Minneapolis, MN – A coalition of Twin Cities peace and anti-war organizations held an anti-war protest October 9 to mark 20 years since the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan. The protest, held at Mayday Plaza in Minneapolis, also called for an end all forms of U.S. aggression.

Kim DeFranco, representing Women Against Military Madness and the Climate Justice Committee, welcomed the 50-plus people and explained the focus for the action, “Now is the time to end the U.S. obsession for endless wars. We demand to end all wars and all types of warfare. Bring all the troops home from everywhere, end all sanctions and stop all blockades and fund human needs now!” All the speakers addressed one of the central demands of an end to warfare, intervention and sanctions, and for human needs to be prioritized.

Misty Rowan, an activist with the Anti-War Committee, explained the significance of the role of sanctions as an act of war, “Sanctions are an act of war, and they need to be treated as such. They are cruel, and they are intended to cause harm, but unlike a drone strike, the damage done is so much more insidious than outright violence, and for that reason, so much less likely to make the nightly news. Sanctions are used to strangle countries economically and to put pressure on governments, but it is the ordinary people who ultimately pay the price. It is well documented that sanctions can cause more death and more suffering than an actual hot war, but they are sold to us as being less cruel, and more cost-effective.”

U.S. weapons and aid are another form of U.S. warfare. Mnar Adley, an outspoken Palestinian-American and editor of Mint Press News, spoke about the situation in occupied Palestine. “Muna and Mohammed El-Kurd, standing up to Israeli apartheid and the ethnic cleansing of their neighborhoods, are the real heroes of 2021,” she said. “Where are the Muna and Mohammed El-Kurds here in America, standing up in Congress, in the House, in the Senate – where are they? They do not exist. That's why we have to hold our elected officials accountable and rely on the strength and courage of ourselves.”

Ruben Joanem of the Haiti Justice Committee held U.S. imperialism responsible for the Haitian refugee crisis, saying of the July assassination of President Jovenal Moïse that “nothing happens there without the consent of the U.S. embassy.” Joanem continued, “We need to ask our representatives to put a moratorium on deportation of refugees from Haiti because the nation has collapsed as we know it. There is no infrastructure, there is no leadership, there is no administration in Port-au-Prince or elsewhere in Haiti. The images that you've seen of officers chasing children and women refugees is no different from the image of the officer kneeling on the neck of George Floyd. All we are asking for: we want to breathe. The right to breathe is the right to live.”

Several speakers also made the connection between the wars abroad and the war on oppressed nationalities at home. Kelly Thomas, a member of the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice for Jamar, addressed the crowd to make this connection, “The people who are in the streets fighting for our lives, for our rights to freedom of speech, for literally clean drinking water, we are being attacked and targeted by police. We're being assaulted and arrested. Some of us were literally in court yesterday.”

Thomas continued, “Right now, the people with the most power are mostly people who have never experienced being traumatized by police. They don't know what being pepper sprayed or tear gassed feels like. They haven't seen the damage that rubber bullets do. They don't know the feeling of being jumpy at unexpected sounds, or watching traumatized community and loved ones spreading trauma because they don't have the safety they need to heal. They haven't had to try and sleep just feet away from police in order to hold ground. They are not interested in understanding the problem, they are not capable of understanding the problem, and they're not capable of caring about people with Black and brown skin.” Thomas encouraged participants to support their campaign for CPAC, a Civilian Police Accountability Council, in Minneapolis.

The Saturday protest was initiated by the Minnesota Peace Action Coalition and was endorsed by the Anti-War Committee, Climate Justice Committee, Every Church a Peace Church, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Haiti Justice Committee of Minnesota, Mayday Books, Minnesota Cuba Committee, Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee, Minnesota War Tax Resistance, Party for Socialism and Liberation, St. Joan of Arc/WAMM Peacemakers, St. Paul Eastside Neighbors for Peace, Socialist Action, Socialist Revolution, Students for a Democratic Society (UMN), Twin Cities Peace Campaign, Veterans for Peace, Welfare Rights Committee, and Women Against Military Madness.

#MinneapolisMN #AntiwarMovement #Afghanistan #PeoplesStruggles #MinnesotaPeaceActionCoalition

Milwaukee, WI – A group of anti-war students and community members gathered in downtown Milwaukee in the early afternoon of September 11 to protest continued U.S. involvement in Afghanistan. Speakers acknowledged the significance of the withdrawal of U.S. troops, but pointed to history and actions taken since the evacuation of the U.S. embassy as a sign of things to come.

“It’s a good thing that the U.S. has removed its forces, but we know that they’re not going to allow the unimpeded expression of Afghan self-determination,” said Ryan Hamann, speaking on behalf of Freedom Road Socialist Organization – Wisconsin.

“We see this in the drone strikes ordered by Biden which resulted in the deaths of ten civilians, seven of whom were children. We should expect to see sanctions against ‘the government’ in the near future,” Hamann continued. “Sanctions kill people, too, and the U.S. government knows this. It’s all a part of their plan to continue the war on Afghanistan.”

Attendees chanted, “Hands off Afghanistan!” and “No justice, no peace, U.S. out of the Middle East!” as cars drove by honking their approval for the anti-war demonstration. Downtown Milwaukee was alive with foot traffic due to SummerFest, a major annual music festival. A few people stopped to join or ask questions.

