Freedom Road Socialist Organization condemns the massive airstrikes unleashed by the U.S. on Syria and Iraq. The Biden administration say this bombing campaign is just getting started. It should be opposed by everyone who wants peace with justice.

The Biden administration justifies its criminal attacks as some sort of legitimate “retaliation.” Nothing could be further from the truth. The reality is that the U.S. has military bases in Iraq that Iraqi people want gone. The U.S. is also illegally occupying portions of Syria. The Syrian government has told the U.S. to leave its soil on many occasions. An unwelcome invader of the other people’s homes, the warmakers of Washington, D.C. play the aggrieved party when resistance forces try to end these occupations. The hypocrisy of empire is unbelievable.

The United States is trying to maintain its domination of the Mideast, and it is the facilitator of the genocide taking place in Gaza. Currently the Pentagon is rushing munitions of all kinds to maintain the Israeli occupation of Palestine. The aim of the bombing campaign is to improve the strategic position of Israel and weaken the axis of resistance: Syria, Iran, Yemen, the Palestinian liberation movement, and the patriotic forces in Lebanon and Iraq. This is a case of lifting a rock to drop it on one’s own feet.

The Palestinian resistance has proved to be remarkably powerful and resilient. In Gaza and the West Bank, the resistance has successfully stood up to the occupation, so the Zionists have resorted to the mass murder of Palestinian moms, children and old folks. Their tactics range from bombs and air strikes to the blockade of goods and deliberate mass starvation.

The U.S. has long used Israel like a policemen’s club to beat the peoples of the Middle East when they step out of line and stand up for liberation and national independence. Now that it seems possible that the Palestinian people along with their allies might take that club away from the U.S. and end the occupation, the Biden administration is widening the war.

It’s critical that we stand with Palestine and embrace resistance. Each and every escalation by the U.S. should be met with opposition. A national week of action is set for February 5 – 11 to stop U.S./Israeli genocide in Gaza. These protests should be supported. It is the right thing to do.

End all U.S aid to Israel!

U.S. stop bombing the Middle East!

From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!

#Statement #FRSO #AntiWarMovement #International #Palestine #Iraq #Syria #Feature

St. Paul, MN – Around 30 people lined the busy Lake Street-Marshall Avenue bridge over the Mississippi River between Minneapolis and Saint Paul, June 30, to protest the latest U.S. airstrikes in Iraq and Syria. The action was called by Women Against Military Madness and supported by the Anti-War Committee, the Minnesota Peace Action Coalition and other local groups. Peace vigils have been held at the bridge every Wednesday for over 20 years, regardless of weather.

This latest vigil followed the Biden administration’s June 27 announcement that U.S. warplanes had dropped bombs on both sides of the Iraq-Syria border. Several people were reportedly killed in the attack. The targets were militias with Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Force (PMF), which formed in 2014 to stop the reactionary Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) group’s rapid advances.

In 2018, the PMF was incorporated into the official security forces of the Iraqi state. The Biden administration said the airstrikes were in response to attacks on U.S. troops by the PMF, which it characterized as “Iran-backed.”

Militant resistance to the U.S. occupation of Iraq intensified after the January 2020 assassinations of top PMF commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and Iranian general Qasem Soleimani. The assassinations prompted Iraq’s parliament to call for an immediate U.S. withdrawal, which the U.S. rebuffed. After the June 27 airstrikes, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi condemned the airstrikes as a violation of Iraq’s sovereignty.

At the bridge vigil in Minnesota, Iraqi-American activist Sami Rasouli agreed. “When the military of Iraq was dissolved, Iraq became a wide open arena,” he said. “When ISIS in 2014 invaded Iraq, the Iraqi army that was dissolved came back again, and now is still growing, to defend not only Iraq but Syria too, and Iran.”

Wyatt Miller of the Anti-War Committee added, “These kinds of airstrikes always run the risk of triggering a major regional war. We need to oppose the sanctions, too, and oppose the U.S. military occupation not only of Iraq but of the oilfields in eastern Syria, all of which are contributing to Syria’s inability to rebuild after the war.” In May, Miller travelled with a peace delegation to observe conditions in Syria firsthand.

