[Peace-discuss] Fwd: [Ufpj-disc] If the Peace Movement Judges Obama By His Actions It Will Escalate Protest

[Brussel Morton K.]

Kevin Zeese writes frequently on the UFPJ listserve. He gives a pretty  
good listing of the "disappointments" so far of the Obama Presidency.
>
> Below is a summary with links of Obama's actions on foreign policy.
>
> During the campaign Voters for Peace among others pointed out  
> Obama's statements would lead to escalation of U.S. wars.  Sadly, he  
> is more militarist than he said he would be and his new preventive  
> detention policy for prisoners goes beyond anything President Bush  
> said about detaining people without trial.
>
> This is a call to increase activism against the wars.  Please  
> forward it to those who you think may be interested.
>
> KZ
>
>
> http://www.opednews.com/articles/Time-to-Look-Past-Obama-s-by-Kevin-Zeese-090604-315.html
>
> Time to Look Past Obama’s Words and Face-up to His Actions
> U.S. Foreign Policy Continues Rapidly in the Wrong Direction
> The Peace Movement Needs to Escalate Anti-War Actions
>
> By Kevin Zeese
>
> There is long-time saying about politicians: you cannot trust their  
> words, but must judge them by their actions.
>
> President Obama is very good with words, perhaps the best  
> communicator we have seen in the White House in a generation.  But  
> now he has been in office long enough that he should be judged on  
> his actions.
>
> The direction of U.S. foreign policy is moving rapidly in the wrong  
> direction on many fronts.  It is time for the peace movement to step  
> up its activities throughout the country and demand a change in  
> course.
>
> The U.S. passed the 5,000th death of a U.S. service member in the  
> wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. This death seemed to be barely noticed  
> by a peace movement that during the Bush years highlighted every  
> major milestone.  This sad body count is the tip of the iceberg of  
> the dire effects of these wars – mass deaths and maiming of  
> civilians, millions forced to flee their homes described as “an  
> exodus that is beyond biblical.”
>
> Wars are raging.  Indeed, the deadline for U.S. troops to leave  
> Iraqi cities is being met, not by U.S. troops actually leaving the  
> cities but by Iraq redrawing city boundaries. General Casey, the  
> Army chief of staff, said the Pentagon must plan for extended U.S.  
> combat and stability operations in two wars – up to ten more years  
> in Iraq.  And, General McChrystal testified before the Congress this  
> week that Afghanistan is likely to cost American taxpayers and NATO  
> member nations billions of dollars for many years.
>
> And, a new report from the Pentagon indicated that there were now  
> 250,000 private contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan.  It is fair to  
> call these people mercenaries since they do the jobs that service  
> members did in Vietnam and other wars.  Some of these contractors  
> carry weapons others provide support for combat troops; some are  
> American, some are not. When the mercenaries are added to the active  
> duty troops it totals nearly 450,000 military personnel in the Iraq  
> and Af/Pak wars at a cost of $12 billion per month.
>
> On June 1, President Obama appointed Rep. John McHugh, who has been  
> in Congress since 1993, is the senior Republican on the House Armed  
> Services Committee where he served for 14 years. McHugh is an  
> advocate for more military spending and a supporter of both wars.   
> His appointment comes on top of the appointment of General  
> McChrystal to head the rapidly expanding Afghanistan-Pakistan War –  
> a general whose commands have been tied to torture and abuse of  
> prisoners as well as the cover-up of Pat Tillman’s death and even  
> assassination squads. In Afghanistan Obama has put forward no exit  
> strategy, in fact the U.S. seems to be putting down deep roots.
>
> On torture General Petraeus, in a stunning admission, acknowledged  
> that the U.S. has violated the Geneva Conventions and international  
> law.  General Sanchez, the former top coalition commander in Iraq,  
> has called for a truth commission to investigate abusive  
> interrogation practices.  Former President Jimmy Carter disagreed  
> with Obama’s decision not to release the photos and failure to fully  
> investigate torture and abuse to determine whether prosecution is  
> necessary. Unfortunately, President Obama is doing all he can to  
> block release of the photos,  supporting a bill co-sponsored by  
> Senators Joe Lieberman and Lindsay Graham that will re-write the  
> Freedom of Information Act so prevent release of the torture and  
> abuse photos.
>
> And, Obama is even going further than Bush when it comes to the  
> Guantanamo Bay prisoners. Not only is he retaining the military  
> tribunals, which he said he opposed, but perhaps the worst aspect of  
> his policy is long term imprisonment without trial which he calls  
> preventive detention.  Why is Obama doing this?  Because some  
> prisoners have been abused and tortured and as a result if they are  
> brought to trial the truth will come out and the evidence not be  
> allowed in court.  So, Obama’s solution – keep those who were  
> tortured incarcerated without trial.
>
> On Israel, Obama has created a small divide with “our unsinkable  
> battleship in the Middle East” as Alexander Haig called Israel.  He  
> is urging Israel to stop expanding the settlements, something that  
> is not a breakthrough in new policy.  Israel is refusing, as they  
> always have.  But, Obama is saying nothing about the illegal  
> security wall, the ongoing abuse of the people of Gaza, the  
> continued demolition of homes in the West Bank and Jerusalem nor is  
> he threatening to do anything if Israel continues on its land- 
> stealing path.  Indeed, he promises to continue to provide all the  
> funding Israel has sought as well as provide all the weapons they  
> need.  Thus, Obama’s actions continue to make the U.S. a facilitator  
> of Israel’s abuse of the Palestinian people.
>
> When it comes to the military budget, the Obama administration is  
> seeking more funds – not less. And, the budget submitted by the  
> administration continues the practice of falsity with the  
> understating military and homeland security costs.   He is, so far,  
> continuing the practice of seeking supplemental funding for wars.   
> The Congress is about to approve nearly another $100 billion for the  
> wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan.  Obama has said nothing  
> about reducing the massive network of nearly 1,000 U.S. military  
> bases around the world that are the foundation of U.S. Empire.
>
> Is the news bad enough yet?
>
> Perhaps the worst news is the relative silence of the peace  
> movement.  Yes, some are criticizing, but some are still holding out  
> hope that Obama is different.  Others of us pointed out that buried  
> beneath the peace-friendly rhetoric during the campaign were Obama’s  
> promises of escalation.  Now, more and more are seeing he meant what  
> he said when it came to his support for a hawkish U.S. foreign policy.
>
> Can you imagine the uproar if President Bush had taken these  
> actions?  It is time for the peace movement to wake up to the  
> reality that President Obama is no ally.  He has a militaristic  
> national security team that Republicans have praised.  His policies  
> in some ways are more militaristic than George W. Bush’s were.  It  
> is time for the peace movement to re-awaken and challenge Obama on  
> all of these wrongheaded war policies.
>
> The peace movement needs to consistently let its representatives  
> know that we oppose these actions and organize events to push them  
> to end the ongoing wars and apply the rule of law to torture.  It is  
> time for a return to civil disobedience but now the focus of the  
> peace movement must be Democrats who control the Presidency, House  
> and Senate and are responsible.
>
> If you don’t like the direction the country is going it will not  
> change without action by you and others.  It is time step up efforts  
> to end the wars.
>
>
> Kevin Zeese is Executive Director of Voters for Peace.  You can  
> visit www.VotersForPeace.US and easily take action through the  
> Internet.  In addition, if you are planning local events, Voters for  
> Peace will publicize them to our members.  Contact action at VotersForPeace.US 
> .
>
>
> ***************************************
> This is a list for member groups of United for Peace and Justice to  
> discuss organizing plans and the work of this coalition.

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