After the event, people were asked to purchase a book detailing the lives of women in Afghanistan. The proceeds raised would be donated to the Afghan refugee resettlement efforts in Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, an area that falls roughly halfway between Madison and the Minnesota state line. The event was organized by the FRSO – Wisconsin and the Milwaukee branch of the Party for Socialism and Liberation together with a handful of Iranian graduate students.

FRSO – Wisconsin is hosting a study on imperialism and national liberation, with the current events in Afghanistan serving as a backdrop for discussions. This study is open to all who want to learn more about these topics. It’s set to take place via Zoom on September 19 at 5 p.m. Central Time. The link for the Zoom call can be found on the FRSO – Wisconsin Facebook page.

#MilwaukeeWI #AntiwarMovement #Afghanistan #Asia #PeoplesStruggles #September11

New Orleans, LA – On August 21, around 30 community members gathered in opposition to the U.S. government’s role in fueling crises around the world. They met at the historic Congo Square in the Treme neighborhood of New Orleans.

The Freedom Road Socialist Organization of New Orleans and the New Orleans Hospitality Workers Alliance called the march. Participants rejected U.S. attempts to destabilize Cuba. They also condemned the United States’ role in creating miserable ongoing conditions in Haiti and Afghanistan.

Solidarity with the people of Cuba and Haiti, who share a geographical region and a long historical link with the people of New Orleans, was a major theme of the rally. Co-organizer Toni Jones said to the crowd: “For over 200 years Haiti has been a beacon, for showing the world that it’s possible for Black people in America to create a free republic.”

Local historian Leon A. Waters spoke about the direct link between the Haitian revolution and the 1811 Slave Revolt in Saint Charles Parish. The Revolt carried the slogans “On to New Orleans” and “Freedom or Death” only seven years after Haiti achieved independence.

The crowd marched through downtown New Orleans, taking over major roads to reach the Hale Boggs Federal Building, where they rallied.

Meg Maloney of the Hospitality Workers Alliance said, “We have to be willing and ready to speak to our coworkers, to our community members, about this because it directly affects us. They are taking our money and they are using it to terrorize people around the world.”

Speakers highlighted that the U.S. government terrorized the people of Afghanistan through years of drone warfare. It is also terrorizing the people of Cuba with the blockade and economic embargo.

The protest rejected the lie that U.S. wars are fought to spread freedom and democracy. “The U.S. has lost the war in Afghanistan, and that’s a great thing,” said Serena Borne of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, “because these wars and interventions crush the self-determination and democracy of these nations.”

#NewOrleansLA #AntiwarMovement #Cuba #Afghanistan #Haiti #PeoplesStruggles

St. Paul, MN – On August 18, representatives from Twin Cities anti-war groups and the local Afghan community gathered at the Lake Street-Marshall Avenue bridge to hold a press conference on the unfolding situation in Afghanistan. The event was part of a weekly peace vigil organized by Women Against Military Madness.

Days earlier, the U.S.-backed Afghan government and Afghan National Army collapsed in the face of a nationwide offensive by resistance forces led by the Taliban, after the withdrawal of most U.S. troops from the country. The Taliban’s quick success effectively brought an end to nearly 20 years of U.S. occupation and returned the group to power for the first time since 2001.

This led to a chaotic situation at Kabul’s international airport, where remnants of U.S. occupation forces violently attacked crowds of Afghan civilians who hoped to flee the country, killing at least five.

Naweed Ahmadzai, a first-generation Afghan American born to parents who were educators during the first Taliban regime, spoke at the Saint Paul press conference. “No one has taken responsibility for the situation Afghanistan is now in, not even the president of the United States. And this was all while there were Afghans literally hanging from the wings of a U.S. plane as it took off, as we all saw. Now this is not on anyone but us. We must hold Joe Biden accountable, Trump accountable, Obama accountable and the ones before accountable,” he said.

Wyatt Miller of the Anti-War Committee criticized the U.S. government’s retaliatory seizure of Afghanistan’s foreign holdings, saying, “None of this will help Afghanistan. If anything the U.S. owes Afghanistan reparations for what it’s done. But at the heart of it all is sovereignty and self-determination, two things the U.S. needs to learn how to respect and value before it will ever be able to engage with the world as anything other than a bully and a predator.”

Amina Baha, an Afghan American living in Minneapolis, also spoke and encouraged people to demand support for Afghan refugees, concluding, “Please pray for Afghanistan, show up for Afghanistan, save Afghanistan.”

The press conference announced that on Saturday, August 28 at 4 p.m., the local Afghan community will hold a demonstration at Loring Park in Minneapolis to demand protection for Afghan refugees and for the U.S. to be held accountable for its destructive occupation.

#StPaulMN #AntiwarMovement #Afghanistan #Asia #PeoplesStruggles #WomenAgainstMilitaryMadness #AfghanistanWar #TwinCitiesAntiWarCommittee

The images are searing. Helicopters ferrying diplomatic personnel from the U.S. Embassy while plumes of black smoke billow from the building. Taliban fighters with heavy artillery parade through the thoroughfares of provincial capitals. The International Airport, still under U.S. control, is in chaos as collaborators try storm planes to flee the country. In the space of a few weeks the puppet government collapsed, and its figureheads have vanished. The decades of occupation have come to an end. Those that fought to end it now sit at the former president’s desk.

