, our 1% holds most wealth and power. (Fact: the richest 400 Americans own more wealth than 100,000,000 of us.) We need America’s great wealth to better our lives while our government promotes the 1% here, just like there.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;line-height:115%'>Can we change this?</span></b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;line-height:115%'> We think so, but this will require a massive popular movement against the power of the 1%- there and here. We will have to create unity for our common aspirations. We have done this in limited ways. For example, the Civil Rights, anti-war, women’s and gay rights, and workers’ struggles of the 50s-70s created unity and won things we benefit from today. They had to fight the big powers too. Yes, money is power, but so is people power. After all, together, we do the work that makes all the products and all that wealth; our combined work makes everything run, and we are the huge majority. We <u>can</u> shape our future.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;line-height:115%'>What can we do? </span></b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;line-height:115%'> Get an organization you’re part of to <b>take a stand against this war and actively support fights for justice </b>like living wages, taxing the super-rich, , improving public education, ending corporate welfare, cutting greenhouse emissions, fighting for equal rights for all, etc. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;line-height:115%'>Give people-to-people support to real allies</span></b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;line-height:115%'>, like the Syrians fighting for justice against Syrian dictator Assad <u>and</u> ISIS. Syrian American Medical Society (<a href="http://www.sams.org">www.sams.org</a>) provides medical help to that popular revolution. Get more info at <a href="http://syriafreedomforever.blog">http://syriafreedomforever.blog</a> ; google “Syrian popular revolution” for other sources.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;line-height:115%'>Yes, ISIS is vicious and should be defeated</span></b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;line-height:115%'>, but can the US and its allies, like Saudi Arabia, defeat ISIS? Can they counter the support ISIS gets from Sunni Muslims? We don’t think so. The US invasion of Iraq opened the door for a regime there that makes war on many Sunnis who now back ISIS. The US and its allies generate support for ISIS. How can the cause of the problem be the solution? These regimes, like the US superpower, cannot end the very system of exploitation, repression and power they all defend, can they? We think it’s more likely that popular uprisings against these regimes can reclaim their vast oil resources and use it to provide themselves a better life. <b> That change will end ISIS’s appeal. Not bombings by the US and its allies. <o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;line-height:115%'>We urge you to oppose this new war. It’s part of a larger war by rich corporate owners against most of us, here and overseas. For example, </span></b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;line-height:115%'>the US Senate voted $28 Billion for these attacks. To pay the bill, they cut foodstamps for 800,000 U.S. families an average of $90/month. The US spends trillions of our money to finance over 600 military bases overseas to promote corporate profits while our wages are frozen, prices go up, public schools are underfunded and overcrowded, discrimination continues, and most new jobs don’t pay a living wage and have no benefits. This is imperialism-where powerful countries like the US do dirty deals with local rulers to take the wealth for the 1%. This hurts most of us here and overseas. We need to join hands in this common effort and fight for a better future here and there<i>. Muslims are not our enemy. Our problems come from elite rule, not ordinary people.</i> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:16.0pt;line-height:115%'> <b>Fox Valley Citizens for Peace and Justice <a href="http://www.fvc4pnj.org">www.fvc4pnj.org</a></b><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>