Syria, which allows the Iraqi PMF to operate on its territory, also condemned the airstrikes, reporting that U.S. bombs had struck a residential building and killed a child while injuring several more civilians. Hours after the airstrikes, U.S. forces occupying Syria’s al-Omar oil field came under rocket attack by resistance forces in the area.

#Minnesota #AntiwarMovement #AntiWarCommittee #Iraq #Syria #Airstrikes

Fort Lauderdale, FL – Hundreds of protests took place across the world on January 25, to demand no new U.S. war in Iran, an end to Trump’s violence and sanctions against Iran, and the removal of U.S. troops from the Middle East. In Fort Lauderdale, 35 activists gathered outside of the federal courthouse to join the global day of protest.

The diverse and energized group rallied on the busy intersection of Broward Boulevard, blasting protest music from speakers, holding signs and banners, and chanting loudly. People driving by opened their windows to share peace-signs and fists of solidarity, truck and bus drivers honked loudly in approval.

The activists at the rally held bright signs that read, “We need union jobs, not a war on Iran,” and “We need universal healthcare, not a war on Iran,” along with a super-sized red banner with the words, “Forward without war and capitalism.” The activists took part in an interactive art display by local social-justice artist Huong, who was also in attendance. Huong created double-sided painted canvases with messages of peace and justice, one piece taking five activists to spell out the words, “No war.”

After an hour of chanting, the activists gathered to listen to local grassroots organizers speak about the importance of continuing to oppose U.S. wars. Those in attendance were also encouraged to call and email their senators when they returned home to demand Senators Rubio and Scott vote “Yes” on the war powers resolution that passed the House. The resolution would force the president to get congressional approval before conducting military strikes against Iran. The group also signed onto a letter of apology being circulated by CodePink addressed to the people of Iran, by the people of the United States, apologizing for our government’s decades of intervention in their country.

While the global day of action was endorsed by most national and international anti-war organizations, the local South Florida rally was organized largely by People’s Opposition to War, Imperialism, and Racism (POWIR) and Dream Defenders.

#FortLauderdaleFL #International #AntiwarMovement #Iraq #Iran #US #MiddleEast #PeoplesStruggles #DreamDefenders #DonaldTrump #PeoplesOppositionToWarImperialismAndRacism #NoWarWithIran

Minneapolis, MN – On January 25, around 150 anti-war activists and members of working class and community groups united to protest the U.S. military in Iraq and threats of war against Iran. Part of a global day of protest, the action came two days after millions of Iraqis overcame political disunity to fill the streets of Baghdad and demand an end to 17 years of U.S. occupation.

The Minneapolis event was held in front of the K-Mart at the busy Lake Street and Nicollet Avenue intersection. Protesters chanted, gave speeches, held banners and brought their message of peace and anti-imperialist solidarity to thousands of neighborhood passersby.

Dakota academic Chris Mato Nunpa led the speakers with a land acknowledgment, saying, “I welcome you to Dakota homelands, and I have to add this negative note: we are on stolen Dakota homelands. We have not been paid for this land.”

He explained, “My people, the Dakota people, are well aware of the history, and we’ve gotten to know the imperialism and the warlike nature of the United States of America. Our Native peoples, our indigenous peoples, our First Nations peoples, fought for four centuries against the Western Europeans who eventually became the U.S. Euro-Americans, and against the United States, to keep them from stealing our lands.”

A letter from longtime Twin Cities resident Sami Rasouli, an Iraqi American organizer with the Muslim Peace Makers Team who is currently living in Najaf, Iraq, was read to the protesters. The letter read in part, “The U.S. administration is continuing its ‘maximum pressure’ campaign to pressure the Iranian regime, which is by its nature an escalatory policy. As evidenced by all of the provocative measures Tehran has taken since the United States withdrew from the Iranian nuclear deal, maximum pressure is bringing the United States closer to another war in the Middle East and has certainly done nothing to make the negotiations more likely.