The U.S.-led occupation of Afghanistan was never the right thing to do. The events of September 11, 2001 served as a pretext for the war on Afghanistan, a war that was cruel and unjust. Before the troops arrived, U.S. planes unleashed bombs on the country’s cities, destroying hospitals clearly marked with red crosses on the roofs. The invasion came with the brutality of a medieval crusade – marked by torture and summary executions. The U.S. and its accomplices always treated the Afghan people as the enemy. That is why we are seeing what we are seeing. The vast majority of the Afghan people welcome the expulsion of the foreign occupiers.

The occupation was never about helping people. It was about the domination of a strategic region of the world that is rich with resources. Nothing complicated about it. Empires doing what they always do – help themselves to land, labor and natural resources of others.

At the end of the day, and the end of the occupation, the Taliban are in fact a national liberation movement. A movement with real defects, largely lacking an agenda of social liberation that is product of a long historical process, which includes U.S. intervention to defeat the left in Afghanistan. That said, the people of Afghanistan have the right to determine their own destiny free of imperial arrogance.

The main way for assessing any movement for national liberation is by asking and answering the question, “does it weaken imperialism?” Undoubtably monopoly capitalism, or imperialism, was just handed a setback in Afghanistan. The rich and powerful who rule the U.S. rob people aboard and they rob us here at home. What is bad for them, is good for the rest of us. Their setbacks bring us closer to freedom.

President Biden heading out of Afghanistan is not a mistake – it is the recognition of reality. The U.S., along with the other Western powers, were defeated long ago, and we are witnessing the end of that process.

There is something fundamental going on here – U.S. imperialism is in a period of decline, and that decline is accelerating. In Latin America, Cuba and Venezuela are standing strong, and others are joining in. The Palestinian resistance is picking up steam, along with the other resistance movements across the Mideast. The revolutionary struggle in the Philippines is growing. Socialist China grows more powerful. The world is changing.

The outstanding Chinese revolutionary Mao Zedong remarked, “Now U.S. imperialism is quite powerful, but in reality, it isn't. It is very weak politically because it is divorced from the masses of the people and is disliked by everybody and by the American people too. In appearance it is very powerful but in reality, it is nothing to be afraid of, it is a paper tiger.”

That is where we are at today. People everywhere, including here at home, are tired of the obnoxious elite that rules the U.S. The paper tiger, monopoly capitalism, can and will be defeated. It will take time, but time is on our side.

#UnitedStates #AntiwarMovement #Obama #Afghanistan #PeoplesStruggles #taliban #Bush #Trump #US #Biden #Asia

Although the war in Afghanistan was originally portrayed as a response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the U.S. and to take military action against al-Qaeda, the priorities of the U.S. occupation shows that the goal was to install a pro-U.S. government that would support the U.S.’s economic and military ambitions in the region. Afghanistan has been an important nexus for trade for centuries, an intersection between Iran, China, India and countries to the west. Multinational corporations also want access to the estimated $1 trillion of mineral wealth that exists in the country.

In the early years after the invasion, the majority of the funds that poured into the country went to buy military equipment and create infrastructure for the U.S. occupation forces. The goal was never to help the people of Afghanistan, it was to subjugate them and make Afghanistan a launching pad for further U.S. military adventurism in the region.

This lack of popular support for the occupation shows up even when the CIA-affiliated Asia Foundation think tank publishes opinion polls. In one recent poll, 80% of Afghans said they feel fear when encountering the international occupation forces. Biden recognized this missing popular support when over 200 collaborators were evacuated from Afghanistan and Biden said, “Welcome home.” Since the evacuees have spent at least part of the last two decades assisting the foreign occupation forces, they aren’t welcome in their own country anymore.

Militarily, the U.S.-backed puppet government holds a dwindling number of provinces and population centers. The Taliban claims to control 85% of the territory of Afghanistan, and there is a constant stream of reports of the U.S.-backed Afghan National Army laying down arms instead of fighting. This year, the amount of territory that the Taliban controls is estimated to have doubled, as the U.S. occupation government has no popular support and its troops recognize that they are heading to defeat.

The past experience of U.S. meddling and interference in the world show that its influence doesn’t lead to more rights for the average people; but for a small wealthy elite it helps funnel resources to multinational corporations. The only just solution is the removal of the U.S. occupation.

While the U.S. has poured $2 trillion into the war effort, the Afghan people haven’t seen any benefit from this; they’ve only seen their country destroyed and ravaged by bombs, paramilitary groups and mountains of military equipment. China is offering an alternative path for the Afghan people. While the U.S. plans to withdraw, China is developing infrastructure projects as part of its Belt and Road Initiative. The Belt and Road Initiative is a global infrastructure development strategy encompassing over 70 countries to grow global trade. The terms and agreements of the Belt and Road Initiative stand in stark contrast to the neoliberal demands of the World Bank and IMF and represent a serious challenge to U.S. and European dominance globally.

We can look at past U.S. military invasions and see what the U.S. does when it is defeated. It moves towards economic and political maneuvers to isolate and hurt the people that defeated them. The economic and political development of Afghanistan can only begin with the full withdrawal of all U.S. troops and private military contractors.

#UnitedStates #Afghanistan #PeoplesStruggles #Asia

Minneapolis, MN – On March 26, a coalition of Twin Cities area peace and anti-war groups marked 18 years of the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq with a protest calling for an end to “endless U.S. wars.” The crowed lined up in front of the office of Minnesota U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar.

