[Peace] CALL TO ACTION: National Assembly to End the Iraq War and Occupation

[Randall Cotton]

There is an idea brewing in the U.S. anti-war movement that has the
potential to finally force our government's hand to end the occupation of
Iraq. And there is an upcoming conference scheduled for June 28-29 in
Cleveland, OH to launch this idea nationwide. But for this idea to take
root, groups like AWARE need to attend and participate in this conference
(and work toward the idea's fruition going forward). Full details are
below. But first, a quick description of what action is needed:

We need folks to attend this conference as representatives of AWARE. We
have one person (and his minivan for bringing others) committed to
attending (David Harley). But it is important to get as many folks there
in support of this idea as possible (everyone attending the conference
will have equal vote). We need 3 more folks (or as close to that as we can
get) to attend along with David (each person attending can provide input,
and most importantly, their VOTE).

The idea:
---------
We have seen how we cannot depend on politicians to end the occupation,
despite the fact that some 2/3 of the nation is opposed to the war. We've
seen how even though we gave the Democrats control of both houses of
Congress (allowing them to block funding for the war at any time), they
not only didn't stop the occupation, they allowed it to "surge". Both
presidential contenders promise to continue the occupation of Iraq
indefinitely.

We have seen how relying on centralized meta-groups such as "United for
Peace and Justice" and ANSWER to mobilize large demonstrations has
resulted in disappointing turnouts and bickering that ultimately resulted
in UFPJ deciding "not to coordinate work with ANSWER again on a national
level". We have seen how such demonstrations have also been diluted by
advocacy for a wide spectrum of issues outside the narrow focus of the
calamitous occupation of Iraq, likewise diluting their impact toward
ending that occupation.

Many in the anti-war movement have come to realize that we must turn away
from relying on leaders in government and leading national anti-war
meta-organizations and instead look to ourselves, the myriad individual
anti-war groups nationwide, small and large, to build a new movement from
the grassroots up, networking across the country to create the same
conditions that forced the end of the Vietnam War and forced the passage
of the Civil Rights Act: ABSOLUTELY MASSIVE NATIONAL DEMONSTRATIONS,
larger than anything ever seen.

Specifically, the idea is "to place on the agenda of the entire US antiwar
movement a proposal for the largest possible united mass mobilization to
stop the war and end the occupation" and to effect this by having all
anti-war groups across the country network together (easier to do these
days than ever with e-mail/cell phones/instant message, etc) to
collectively get as many people as possible to national demonstrations on
each coast (probably DC and SF) on a specific date next Spring. And to
continue in that fashion, growing the movement, perhaps having
ever-growing massive demonstrations each year, until it becomes so
overwhelming that our government simply has no alternative but to end the
occupation. A million or more angry demonstrators surrounding the White
House, with the promise of more next time around is the kind of dynamic
this movement aims for.

I've included the full "action proposal" below. This proposal will be
modified and voted on at the conference. Fundamental tenets underlying
this proposal are:

1) An understanding that this is about nothing less than the "immediate,
total and unconditional withdrawal" of all military, contractors, and
bases from Iraq.
2) Mass demonstrations as the central strategy.
3) Everyone starts NOW to promote and organize the Spring mass
demonstration as part of events that anti-war groups are already doing.
4) Independence of the movement from all political parties.

My role here is to advocate for this idea and encourage AWARE's full
participation. I'm not planning on going to the conference myself, but I'm
spearheading the logistics and funding proposal for the trip and asking
others to attend who are excited about this idea and are willing to help
out at least a little in AWARE's future participation as part of this
movement. I am committing to spearheading AWARE's ongoing support and
participation in this effort (which I view as a long-term project), but I
think other AWARE folks should attend the conference itself.

To me this is a truly inspirational development that holds great promise,
but it could also fall flat on its face. If not enough supporting votes
attend the conference to reinforce and refine this idea, I can foresee how
it could be diluted, deflected and even corrupted by folks who want to use
the conference to advance more narrow (maybe even self-serving) interests
or add in tangentially related issues, watering down the power of this
idea so much that it just peters out. Thus the importance of sending as
many folks as we can (within practical limits). Every individual attending
has a vote. For logistical reasons, 4 is a good number, and I hope that's
what we wind up with. I know it's very short notice for essentially giving
up one's whole weekend (including Friday as a travel day), but I just got
wind of the conference not too long ago myself.

Please take the time to read the core document of this idea - the "action
proposal" below, it's not very long. It is tightly focused, admirably
uncompromising, even inspirational. And if you're inspired to help bring
this idea to life, please let me know as soon as possible. I'm arranging
the logistics - funding, hotel room(s), etc. I'll also provide you with a
packet of information on the conference before the trip to get you up to
speed in preparation.

Reach me anytime by phone if you like - 351-8644 (home)/722-8470 (cell)

Thanks
R


********************************************
Action Proposal Submitted to the June 28-29, 2008 "Open National
Conference to Stop the War in Iraq and Bring the Troops Home Now" by the
Coordinating Committee of the National Assembly to End the Iraq War and
Occupation

                                                   Proposed Actions

1) The National Assembly to End the War and Occupation of Iraq urges
attendees at this conference to build support for and participate in
demonstrations at the Republican and Democratic Party conventions
previously called by many groups with the goal being to organize massive,
independent and united contingents demanding "Bring the Troops Home Now!"
Put the bi-partisan warmakers on notice that our movement will accept
nothing less than the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of all U.S.
troops from Iraq and closing all military bases.