Rasouli’s letter continued, “To be honest, more stress puts us one accident away from total conflict. The presence of American forces – seen as potential targets by anti-American actors, including Iran’s agents – makes this scenario more likely. The United States should abandon these risks and exit Iraq. War with Iran will be disastrous.”

Workers against U.S. wars

The latest round of war threats began with the January 3 assassination of Iranian anti-imperialist hero Qassem Soleimani by a U.S. airstrike in Baghdad, which was met with widespread condemnation around the world. In Minnesota, one organization to denounce war with Iran was AFSCME Local 2822, which represents hundreds of Hennepin County workers. Soon after the assassination, while politicians were beating the drums of war, the union local unanimously passed a Resolution of International Solidarity against Wars of Aggression.

“They tell you that ‘politics stops at the water’s edge.’ What the hell does that mean?” AFSCME Local 2822 co-chief steward Shane Clune said to the protesters. “We know that their war doesn’t stop at the water’s edge. Their war knows no bounds. Their ‘war on terror’ is used not just as an excuse to terrorize people in other countries, but to terrorize our communities in this city.”

Clune continued, “The good news is even though their war knows no bounds, our solidarity knows no bounds either. Because we recognize that the worker in America has more in common with the worker in China, or in Cuba, or in Venezuela, or in Iran or Iraq, than we do with any American capitalist.”

Daphne Brown of Twin Cities Coalition for Justice 4 Jamar connected working-class internationalism to the struggle against police crimes. “We must keep fighting against U.S. wars,” she said. “This is the time when people all over the country, all over the world, are standing together to fight for us. As working people, as family, we need protection, and as we see, the police are not protecting us. Our governments and politicians are not protecting us. It will be the workers protecting the workers.”

Brown led protesters in a chant of “No more war crimes! No more police crimes!”

The action was organized by the Minnesota Peace Action Coalition, and endorsed by the Anti-War Committee, Women Against Military Madness, the National Iranian American Council (MN), as well as several socialist organizations and community peace groups.

#MinneapolisMN #AntiwarMovement #PeoplesStruggles #Iran #AntiWarCommittee #Iraq

The U.S. has claimed that they are backing off from war at this time, but will continue to add sanctions against Iran which will harm the people of Iran. One SDS member noted in his speech, “Sanctions are an act of war; countless citizens died in Iraq after sanctions blocked food and medicine, and we will not stand for this to happen again in Iran.”

The decades-long U.S. military presence across a dozen bases in Iraq has been denounced unanimously by every political party in Iraq. This occupation of Iraq is an attempt by the U.S. to keep a military presence in the Middle East.

Denver SDS will be participating in another peace event on January 25 at the Denver capitol building alongside the Denver Peace Council and others.

#DenverCO #International #AntiwarMovement #Iraq #Iran #US #MiddleEast #PeoplesStruggles #Trump #DonaldTrump #NoWarWithIran #DenverSDS

Minneapolis, MN – 20 people picketed in front of Senator Amy Klobuchar’s office during a blizzard, January 17, for her legitimizing Trump’s targeting of Iran and for her silence on the U.S. occupation of Iraq.

Autumn Lake of the Anti-War Committee spoke to the crowd, “Minnesota’s favorite hometown disappointment, Senator Amy Klobuchar, is somehow still on the campaign trail, seemingly for no other reason than to prove what many of us have known for years; that the Republicans and the Democrats will always unite to serve the interests of the powerful over the interests of the broad masses. She's managed to distinguish herself from more progressive candidates by embodying the status quo and supporting the Trump administration's most heinous acts. Amy Klobuchar’s work in the Senate has facilitated the Trump administration's recent attacks on Iraq and Iran, making the Minnesota senator complicit in the most recent iteration of the U.S.'s terror campaign in the Middle East.”

When asked why she was at the protest, Meredith Aby-Keirstead told Fight Back!, “We protested Klobuchar in a blizzard when she announced her presidential campaign and now we are here protesting her foreign policy about a year later in another blizzard. I’m here because as Minnesota’s senator and as a presidential candidate she has been a hawk, and it would take more than a blizzard to keep me from expressing my outrage. She shouldn’t be demanding congressional authorization for war. We need a voice to say no to war with Iran!”