MN Peace Action Coalition called for the protest and announced, “The effects of U.S. militarism around the world are felt at home with militarization of police and brutalization of communities at home. The wars abroad are felt on the streets at home, as funds for housing, jobs, health care and other human needs go to the Pentagon war machine.” The statement concludes by saying, “18 years after the invasion of Iraq, thousands of people have died in U.S. wars, these wars have become an endless exercise in futility, these wars must end, from Iraq, to Afghanistan to Syria.”

Meredith Aby-Keirstead, an organizer with the MN Anti-War Committee, started the program, “It’s important we are out today to pressure the Democratic Party from the White House to the Senate for their continuation of U.S. war. While we are here to protest Biden’s policy, we are in front of Senator Amy Klobuchar’s office. When she was running for president, she, like Biden, promised to continue U.S. imperialism – although they label it as ‘leadership’ – so it’s no surprise that she has been silent as our senator while Biden has ordered airstrikes on Syria and announced he’ll keep U.S. forces in Afghanistan.”

Aby-Keirstead continued, “Trump said that he’d pull U.S. troops out on May 1, and I’ll admit that was one of the only things he said he’d do that I supported. Biden however has reneged on the U.S. promise to withdraw troops. The U.S. has been at war with Afghanistan since October 2001. The U.S. has been occupying Afghanistan for more than 19 years and through four presidential administrations. We need to send a loud message that this war needs to end.”

During the pandemic more Americans have started to question how the U.S. spends its resources. The war in Afghanistan has cost the U.S. taxpayers $978 billion since 2001. “This horrendous cost has been successfully hidden from the U.S. public and is the elephant – these days the donkey – in the room. This must change,” said Sarah Martin, who spoke for Women Against Military Madness.

The protest was initiated by the Minnesota Peace Action Coalition and endorsed by the Anti-War Committee, Climate Justice Committee, Women Against Military Madness and Veterans for Peace.

#MinneapolisMN #AntiwarMovement #Afghanistan #PeoplesStruggles

Minneapolis, MN – Over 30 people joined a Minneapolis protest on October 5 to mark 17 years of the U.S. war in Afghanistan.

The protest, organized under the call of Stop the U.S. War in Afghanistan, was held in front of the offices of Minnesota U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar.

The event was initiated by Minnesota Peace Action Coalition.

Jennie Eisert, a member of the Anti-War Committee, spoke at the rally, saying in part, “Afghanistan, along with Iraq, and the other wars that the U.S. government has endlessly inflicted on the world has shaped an entire generation. A child, born on this date in 2001, is now old enough to fight in Afghanistan and has grown up in an environment without privacy rights, in a time that has ‘normalized’ Islamophobia, hate and endless U.S. wars and occupation.”

Eisert went on to say, “What have been the costs of this endless war and occupation in Afghanistan? The U.S. government and other ‘official’ Western sources admit to at least 32,000 Afghan civilians being killed and another 30,000 being wounded directly related to the U.S. invasion. Another source, The Cost of War Project, more credibly claims that the U.S. invasion is responsible for at least ten times that number of deaths, 360,000 people killed in Afghanistan because of the U.S. invasion.”

Organizers announced plans for a Minneapolis protest to be held Sunday, October 21 in solidarity with the Women's March on the Pentagon.

#MinneapolisMN #AntiwarMovement #Afghanistan #PeoplesStruggles #AfghanistanWar #MinnesotaPeaceActionCoalitionMPAC

New York, NY – Several dozen protesters gathered in Herald Square on October 7 to mark the invasion of Afghanistan and protest the other wars the U.S. waging abroad. The war on Afghanistan has lasted 17 years.

Spirited protesters rallied and listened to speeches about the damage caused by U.S. imperialism throughout the globe. A large group from the Yemeni American Organization attended. Their speakers highlighted the plight of Yemen, which is currently being attacked by the United States, Saudi Arabia and others.

In between chants of “Out of Afghanistan! Out of Iraq! Out of Syria, don’t come back!” and “U.S. imperialist! Number one terrorist!” organizers handed out flyers that detailed the casualties since 2001 and that the U.S. expended $5.6 trillion on war in 17 years.

Jessica Schwartz, an organizer from the Committee to Stop FBI Repression NY, gave a powerful speech about political repression when organizing against war. In her speech she said, “The United States doesn’t fight terror. In fact, the United States perpetuates and funds terror all around the world!”

Bernadette Ellorin, representing the International League of Peoples’ Struggle, spoke about fighting back against imperialism and how it’s vital to stay organized.

The protesters then marched to the Army Recruiting Station in Times Square. The event ended with a few more speeches as onlookers learned about the U.S. brutal war machine.

#NewYorkNY #NewYorkCityNY #International #AntiwarMovement #InJusticeSystem #Afghanistan #Asia #PeoplesStruggles #AfghanistanWar #CommitteeToStopFBIRepressionNYC

On Sunday, October 7, at 3 p.m., various anti-war and international solidarity organizations will be gathering to mark of the 17th anniversary of the invasion of Afghanistan.

The event, titled “From Afghanistan to Yemen, End the Wars: NY Tour,” will be a rally in Herald Square, including chants and speeches relating to Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria, Korea and other places around the world being threatened by the U.S.

October 7 is an important date because it is when the U.S invaded Afghanistan after 9/11 in 2001. The U.S. remains there to this day. Since then, the U.S. has been at war with or threatened attacks on Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Libya, Korea and many others.

