Sun Feb 25, 2007 4:00 pm (PST)
NYCLAW is reposting the statement below in support of
unified antiwar action on the fourth anniversary of the war in
Iraq.
This is necessary because of a recent call from United for
Peace and Justice (UFPJ) for a March 18 protest in NYC, which
directly conflicts with longstanding plans by ANSWER, Troops Out
Now Coalition, and many others for a national march at the
Pentagon on March 17, which NYCLAW has endorsed. See:http://www.answercoalition.
[As in the past, NYCLAW also supports the regional protest by
antiwar GIs, vets and military families in Fayetteville, NC on
March 17. See: www.fayetteville-peace-rally.o
Unfortunately, UFPJ has played a similarly negative role before.
See: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/
To endorse NYCLAW‘s statement, please go to
http://www.petitiononline.com/
Please also sign the Open Letter to UFPJ, posted at:
http://www.petitiononline.com/
————
Mass Movement to End the War Now
New York City Labor Against the War
January 24, 2007
Despite overwhelming rejection of its policies in the November
elections, the Bush administration has steadily escalated its war in
the Middle East.
This has meant not only ordering thousands more troops to Iraq and
Afghanistan, but arming and financing Israel’s attacks on Lebanon and
its increasingly brutal oppression of the Palestinians, launching a
proxy invasion of Somalia, and threatening to attack Iran and Syria.
As in all wars of conquest, ordinary people pay the price. In Iraq
alone, this war for oil and empire has killed at least 655,000 Iraqis,
caused 50,000 U.S. casualties, promoted civil war, and cost $1.2
trillion — with no end in sight.
Meanwhile at home, the administration continues to attack civil
liberties, the Arab-Muslim community, undocumented immigrants, Katrina
refugees, people of color and labor.
Yet this is a bipartisan war, and as a willing accomplice, the
Democratic Party cannot be trusted to end it. Even now, most
politicians refuse to cut-off funding for the occupation of Iraq, let
alone end the war as a whole.
History shows that the U.S. got out of Vietnam only due to tenacious
Vietnamese resistance and to the mass antiwar movement, particularly
among GIs.
Similarly, U.S. war in the Middle East today has been crippled by
overwhelming Iraqi resistance, which deserves the support of a mass
antiwar movement in this country.
This movement — which belongs to rank-and-file participants, rather
than the leaders of any organization — must join together in all
upcoming protests, including those on January 27 and March 17.
To be effective, the movement must be led by those with the strongest
need and greatest power to end the war, including GIs, veterans,
workers, people of color, and immigrants. It must also oppose the
entire war and demand justice — at home and abroad:
U.S. OUT OF THE MIDDLE EAST
1. Immediate withdrawal from Iraq, Afghanistan, and Somalia: No war
funding, timetables, redeployment, advisors, air-war, or aid to U.S.
client regimes. Reparations for U.S. devastation of the region.
2. No Support to the Israeli Apartheid State: End the $5 billion
annual U.S. government aid to Israel, divest all private investments
and union funds, boycott Israel, end the occupation and fully
implement the Palestinian right of return.
3. No Attacks on Iran and Syria — Or Anyone Else.
END THE WAR AT HOME
1. Defend Our Civil Liberties.
2. End Attacks on the Arab/Muslim Community.
3. Full Amnesty for Undocumented Immigrants: No detention or
deportation.
4. Money for Human Need, Not for War: Rebuild the Gulf Coast for —
and under the control of — Katrina survivors. Decent jobs, food,
housing, healthcare, education and transportation for all poor and
working people.
—–
NYCLAW Co-Conveners
(Other affiliations listed for identification only):
Larry Adams
Former President, NPMHU Local 300
Michael Letwin
Former President, UAW Local 2325/Assn. of Legal Aid Attorneys
Brenda Stokely
Former President, AFSCME DC 1707; Co-Chair, Million Worker March
—-
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http://groups.yahoo.com/group/
New York City Labor Against the War (NYCLAW)
nyclaw at comcast.net
PO Box 620166, PACC, New York, NY 10129