The Anti-War Committee organized the protest with the support of the Council on American-Islamic Relations – Minnesota, Women Against Military Madness, and the Minnesota Peace Action Coalition.

#MinneapolisMN #International #AntiwarMovement #Iraq #Iran #US #MiddleEast #PeoplesStruggles #AntiWarCommittee #DonaldTrump #AmyKlobuchar #NoWarWithIran

Protesters also plan on denouncing Klobuchar’s attempts to further legitimize the targeting of Iran. On CNN Tonight with Don Lemon Senator Klobuchar said, “They [Iran] are now announcing that they're going to start developing a nuclear weapon and move toward busting through the cap on uranium enrichment” which CNN has reported as false in its fact-check reporting.

Christine Hauschildt, a spokesperson for the Anti-War Committee, explains, “Minnesotans want Klobuchar to stand against all sanctions on Iran and Iraq. Sanctions can be as dangerous and deadly as war violence and have a lasting impact on the people that suffer under them from lack of income, access to medical supplies and more. Iran is suffering more peacetime sanctions than any other country in history. A naval blockade to the same degree would be an unambiguous act of war. The Trump administration is dragging the United States into a war with Iran that could engulf the whole region and could quickly turn into a global conflict of unpredictable scope and the gravest consequences. We are calling on Senator Klobuchar to demand an end to escalations and sanctions and listen to the concerns of her constituents who will be looking to her to represent their interests now and after the 2020 election.”

The Anti-War Committee is co-sponsoring the event with the The Council on American-Islamic Relations – Minnesota, Women Against Military Madness, and the Minnesota Peace Action Coalition.

#MinneapolisMN #International #AntiwarMovement #Iraq #Iran #US #MiddleEast #PeoplesStruggles #AntiWarCommittee #DonaldTrump #AmyKlobuchar #NoWarWithIran

Fort Lauderdale, FL- Over the last several days, four protests calling for an end to U.S. aggression toward Iran have taken place throughout the South Florida area. From rallies and marches, to vigils and artistic displays, the progressive-minded people of South Florida have united and made it clear that they oppose any further military escalation against Iran and the entire region.

On January 4, over 60 activists gathered at the Torch of Friendship in downtown Miami to hold signs and listen to speeches opposing the assassination of Iranian General Soleimani. They chanted, “No More Wars!” and held a banner read, “Money for jobs and education, not for war and occupation.” This rally was organized by CODEPINK and People's Opposition to War, Imperialism, and Racism (POWIR.)

On January 9, two anti-war events took place in the South Florida area: one at the Torch of Friendship in Miami and the other outside of the federal building in Fort Lauderdale. Over 150 people took part in those two events, which began as sign-holdings and ended as vigils to all victims of endless U.S. wars in the Middle East. This action was called for by MoveOn.

On January 12, artist Huong Peace installed her mobile mural on the topic of the escalating conflict with Iran. It is on Miami Beach’s busy Lincoln Road, and asks passersby to add their comments on the topic. Dozens of pedestrians took part in the interactive art display, which will remain up for the next few weeks.

#FortLauderdaleFL #International #AntiwarMovement #Iraq #Iran #US #MiddleEast #PeoplesStruggles #Trump #DonaldTrump

The events come in the context of the Iraqi parliament passing a resolution telling the United States to remove its forces from the country, and the country’s Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi requesting the U.S. to start talks on withdrawing military forces. The Trump administration says it will not leave Iraq.

In the past, the Balad Air Base housed a U.S. facility for holding and torturing Iraqi prisoners.

In related developments, Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units have vowed to end the presence of U.S. troops.

#WashingtonDC #AntiwarMovement #Iraq #Iran #US #MiddleEast #PeoplesStruggles #IraqWar #DonaldTrump

Salt Lake residents responded fiercely with no less than three anti-war rallies in the last week, as well as a rally in support of unsheltered folks and tenants’ rights.