The three slogans of the rally are “End the Wars,” “U.S. Troops and Bases Out” and “Money for Jobs, Education, and Healthcare.”

The action is being co-hosted by Committee to Stop FBI Repression, International Action Center, and International League of Peoples’ Struggle, with many more endorsing and attending. For more information, go to the Facebook event here ( https://www.facebook.com/events/539642079814794/?ti=icl).

#NewYorkNY #NewYorkCityNY #International #AntiwarMovement #Afghanistan #Asia #PeoplesStruggles #AfghanistanWar #InternationalActionCenter #InternationalLeagueOfPeoplesStruggle #CommitteeToStopFBIRepressionNYC

New York, NY – Around 150 people gathered in Herald Square, Oct. 7, to protest war at home and abroad on the 16th anniversary of the invasion of Afghanistan.

50 groups signed on to the call to action to oppose U.S. imperialism.

Bayan USA spoke about how the U.S. wars affects the Philippines under the rule of Duterte. SPARC (Serve the People – Awaken Revolutionary Consciousness) spoke about how imperialism is closely connected to gentrification at home and displacement of working class and oppressed people. Worker’s World Party spoke about the need to support nations, such as Venezuela and Korea, targeted by the U.S.

Michela Martinazzi from the Committee to Stop FBI Repression spoke on the need to defend anti-war activists when they’re targeted, stating, “The government targets activists and organizers because they want to shut down the movement. They want to shut us down. But I can say that we won’t get shut down. We won’t stop defending our political warriors.”

Juyeon Rhee from the Nodutdol for Korean Community Development spoke about the need of a united Korea, “If there will be a war, it won't be new to us. We've been under war for the last 70 years. The U.S. shouldn’t decide for us, and they should let us decide how we go about our affairs for a united Korea.” She ended her speech with the chant, “End the Korean War! Peace treaty now!”

The rally ended with powerful words from one the three emcees, Nerdeen Kiswani from New York City Students for Justice in Palestine who urged all the attendees to not let this event be the only thing they do, but to join an organization and join the movement.

#NewYorkNY #AntiwarMovement #Afghanistan #BAYAN #WorkersWorld #CommitteeToStopFBIRepression

Protesters held signs showing the downtown traffic the demands of “U.S. out now!” and “The War on Terror only makes more terrorists!” Glaring statistics highlights the damage to Afghanistan, such as close to 360,000 dead, overwhelmingly civilian deaths and over $1 trillion spent.

Commenting on the futility of U.S. regime change efforts, longtime activist Joe Bernick of the AZ Peace Council said, “The old colonialism of imposing rule from outside just doesn't work anymore. The people resist it no matter what.”

The 16-year anniversary comes as the Trump administration is seeking to mobilize as many as 4000 U.S. combat troops to confront the re-emergence of the Taliban. Secretary of Defense James “Mad Dog” Mattis is looking to change the rules of engagement to broaden the scope of U.S. airstrikes, which will likely end in more civilian casualties.

The action, organized by the Tucson Antiwar Committee and the AZ Peace Council, joins the nationwide protests endorsed by the United Antiwar Coalition.

#TucsonAZ #AntiwarMovement #Afghanistan #TucsonAntiwarCommittee

New York, NY – Over 47 groups have signed on to the Oct. 7 day of action against U.S. imperialism. People will converge at on Saturday October 7, in New York City’s Herald Square, 34th Street, at 1 p.m.

The day is important because it marks the 16th anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan. Since then, the U.S. has continued a relentless campaign of war and genocide in every country it invades, from Iraq to Libya. The U.S. government claims it does this for humanitarian purposes, but the death toll says otherwise.

The organizers of the rally have agreed upon simple, yet straightforward demands for the day. These include U.S. out of everywhere; stop the attacks on migrants, refugees and Muslims; No war, no sanctions; and the right to self-determination.

Organizers ask all to come out and join them in resisting war and racism, at home and abroad this Saturday.

To find out more, go to the Facebook Event.

#NewYorkNewYork #AntiwarMovement #Afghanistan #PeoplesStruggles #PuertoRico #Iraq #CommitteeToStopFBIRepression

Oct. 7 will mark 16 years to the day since the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan began in 2001.

The protest is organized under the call of “Stop Endless U.S. Wars.” The event will speak out against the recent decision by the Trump administration to escalate U.S. military involvement in Afghanistan and oppose the growing danger of U.S. war on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

The protest will gather at Cedar Avenue and 3rd Street on the West Bank in Minneapolis at 1:30 p.m. There will be a march starting at 2:00 p.m. that will return to the starting location.

The Minneapolis Oct. 7 protest is being organized by the Minnesota Peace Action Coalition. The Minneapolis event will be among a series of protests and other activities being held in cities around the U.S. Oct. 2 – 8.

The U.S. war in Afghanistan is the longest foreign war in U.S. history. A statement issued by organizers points out that “In just a few years time, the U.S. troops fighting in Afghanistan may well have been born after the war started.”

The statement issued by organizers goes on to say, “After 16 years at war in Afghanistan the U.S. is now escalating the level of U.S. involvement once again, with plans to send thousands of additional troops to Afghanistan. At the same time, the Trump administration is threatening a new war in Korea.”

The statement says, ““The war crisis in Korea remains at a boiling point, the Trump administration is making unhinged threats of war. There are reports that more U.S. military forces are being sent to Korea, including an additional aircraft carrier arriving in October.”

