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

[Randall Cotton]

One more thing. The website for the "National Assembly" is:

www.natassembly.org

Lots of additional information there.
R


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Randall Cotton" <recotton at earthlink.net>
To: <Peace at lists.chambana.net>
Sent: Friday, June 20, 2008 8:59 PM
Subject: [Peace] CALL TO ACTION: National Assembly to End the Iraq War
andOccupation


: 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.
:
:
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