On January 4, 200 gathered at an event organized by supporters of Bernie Sanders, and on January 8, hundreds more gathered for a rally organized by the Party for Socialism and Liberation and the Freedom Road Socialist Organization in downtown Salt Lake City (SLC), plus another event at the University of Utah organized by Students for a Democratic Society.

At all three anti-war rallies, people from various organizations – along with Iranian Americans who are already feeling the effects of the conflict – spoke about how a war with Iran would only be in the interest of the people at the top, especially defense contractors like Boeing and Northrop Grumman. Speakers correctly pointed out that every bomb dropped in Iran would be paid for by us, with money that should be going to our communities to pay for health care and housing.

Amid the military escalation, Salt Lakers, and specifically unsheltered folks in the city, faced severe police brutality. Early in the morning on January 3, the Take Shelter Coalition set up camp at the Salt Lake City and County Building. They provided heat, shelter, food, first aid and conflict mediation to any and all unsheltered people in the city, and they intended to stay until their demands for more shelter beds and more services for the homeless were met. The camp was an act of mutual aid, but also a protest against the city’s inhumane treatment of homeless and unsheltered folks.

On the night of January 6, hours after the first anti-war rally, police raided the camp, with dozens of officers in riot gear, shotguns, handguns, batons and the threat of tear gas. At least three were shot with rubber bullets or beanbag rounds, and ultimately 16 were arrested. Police trashed the camp, and the unsheltered folks who had been staying there were forced to move yet again.

In response to the display of police force at the camp, the lack of tenants’ rights in Utah, and abusive landlords in SLC, the newly formed Wasatch Tenants United held a rally January 8 demanding that the newly inaugurated mayor, Erin Mendenhall, keep her campaign promise and provide material relief to homeless folks in SLC. They also announced their intention to begin organizing tenants against ruthless and exploitative landlords as rents continue to rise.

What do police brutality, homelessness and abusive landlords have to do with the potential war with Iran? Every dollar spent killing people in Iran is a dollar that could be spent on feeding and housing people who desperately need it here. But more than that, the same capitalist class profiting from war is profiting at the expense of tenants and homeless folks in SLC.

As rents increased over 50% in the last few years, the city refused to build affordable housing – to the benefit of landlords. As developers build expensive new apartments and shopping malls at the location of a now-closed homeless shelter, developers profit. Our politicians are complicit because they too get a cut. In fact, Mendenhall’s husband is a property developer in SLC, giving her absolutely no incentive to address homelessness or rising rents.

Through the threat of war abroad and violence by local cops, Utahns came together to defend Iranians and their neighbors both sheltered and unsheltered. The past week showed clearly the strength of people united against the capitalist class across the United States and in Salt Lake City.

#SaltLakeCityUT #AntiwarMovement #PoorPeoplesMovements #Iraq #Iran #US #MiddleEast #PeoplesStruggles #Homeless #DonaldTrump #NoWarWithIran

The authoritative Lebanese news site, Al Manar, carried this photo of the U.S. embassy in Bagdad, December 31. The spray-painting on the embassy wall reads, “Closed by the peoples command.” Demonstrators have surrounded the embassy in response to U.S. air attacks in Iraq and Syria targeting the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), a grouping that played a major role in defeating ISIS. According to reports in the Iraqi press, police and soldiers were among those killed or wounded in the U.S. air attacks.

#Iraq #AntiwarMovement #PeoplesStruggles #USEmbassy #MiddleEast

The masses rise up against the Islamic State

The election is happening in the midst of victory against the Islamic State, which at one point controlled over a third of the country and subjected the people within that area to the most brutal reactionary regime. The Islamic State sought to build a Saudi-style state in Iraq and Syria, and it was backed to the hilt by the Turkish and Saudi governments to achieve this.

Within two weeks of their invasion in June 2014, the Islamic State had routed the U.S.-created Iraqi army and taken control of Mosul, a city of millions. Assyrians, Shi’a and Yazidis were massacred, women were pressed into slavery, and cultural sites not in line with their Saudi-style world outlook Islam were bulldozed. The world was stunned by their brutality. The Islamic State seemed unstoppable, and the national situation spiraled out of control. Prime minister Nouri al-Maliki was forced to resign, handing power over to fellow Dawa Party member Haidar al-Abadi.