The statement continues, “The U.S. is very much at war today, not only in Afghanistan and the threat of a war in Korea, but U.S. troops, air strikes and drones are in combat in Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Somalia and this past week the U.S. restarted air strikes in Libya.”

In recent weeks the Trump administration has also threatened military action in Venezuela.

“U.S. intervention, wars, air strikes and drone attacks, will do nothing to fight terrorism, or to make the word safer. The U.S. war machine does not intervene to protect people or to fight terrorism, but to serve U.S. economic interests,” the statement concludes.

The Minneapolis protest will also call for funds to be redirected from war and intervention around the world to meet human needs, jobs, housing and hurricane relief.

Sponsoring organizations for the October 7 protest include Anti-War Committee, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Mayday Books, Minnesota Cuba Committee, St. Joan of Arc Peacemakers, Socialist Action, Twin Cities Peace Campaign, Veterans for Peace and Women Against Military Madness.

Organizations that have endorsed the Minneapolis October 7 protest include: Every Church A Peace Church, Filipinx for Immigrant Rights and Racial Justice MN, Immigrant Movement for Justice, International Socialist Organization (Twin Cities branch) , Military Families Speak Out (MN chapter), Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee, Progressive Coalition Minnesota, St. Paul Eastside Neighbors for Peace, Socialist Party of the Twin Cities Metro, Students for A Democratic Society (UMN), Students for Revolutionary Socialism, The New North, Walker Community UMC Peace with Justice Committee, Welfare Rights Committee, and Workers International League.

#MinneapolisMN #AntiwarMovement #Afghanistan #PeoplesStruggles #Minnesota #Korea

Minneapolis, MN – A group of Twin Cities anti-war and peace activists gathered to listen to the Monday, August 21 speech on Afghanistan given by President Trump. In the speech Trump outlined what amounts to a continuation of the war.

A statement by Minnesota Peace Action Coalition (MPAC) said, “The war in Afghanistan is Trump’s war. He has continued the war and now threatens to escalate it.”

The MPAC statement went on to say, “U.S. troops in Afghanistan are an occupying force, the Afghan people will not tolerate a foreign occupation army. As long as the U.S. interferes in affairs of the people of Afghanistan, there will be resistance.”

“The U.S. war in Afghanistan has gone on for almost 16 years. In just a couple of years we will have the spectacle that some of the U.S. soldiers fighting in Afghanistan will have been born after the war started. The people of the U.S. are opposed to the endless series of wars and interventions around the world.”

Stephanie Taylor, a member of the Anti-War Committee said, “This endless war has caused hundreds of thousands of deaths and refugees. It has cost taxpayers over $1 trillion. What Donald Trump indicated tonight makes it clear that this war and occupation by the U.S. will continue.”

Taylor went on to say, “The focus of U.S. aggression is on the Muslim peoples of the Middle East – and this has become worse with Donald Trump as commander in chief. The litany of countries across the Middle East and in North Africa that the U.S. is attacking is sickening: Afghanistan, Somalia, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Palestine, Yemen are all in the cross-hairs of the U.S.”

The MPAC coalition has called for a protest on Saturday, October 7 under the call of “Stop Endless U.S. Wars,” which will mark 16 years since the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan.

#MinneapolisMN #AntiwarMovement #Afghanistan #AfghanistanWar #DonaldTrump

Minneapolis, MN – Margaret Sarfehjooy, a tireless, fearless and greatly respected anti-war activist, died suddenly and unexpectedly on April 28. She was a longtime member of WAMM (Women Against Military Madness) and on the organizations board for many years.

As Meredith Aby-Keirstead, of the Anti-War Committee says, “Margaret was an outspoken advocate for the Middle East. She was a consistent anti-imperialist and understood the true danger of the U.S. in Syria and Iran. She was also a tireless solidarity activist for freedom for Palestine. I always looked to Margaret for political analysis about the region and she was always supportive to other activists looking to develop their own research and analytical skills.”

Margaret was an articulate speaker. At the recent March rally commemorating the 14th anniversary of the beginning of the war on Afghanistan, she spoke about U.S. threats and attacks on Iran. She was an excellent writer. Her article in the latest edition of the WAMM newsletter, “Are State Legislatures Demanding a Loyalty Oath to Israel?” exposes and analyzes the top-down attempts to criminalize the growing Boycott, Divest and Sanction movement.

Margaret was unwavering in recognizing official efforts to sell and justify war and U.S. intervention to the American people. Furthermore, she was skilled like few others at getting to the bottom of this propaganda and the organizations and the spokespeople who sell it.

As chair of the WAMM Middle East Committee, she arranged for many speakers and Skype interviews with activists from around the world; among them, Mother Agnes from Syria; Mona El-Farra, physician from Gaza; Diana Johnstone, a Paris based journalist, and former Senator James Abourezk.

Margaret was active on a national level. She was a member of UNAC (United National Antiwar Coalition) and, along with activists representing movements across the country, met on three different occasions in New York City with President Ahmadinejad of Iran.

“What I will miss most about Margaret is her calm energy and tenacity for the truth. She was dedicated to ensuring that peace and justice were at the forefront of any action. I will miss her greatly,” stated Suzanne Al-Kayali, WAMM director.

“Margaret was both a gentle, non-assuming person and a powerful advocate for peace and justice. Her death is a tremendous loss to WAMM and the entire peace community here in the Twin Cities,” says peace activist Marie Braun.

