[Peace-discuss] Des Moines Register: Protesters hold anti-drone rally at Iowa's 132nd Fighter Wing

[Robert Naiman]

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20130501/NEWS/130501015/military-drone-use-in-U-S-

May 1, 2013 1:03 PM

Protestors rallied outside the Iowa Air National Guard’s 132nd Fighter Wing
Wednesday to speak out against a new mission that would operate unnamed
aircraft from the base.

Holding signs with phrases like, "Drones are for bagpipes," and "No more
video game warfare," members of the Des Moines chapter of Veterans for
Peace, the Des Moines Catholic Worker and Catholic Peace Ministry gathered
to hear Robert Naiman, a Huffington Post columnist and policy director at
Just Foreign Policy speak about the impending mission, which is intended to
replace the current F-16 program.

"The military is trying to convince people in our community that this is
just another business," Naiman said. "This is not just, well we lost
manufacturing, now we have the military. This is a special kind of business
that's about killing innocent people in other countries."

The protesters, who came from as far as Chicago, had an opportunity to
address the group. Tommy Schmitz, of Des Moines, said he hears from
Facebook friends in South Asia about their fear of drones flying overhead.
"They have to live under them," Schmitz said. "It's a humiliation."

Jane Magers, of Des Moines, has a grandson in the U.S. Air Force, stationed
in New Mexico. She said he makes fun of her when she talks about her
opposition to drones. "He's gonna hear it from me," she told the crowd
angrily.

Frank Cordaro, a longtime activist with the Catholic Worker, said that for
the first 20 years of his activism, he had to leave Iowa to find something
to protest.

"I don't have to leave Des Moines to protest war anymore, because the front
lines are right here."

-- 
Robert Naiman
Policy Director
Just Foreign Policy
www.justforeignpolicy.org
naiman at justforeignpolicy.org
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