A call went out across the country for the people to take up arms and save Iraq. The numerous patriotic forces that fought the U.S. occupation were now mobilized against the Islamic State. Militias from every sector of Iraqi society marched westward under the leadership of the Popular Mobilization Committee, with full support from the Iranian military. They were the decisive force in driving out the Islamic State, village by village, street by street.

While the war against the Islamic State raged on, anger at the government’s absolute failure at defending the Iraqi people spurred a mass movement on a level not seen in years. The people demanded an end to sectarian practices that kept the same elites in power and created the conditions for an Islamic State to rise up. They also demanded action against the corrupt officials that kept the government inept, and guaranteed access to public services for all Iraqis.

This movement included students and intellectuals and included a section of the working class, guided by the Communist Party and the Sadrist Movement, a Shi’a anti-imperialist group led by Muqtada al-Sadr. Hundreds of thousands took to the streets of Baghdad under their leadership, and on April 16 they stormed the infamous Green Zone and occupied the Iraqi parliament.

By the end of 2017, the Islamic State was driven from Mosul and Iraq was declared free. It was only because of the fierce resistance of the Iraqi people – who have not known peace in decades because of the cruelty of U.S. imperialism. Now there is hope for a better future independent of outside influence.

What to watch for the elections

The frontrunner in the May 12 polls is the Victory of Iraq coalition, led by incumbent Haidar al-Abadi. He enjoys widespread popular support because of the military victory and is the first leading political figure since the 2003 invasion to enjoy support across all religious groups. Nouri al-Maliki is trying to come back to power at the head of the State of Law coalition, and still enjoys support among sectors of the Shi’a elite, but his appeal ends there, and he is not expected to win.

Al-Abadi and al-Maliki are the only establishment politicians with any popular support. They seek closer relations with Iran and the Arab world and ignore the demands of the U.S. All the puppets of imperialism have been discredited and stand no chance of returning to government.

A decisive role in the election will be played by the communists and Sadrists. Their united front in practice has translated into a political alliance, the Marchers, and they hope to win the popular movement’s demands through the next government. Among their candidates is Muntader al-Zaidi, a journalist who is famous around the world for hurling his shoes at George W. Bush during a press conference in 2008, while shouting, “This is a goodbye kiss from the Iraqi people, you dog.”

The Popular Mobilization Committee is also fielding candidates as well – veterans of the wars against the U.S. and the Islamic State – and they are expected to win a number of seats.

No coalition has majority support, meaning that a coalition government will need to be made. Many political analysts expect the Marchers to play the role of kingmaker, meaning they will be the deciding factor in whatever coalition government comes out of May 12.

Iraq’s future

Iraq is a country ruined by imperialism. In the 1950s the Iraqi people threw off the British empire and their local pawns and established a republic dedicated to national self-determination. The revolutionary and progressive forces that led Iraq at the time had their eyes set on a modern and free nation. In the decades that followed, the U.S., Britain, Israel and Saudi Arabia did everything they could to break this dream. But despite all the horrors inflicted upon them, the Iraqi people resisted and fought back.

All blame for the suffering in Iraq lies at the feet of the Bush family, the Clintons, the U.S. military and intelligence agencies, and ultimately the monopoly capitalists who the U.S. government dutifully serves. We should never forget their crimes, and when the time comes we must do what we can to ensure that these monsters face justice.

In the meantime, it is our duty to cheer for the Iraqi people every time they strike a blow against imperialism and as they make another step towards self-determination and freedom.

#MilwaukeeWI #AntiwarMovement #Iraq #Elections #Imperialism #US #MiddleEast #PeoplesStruggles #IslamicState

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

Minneapolis, MN – Over 150 people joined an anti-war protest in Minneapolis, March 18 to mark 14 years since the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq.

The protest gathered on the West Bank neighborhood and included a march through the neighborhood. The neighborhood is home to many Somali immigrant families.