Margaret was a nurse for over 30 years and an active member of her trade union.

Margaret Sarfehjooy is survived by her husband Hossein Sarfehjooy and sons Kave (Carol) and Khavan as well as family on both sides.

Memorial Service 2:00 p.m., Saturday, May 6 Visitation is at 1:00 p.m. Washburn-McReavy Funeral Home West 50th St. & Hwy 100, Edina Chapel (phone: 952-920-3996)

#MinneapolisMN #AntiwarMovement #Afghanistan #WomensMovement #Remembrances #MiddleEast #Asia #PeoplesStruggles #obituary

New York, New York – About 50 protesters gathered at the U.S. Military Recruiting Center at the heart of Times Square, April 14. The protest was an emergency response to Donald Trump’s escalation of the war on war on Afghanistan. On April 13, a GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb (MOAB), nicknamed the “mother of all bombs,” was dropped on what is purported to be “ISIS targets” in Afghanistan. This is a continuation of a conflict started by the U.S. and NATO 16 years ago, the longest imperialist war the U.S. has ever been in. The dropping of the MOAB on the Achin district has death counts estimated to reach up to 94 people, and a blast radius estimated at one mile.

In response to the attacks on Afghanistan, which show Trump is willing to use weapons of mass destruction, the International League of People’s Struggles (ILPS) made an emergency call to action to protest. The action was attended by NYC Students for Justice in Palestine (NYSJP), Anak Bayan New York, the Committee to Stop Repression, Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner’s Network and SPARC. The protesters planted themselves in front of the U.S. Military Recruiting Center, calling for an end to imperialist occupation and shouting anti-war chants. Among these chants were “We demand justice! We demand peace! U.S. out of the Middle East!” “Donald Trump what do you say? How many bombs did you drop today?” and “Money for jobs and education! Not for war and occupation!”

Michela Martinazzi of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO) and ILPS had this to say, “Yesterday a 21,000-pound bomb was dropped in Afghanistan. Last week 59 tomahawk missiles were launched into Syria. We have a fleet encroaching on North Korea, and we just put troops in Somalia after 20 years. Donald Trump is beating his war drum and we have to demand an end to all U.S. wars. Demand an end to the U.S. war machine! Demand money to be spent here for jobs, healthcare and education!”

Ann Wright, of Veterans for Peace, a former member of the U.S. military and noted anti-war activist, also attended and spoke. She stated, “I’ve been protesting the war since I resigned from the military and the U.S. government 15 years ago. If I could resign today, I would.”

The dropping of the bomb is just another example of Donald Trump furthering the U.S. imperialist agenda. With his posturing directed at Russia, the People’s Republic of China and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea; Trump contradicts everything his campaign claimed about “non-intervention.”

Trump is simply another warmonger intent on destabilizing oppressed nations in the interests of capitalism. Trump’s actions do not simply mirror the harmful U.S. actions in places like Syria, Libya, Yemen, Iraq, Somalia, Vietnam and countless other nations; they are a direct and aggressive escalation. On April 7, Trump launched 59 Tomahawk missiles at the Al Shayrat Airfield in Syria, a direct act of aggression against the popular government of President Bashar Al-Assad. Rather than condemning an action Trump had himself once warned against, the neoliberal politicians in both the Democratic and Republican parties praised Trump’s actions.

#NewYorkNY #AntiwarMovement #Afghanistan #US #MiddleEast #Asia #PeoplesStruggles #Syria #HandsOffSyria #DonaldTrump

Minneapolis. MN – With only 24 hour’s notice, Minneapolis peace groups organized an emergency response protest against the use a massive U.S. bomb in Afghanistan.

Over 60 people joined the protest held on Friday, April 14. Several people just walking by or waiting for their bus stopped and joined the protest. People in cars, trucks and buses passing by waved and honked in support of the anti-war message.

On Thursday, April 13, it was reported that the Trump administration and the Pentagon unleashed the most powerful U.S. bomb – the 20,000 pound GBU-43, referred to as the ‘mother of all bombs.’ The weapon was used in Afghanistan.

Twin Cities anti-war groups saw this as a major escalation of the U.S. wars and consulted quickly to call an emergency protest against this latest U.S. military move.

Organizers also raised the alarm about the growing danger of a new U.S. war in Korea. News reports had indicated that the Trump administration had plans for an imminent attack on Korea.

The protest was in the West Bank neighborhood of Minneapolis. The neighborhood has many Somali immigrant families.

Participants held signs and banners to make an urgent anti-war statement in the face or what one organizers called “a terrifying event.”

Meredith Aby-Keirstead, of the Anti-War Committee told the crowd, “We need to build a movement to stop Trump. Today's protest isn't just about saying no to the use of this new mega bomb in Afghanistan. We are pushing back and demanding that it never be used again. We are concerned that the Trump administration is planning on using this weapon against North Korea. We cannot let Trump think that he is having foreign policy 'wins' in Syria, Iraq and Yemen because this will embolden him to attack North Korea and endangers Iran.”

The bomb, officially called the Massive Ordinance Air Blast (MOAB), was used against Islamic State targets in Nangarhar province, Afghanistan. The MOAB has a blast radius of one mile.

The MOAB is said to be the largest non-nuclear weapon in the U.S. arsenal. The chance of civilian casualties is high.