2) The National Assembly welcomes initiatives taken by local and regional
antiwar groups to organize antiwar demonstrations in the months ahead,
leading up to the November 4 election, calling for the immediate
withdrawal of all U.S. military forces from Iraq.  The Assembly will
encourage participation in such actions.

3) The National Assembly will propose a date to be set by the conference
for organizing united local protests in cities across the nation to demand
of whichever administration comes to power nothing less than the immediate
and unconditional withdrawal of all U.S. troops and bases from Iraq.

4) That all of the above mobilizations be viewed as springboards for
building massive, united, independent and bi-coastal Spring 2009
demonstrations against the war, organized, called and sponsored by the
movement's major forces as well as new forces that can be brought into the
movement; that every effort be made to make these demonstrations
international in scope; and that we aim at a new level of unity and
commitment capable of closing the gap between the present antiwar forces
engaged in our common movement and those who also oppose the war but have
not yet understood the necessity of directly and actively dedicating
themselves to the fight to end it.

5) In the event of a U.S. government attack on Iran or another major
international crisis triggered by U.S. military action, the Assembly will
urge an emergency convening of all the major antiwar forces to plan the
most massive, united, protest action possible.

6) The National Assembly welcomes and will help publicize other forms of
activity calling for an end to the war and occupation of Iraq, including
work with veterans and active duty members of the service, teach-ins,
forums, antiwar referenda, antiwar strikes, mass meetings, civil
disobedience/non-violent direst action, petitioning, moratorium activity,
lobbying, Iraqi trade unionists tours, solidarity work,
counter-recruitment actions, electoral work, letter writing or any of the
other multiple ways opponents of the war and occupation protest. We value
all activities that involve people and broaden the movement in protesting
the Iraq war and occupation, and, upon request, we will post notice of
such activities on the Assembly's website.

MOTIVATION


1. The U.S. continued occupation of Iraq as part of its war against the
people of that nation is today among the central issues in world politics.
Initiated with an internationally discredited lie, the war and occupation
violate the right of the Iraqi people to determine their own destiny and
constitute crimes under international law.

2. The war is motivated by the drive to control Iraq's gigantic oil wealth
and access to the energy resources of the entire Middle East. It is a war
in which working class youth are victims of the "economic draft" and pay
the ultimate price.  It is a war costing trillions of dollars needed to
solve pressing social problems at home, rebuild the destruction in Iraq,
and relieve hunger and poverty around the globe.

3. Building support for a U.S. withdrawal from Iraq helps bring to the
fore the question of the legitimacy and cost in human lives and treasure
of U.S. interventions, military actions and wars in other parts of the
world, especially Afghanistan. In fact, Washington's pursuit of 'victory'
in Iraq carries with it the threat of expanding the war to Iran and
enmeshing the entire region and beyond in even more conflicts and
occupations.

The Iraq war has resulted in incalculable numbers of deaths and casualties
of Iraqis, as well as their massive displacement. It is a war that
promotes the transparently false and racist idea that Muslim and/or Arab
people are not capable of organizing their own affairs.


                                        FOR IMMEDIATE WITHDRAWAL

4. We call for the immediate, total and unconditional withdrawal of all
U.S. military forces and contractors from Iraq, their return to the U.S.,
and closing of all U.S. military bases.

                                    FOR UNITED MASS ACTION IN THE STREETS

5. We advocate and will help bring into being a massive, united,
independent and democratic antiwar movement demanding "Bring the Troops
Home Now!" and "End the Occupation Now!" Only a united antiwar movement
that reaches deep into the fabric of American society and mobilizes the
majority millions who oppose this war, from citizens to soldiers, from
immigrants to the youth, to women and LGBT people, to people of all races
and creeds, can force the U.S. government to bend to its will.

6. We place our confidence in the people of the U.S. to challenge this war
and reject the idea that promises by politicians will lead to an end to
the slaughter in the absence of popular mass struggle. The history of all
successful social struggles, from the fight against the Vietnam War to the
fight for civil rights and the right of workers to organize collectively,
is the history of the construction of independent mass movements that
challenge the powers that be until their just cause is won.

7. All polls show that a majority of the people in the U.S. oppose
continuation of the war and occupation. Yet we must acknowledge that there
exists a huge gap between those who oppose the war and those who are
willing to take to the streets to express their opposition to it. We
believe that a united movement can play a key role in closing this gap.

8. It is self-evident that a united movement is a stronger movement. There
is every reason for the movement to unite and no good reason for it to be
divided. We believe that coalitions, organizations and groups with widely
divergent views on a host of matters can and must come together to boldly
challenge the warmakers and render the pursuit of this unjust war morally
and socially indefensible and unsustainable.

9.  We reject presidential and congressional calls to "stay the course" in
Iraq or proposals for timetables for withdrawal coupled with belligerent,
saber-rattling threats against Iran. What a far cry that is from the clear
clarion "Out Now!" demand of the antiwar movement!

10. The brochure announcing this conference declares: "Everyone is
welcome. The objective is to place on the agenda of the entire U.S.
antiwar movement a proposal for the largest possible united mass
mobilization(s) in the future to stop the war and end the occupation." It
is in that spirit that we urge adoption of the actions proposed above.