In addition to marking the anniversary, activists focused on the escalation of war planning by the Trump administration. Trump has plans, and has taken steps, to dramatically increase the level of U.S. military intervention in Iraq, Syria, Yemen, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and elsewhere.

The protest was sponsored by the Minnesota Peace Action Coalition (MPAC) and was organized under the call of “Stop Endless U.S. Wars – Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Yemen, Somalia, Libya, Pakistan – From Iraq to Standing Rock, No More Oil Wars – Say NO to New U.S. War Threats – Iran, Korea & Everywhere, Say No to Racism & Islamophobia, Funds for Human Needs Not War.”

A statement issued by organizers says, in part, “March 2017 will mark 14 years since the U.S. invasion of Iraq. After years of endless war, Trump wants a massive increase in the Pentagon budget and is moving to escalate the multiple wars and interventions. We say enough!”

The statement goes on to say, “The U.S. is very much at war today, with troops, air strikes, drone attacks under way in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Yemen and more countries. In addition, the Trump administration has threatened military action in Iran and Korea.

“U.S. intervention will do nothing to fight terrorism. U.S. wars, air strikes and drone attacks are terrorism. The U.S. war machine does not intervene to protect people or to fight terrorism, but to serve U.S. economic interests. The peoples of the Middle East must be able to set their own course and future without U.S. intervention,” the statement concludes.

Speaking at the rally Meredith Aby-Keirstead, a member of the Anti-War Committee said, “In the past two months President Trump has taken a foreign policy situation he inherited – in which the U.S. was already at war in multiple countries – and has thrown gasoline on the fire.”

“Trump says he’s sending in 1000 more ground troops in Syria which will double U.S. forces there and will escalate and prolong the six-year conflict. He has escalated the war in Yemen and increased drone attacks by 432% – which beats Obama, who was previously number 1. Trump proposed a $54 billion increase in military spending which would increase the largest military budget in the world by 10%. On March 1 Michael Flynn, Trump’s national security advisor at the time, issued a statement ‘officially putting Iran on notice’ and yesterday his administration said that a pre-emptive strike against north Korea isn’t off the table,” Aby-Keirstead continued.

Groups that endorsed the protest and helped get out the word for people to join included, Anti-War Committee, Black Lives Matter, Saint Paul, Every Church A Peace Church, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Filipinos for Immigrant Rights in MN, International Socialist Organization (Twin Cities), Mayday Books, Military Families Speak Out (MN chapter) , Native Lives Matter, Rise Up Times, St. Paul Eastside Neighbors for Peace, St. Joan of Arc Peacemakers, Socialist Action, Students for a Democratic Society (UMN), Twin Cities Peace Campaign, Veterans for Peace, Women Against Military Madness and Workers International League.

#MinneapolisMN #AntiwarMovement #PeoplesStruggles #Iraq #Syria

Minneapolis, MN – Over 60 people joined a Minneapolis protest on Oct. 8, organized under the call of ‘Stop Endless U.S. Wars.’

The protest marked the 15th anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan.The protest started with participants lining the sidewalks along Lake Street near Hiawatha Avenue, a very busy intersection and stop on a light rail line. The response of those passing by was overwhelmingly positive with several people stopping to join the protest. After close to an hour, participants marched to Walker Community Church for a closing program. Meredith Aby-Keirstead, a member of the Anti-War Committee, one of the endorsing organizations, opened the program by saying, “Reuters reported in 2015 that the war in Afghanistan has so far cost $33,000 per citizen and Time Magazine has called the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq ‘the most expensive wars in human history.’ The cost of this war is much more than financial though. In 2009, the Afghan Ministry of Public Health reported that fully two-thirds of Afghans now suffer from mental health problems from living in a war zone. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 11-20% of vets who served in Iraq have PTSD. In 15 years over 2000 U.S. military personnel have died in the war in Afghanistan. About 104,000 Afghans have died and an additional 41,000 civilians have been injured since 2001.” Aby-Keirstead went to say, “The largest cost though, is that the U.S. war on Afghanistan opened a Pandora’s Box of U.S.-led warfare around the globe – from Iraq, to Libya, to Syria, to increased U.S. support for Israel and Saudia Arabia, to interventions in Mali and Somalia – all under the auspices of the ‘war on terror’” The protest was organized by Minnesota Peace Action Coalition.