The protest was called by the Minnesota Peace Action Coalition (MPAC).

A statement issued by organizers says in part, “This latest U.S. military escalation by the Trump administration follows the escalating attacks in Yemen, missile attacks on Syria last week, sending thousands of additional U.S. troops to Iraq, Syria and Kuwait, and an increase in the number of civilian deaths in Iraq and Syria from U.S. bombings.”

The statement also points out that “The U.S. has also sent a Naval Strike Force to Korea.”

There is speculation that the use of this weapon in Afghanistan is also intended as a threat to North Korea.

The April 14 protest was organized under the call of, “Enough of the endless wars! Enough of escalation after escalation! No new wars – hands off Korea!”

Chants included “Out of Afghanistan, out of Iraq, hands off Korea and don't come back.”

The protest was endorsed by Anti-War Committee, Mayday Books, St. Joan of Arc Peacemakers, St. Paul Eastside Neighbors for Peace, Twin Cities Peace Campaign, Veterans for Peace and Women Against Military Madness.

“People should be alarmed by this latest escalation, people must speak out against these endless wars,” said one protest organizer.

#MInneapolisMN #MinneapolisMN #AntiwarMovement #Afghanistan #AntiWarCommittee #DumpTrump

The organizers of the weekly peace vigil on the Lake Street/Marshall Avenue bridge between Minneapolis and Saint Paul have issued a special appeal for opponents of U.S. military intervention to attend that day, under the call of “Say No to Endless U.S. War!”

After the vigil, there will be a potluck dinner and program from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Saint Albert the Great Church, 2836 33rd Avenue S in Minneapolis.

The program is entitled “Endless War at Home and Abroad – From the Middle East to Ferguson, Baltimore and the Twin Cities.”

Speakers will include Coleen Rowley, retired FBI Agent, a former Minneapolis Division Legal Counsel and 911 whistleblower; Mel Reeves, human rights activist and long-time opponent of U.S. wars and police brutality; and Steve Clemens, a peace activist who has visited Iraq and Afghanistan on peace delegations to see firsthand the effects of U.S. wars.

Spoken word artist Misty Rowan will also participate in the program.

A statement issued by organizers says in part, “Oct. 7, 2015 will mark 14 years since the start of the U.S. war in Afghanistan. As the U.S. war continues in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria, there is an urgent need for all opposed to these wars to continue to speak out.”

The U.S. launched its war in Afghanistan in October, 2001. 14 years later, the U.S. is still at war in Afghanistan, and the war in Afghanistan has come to be the starting point for a whole series of U.S. wars and interventions across the world. Iraq, Syria, Somalia, Libya, Pakistan and more have been targets of U.S. bombs, troops, drone strikes, weapons and other forms of intervention since October 2001.

Even as the Obama administration claims that the war in Afghanistan is ‘ending,’ this weekend U.S. airstrikes killed at least 22 people at a hospital in Kunduz, Afghanistan.

The Oct. 7 events in the Twin Cities are sponsored by End War Committee of Women Against Military Madness, Minnesota Peace Action Coalition and Twin Cities Peace Campaign.

The events are endorsed by Alliant Action, Anti-War Committee, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Mayday Books, Minnesota Cuba Committee, National Lawyers Guild (Minnesota chapter), Peace and Justice Committee Sacred Heart Church–St. Paul, Socialist Action, St. Joan of Arc/WAMM Peacemakers, Welfare Rights Committee, Workers International League, and Veterans for Peace Chapter 27.

#MinneapolisMN #AntiwarMovement #Afghanistan

Chicago – A coalition of anti-war groups came together today, Sept. 10, outside the Federal Building here to take a stand against U.S. plans to bomb Syria and intensify its intervention in Iraq. The press conference was timed to take place before President Obama speaks tonight to push the plan for air strikes and another $500 million for the U.S. proxy army trying to overthrow the government of Syria. The groups in Chicago included Voices for Creative Non-Violence, Gay Liberation Network, 8th Day Center for Justice and the Anti-War Committee (AWC) – Chicago.

The following are the remarks by Joe Iosbaker of the Anti-War Committee (AWC)-Chicago:

“We’re here to add our voices in opposition to new wars launched by the U.S. in Iraq and Syria. Like most people in the U.S., we are sick of war after 13 years of it.

“Last summer, I travelled to Syria to witness the elections there. I learned that Obama wasn’t telling the truth about Syria. We’d been told that the people of Syria wanted the U.S. military to intervene there. In truth, I found that the Syrian people – I met and interacted with thousands at polling places in Homs, in Damascus, and even saw refugees at the Syrian consulate in Beirut, Lebanon – what they want is to defeat the U.S.-backed armies.

“When President Obama speaks tonight, there’ll be no debate. Both political parties, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, all support these moves to war. The rise of the Islamic State, IS or ISIS, was the perfect pretext that our rulers here needed to get us into another war.

“They needed something to help them convince people here; because we saw last year that world public opinion wasn’t ready to go to war behind the U.S. in Syria. Even the U.S. lapdog, the United Kingdom, wouldn’t support that plan to attack Syria, also based on a lie that the Syrian government used chemical weapons.

“We have to refuse to go along with Obama’s attacks on Iraq and Syria.

“They say ‘More war! We say, no more!’”

#ChicagoIL #AntiwarMovement #Afghanistan #PeoplesStruggles #Iraq #JoeIsobaker