Here is an excellent summary of the profound wrongs of the Iraq invasion and occupation, and the remedies, from the astute and compassionate Mennonites.
OMNI is tabling against US WARS (AND WARMING) each Saturday morning at the Farmer's Market, north side of Old Post Office. Join us.
We should have a presence against these disasters, talking to people about what we should do to CHANGE the old myths and patterns and practices that have permitted WARS AND WARMING to imperil us and the world. Join us.
Let us fill that space and speak to the people, trusting that the great majority of Americans do not like torture, or assassination, or the drones or special ops employed to kill without jury or judge; or bombing innocent children and their parents; or humiliating people by breaking into their homes; or causing mass dislocation, two or three million Iraqis forced abroad, and two million internally displaced; and all regardless of what is needed for real security for us and the world. Join us.
Wear your OMNI shirt if you have one; that is a statement for peace, justice, and the environment. And trusting that the people like the EPA's protections, the CLEAN AIR ACT, protecting our health, and block ing warming. Join us.
And this is not OMNI's only present voice against WARS AND WARMING. Friday night saw our second Forum on Afghanistan with a panel and audience aroused against that longest war that perpetuates US permanent war. And Saturday night Jacob George's Ride To the End (of the wars) fundraiser, supported by OMNI, received a significant financial boost. And our Climate Change Task Force (Joanna and Nathan) and newsletter (Robert) speak out strong and steady. What more we will do depends upon us all. Join us.
--
Dick Bennett
Wars and Warming: Reducing the Footprints
My blog:
http://jamesrichardbennett.blogspot.com/
jbennet@uark.edu
(479) 442-4600
2582 Jimmie Ave.
Fayetteville, AR 72703
----- Original Message -----
From: "Susan Mark Landis, Orrville OH"
To:
Sent: Tuesday, August 31, 2010 11:39 AM
Subject: "end of combat in Iraq" response
> Today "marks the end of combat in Iraq."
> 1. The U.S. presence in Iraq is still overbearing even with the troop
> reduction from 165,000 to 50,000. As one news correspondent reported, a
> service person indicated there really is no difference between an
> advisor and a combatant.
>
> 2. The U.S. military's overthrow of the brutal dictatorship of Saddam
> Hussein did not lead to a better life for Iraqis -- just the opposite.
>
> 3. Life expectancy for Iraqis fell from 71 years in 1996 to 67 years in
> 2007 due to the war and destruction of the healthcare system.
>
> 4. The majority of the refugees and internally displaced persons created
> by the US intervention have been abandoned.
>
> 5. Iraq still does not have a functioning government.
>
> 6.The Iraq War has left a terrible toll on the U.S. troops with more
> than one million American service members deployed, over 4,400 have been
> killed and tens of thousands severely injured. More than one in four
> U.S. troops have come home from the Iraq war with health problems that
> require medical or mental health treatment. PTSD rates in the military
> have skyrocketed. In 2009, a record number of 245 soldiers committed
> suicide.
>
> 7.The war has drained our treasury with over spent $750 billion on the
> Iraq War effort. This misappropriation of funds has contributed to the
> economic crises and left us without the funds needed for our schools,
> healthcare, infrastructure and a jobs program that are clean, green.
>
> 8. The U.S. officials who got us into this disastrous war on the basis
> of lies have not been held accountable.
>
> 9. The U.S. Department of Defense has been unable to account for $8.7
> billion of Iraqi oil and gas money meant for humanitarian needs and
> reconstruction.
>
> 10. The war has not made us more secure -- just the opposite.
>
> Please call on President Obama and his Administration and on the
> Congress to take the following actions:
>
> 1. Withdrawal of all U.S. troops and military contractors from Iraq and
> the closing of all U.S. bases;
>
> 2. Reparations to help the Iraqis repair their basic infrastructure and
> increased funds for the millions of internally and externally displaced
> Iraqis;
>
> 3. Full support for the U.S. troops who suffer from the internal and
> external wounds of war;
>
> 4. Prosecution of those officials responsible for dragging our country
> into
> this disaster;
>
> 5. Transfer the funds used for war into resources to rebuild America,
> with a focus on green jobs.
> White House http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact 202-456-1111
>
> Congress:
> http://www3.capwiz.com/c-span/dbq/officials
>
> Please let me know if you make a contact, and what the response is:
> SusanML@MennoniteUSA.org
>
> Peace,
> Susan
>
> Susan Mark Landis, Denominational Minister for Peace and Justice Mennonite
> Church USA PO Box 173, Orrville OH 44667 phone/fax 330-683-6844; Toll free
> 866-866-2872, ext 23052 SusanML@MennoniteUSA.org;
> www.MennoniteUSA.org/peace
--
Dick Bennett
Wars and Warming: Reducing the Footprints
My blog:
http://jamesrichardbennett.blogspot.com/
jbennet@uark.edu
(479) 442-4600
2582 Jimmie Ave.
Fayetteville, AR 72703
No comments:
Post a Comment