[Peace-discuss] some things AWARE might call on...

[C. G. Estabrook]

Neil's comments seem to me to indicate some appropriate additions:

*immediate withdrawal of all US forces -- military, mercenary, client (Israeli & 
NATO) and corporate from Iraq; reparations; prosecutions of those who launched 
an aggressive war, "the supreme international crime" (i.e., worse than terrorism).

*immediate withdrawal of all US forces -- military, mercenary, client (Israeli & 
NATO) and corporate from Afghanistan; reparations for the attack on that 
country; prosecutions of those who launched an aggressive war in the fall of 2001.

*cessation of attacks into other countries -- including Pakistan, Iran, and 
Somalia -- and an ending of the fraudulent "war on terrorism," embraced by the 
new administration.

*cessation of all aid to Israel, military and otherwise, until UN res. 242 is 
observed -- complete Israeli withdrawal form the occupied territories.

*along with substantial cuts in military expense (Frank's 25% is a mere starting 
point), support for a ban on fissionable material (which Clinton & Bush 
prevented) and an end to arms transfers abroad.

*reversal of Latin American policy.

*an end to the torture regime and prosecution of those responsible in the 
administration, Pentagon and CIA; closure of Gitmo & secret prisons, and 
repatriation of the prisoners.

*an economic program in the interests of the majority, not the opulent minority, 
as the current programs are.


Neil Parthun wrote:
> ...
> - 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.
> 
> [Stronger language should be used, in my opinion.  From my perspective 
> we should engage in Operation GTFO and immediately leave Iraq.  We've 
> already had the US involved in this imperialist war for 5 years now.  We 
> should be arguing for an immediate end and not necessarily playing into 
> the frame that the Bush administration has set up with the SOFA.  If we 
> let them define the debate then we will be stuck waiting for an end to 
> the war in 2011 as well.  Plus, when has international law and 
> treaties/agreements stopped the US from doing what it wanted to do in 
> the geopolitical game?  We should unequivocally advocate for an 
> immediate withdrawal of all forces -- public and privatized -- from the 
> nation of Iraq and let their own sovereign government handle the issue. 
>  Perhaps this would also be a place to suggest reparations to the Iraqis 
> for blowing the living crap out of their country?]
> 
> - State clearly that the US supports the Afghan government's efforts to
> reconcile with the Taliban, including all who are willing to talk.
> 
> [I also believe that we should be calling for a removal of US forces 
> from the "good war" in Afghanistan as well as Iraq since this seems to 
> be oddly lacking from this document.  Since Karzai has called for a 
> timeline (or aspirational time horizons depending on the words you'd 
> like to use), we should try to connect these wars as imperial presences 
> in two countries.  We could best show we support the Afghan government's 
> efforts by removing our military presence that continues to meddle in 
> and attempt to control their affairs.]
> 
> - 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.
> 
> [I'd also suggest adding in a piece that discusses the US not having the 
> authority to commit airstrikes in another sovereign nation without their 
> consent in the name of "security".]
> 
> - 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.
> 
> [I think it may behoove us to add a few more details -- i.e. removing 
> the West Bank settlements, a return to the 1967 borders, cease the 
> blockade in Gaza that is wreaking so much damn havoc on the civilian 
> population in a case of obvious collective punishment, et al.  We may 
> also want to add some qualitative words on "deal with Hamas" because he 
> could easily take that to mean dealing with them in a fashion we would 
> find objectionable.]
> 
> - 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.
> 
> [Perhaps we should add some brief details about the amount of our 
> spending, some of the projects we've spent money on that have been 
> unproductive, etc.  Most people do not know about the insane amount of 
> money we spend on creating WMD and death showers for foreign 
> populations.  This may help qualify the need to cut military spending.]
> 
> - 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.
> 
> [How would we prefer an Obama administration made that clear?  Trials? 
>  Investigations and charges?  A truth commission?  We should have some 
> suggestions and ideas of what we want to see happen.  Simply asking that 
> it is made clear leaves a hole one could drive a truck through.  This 
> could lead to a possible "slap on the wrist -- don't do it again" crap 
> that is very likely since I think Bush is calling the Democrats' bluff 
> on the issue of torture.  He isn't going to pardon them because he knows 
> that the Dems are not going to engage in a substantive investigation and 
> punishment of any of these people since it is necessary to "move 
> forward" and keep up "bipartisanship".]
> 
> - 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.
> 
> [On the anti-racism front, we should be asking for a moratorium on 
> foreclosures, rollback the tax cuts for the obnoxiously 
> wealthy...alright, I'm too tired to think of more.]
> 
> But those are just my suggestions and perspectives.  Feel free to 
> debate, suggest new ones and augment.  w00t.
> 
> Live without dead time,
>                     
>      Neil
> 
>  With the people, for the people, by the people. I crack up when I hear 
> it; I say, with the handful, for the handful, by the handful because 
> that's what really happens...It's time for America to get right.
> [fannie lou hamer, 1917-1977]
> 
> Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some 
> blunders and absurdities have crept in; forget them as soon as you can. 
> Tomorrow is a new day. You shall begin it serenely and with too high a 
> spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.
> [ralph waldo emerson, 1803-1882]
> 
> 
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