#MinneapolisMN #AntiwarMovement #AntiwarCommittee #PeoplesStruggles #Iraq #Syria #MN

Tampa, FL – Over a dozen students from Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) held signs and chanted on March 22 to mark the 13th anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq. In 2003, the U.S. launched an illegal invasion of Iraq in order to destabilize the region and secure its own interests. Meanwhile, the people of Iraq continue to suffer from U.S. intervention. Since 1991, the U.S. has been responsible for the death of an estimated 1 million Iraqis due to sanctions and invasions.

Students stood at the corner of a busy intersection at the University of South Florida (USF) holding signs and chanting “Out of Palestine! Out of Iraq! What do we do? Stand up, fight back!”

Police tried to stop SDS from chanting but the students stood firmly and continued, “No, no, blood for oil. U.S. off Arab soil!”

“It's important that we remember this anniversary in light of recent revelations of the U.S. military presence in Iraq. U.S. imperialism is always on the move and if we want to stop it we should stay constantly vigilant,” said Gage Lacharite.

In addition, SDS is currently working on a campaign to #ChangeTheName of the CW Bill Young building on campus. Young served on the Johns Committee in the 1960s that persecuted LGBTQIA+ teachers, faculty, students and staff throughout the Florida public university system.

Lacharite stated, “Just as Young’s legacy generates a climate of hate on campus, the U.S. military has a history of cultivating sexism, racism and homophobia among its ranks. Young was an avid supporter of the U.S. military. The USF administration has used this as reasoning for continuing to honor the hateful legacy of Bill Young.”

SDS ended the rally by dedicating themselves to end the presence of Bill Young’s homophobic and militaristic legacy on campus.

#TampaFl #AntiwarMovement #StudentsForADemocraticSociety #SDS #PeoplesStruggles #Iraq #UniversityOfSouthFlorida #USF

As refugees escape untold violence and chaos in countries like Iraq and Syria, they are being rejected, ignored, or actually pushed away from countries like Great Britain, Saudi Arabia, France and the U.S.

Yet, the biggest travesty of it all is that those countries refusing entry to thousands fleeing the Middle East are the very same countries that created the widespread violence, instability and chaos throughout the region that have caused so many to escape. It is those very same countries that created the impossible conditions that currently exist in Iraq, Syria and elsewhere in the region. It is vital that the people of the world looking on to the plight of these refugees recognize the culprits behind their suffering and unite on how to end it.

It is the policies and actions of the U.S., NATO and their Arab allies (Saudi Arabia, in particular) that have caused such destruction and such misery as to lead so many in the Middle East to flee. Thousands have been killed over recent years as a result of NATO airstrikes, and a combination of American weapons and Saudi funds that have been given to extremist thugs and organizations that have brutally murdered thousands.

The turmoil is all part of a regional plan, drafted by the U.S. and supported by its allies, which would have all opponents of Western imperialism and Israeli Zionism removed, destroyed or killed. The destabilization campaigns of the U.S. and its allies are what have led to the brutal violence, mass destruction and utter chaos in countries like Syria and Libya. Without NATO, led by the U.S. and its tools in the regions, the innocent people crossing the Mediterranean for Europe would still have their homes and their lives. Without the might of U.S. imperialism smashing down on the Middle East, there would be no refugee crisis today.

Those angered by the images that have been shown in the news must, too, be angered by the culpability of the U.S. in creating this wretched sight. And, upon recognition of these facts, we must call on the U.S. to take its bloody hands off of the Middle East. We must demand an end to U.S. funds and arms being sent to thugs in the region to use against innocent civilians. We must oppose the relations between and the actions of the U.S., NATO, Saudi Arabia and Israel. And on the streets of every city where there are good people filled with grief and anger for those who have died fleeing their homelands, let there be organizing and protest against U.S. imperialism. For only when that most terrible monster is destroyed can the people of the Middle East begin to live their lives in peace.

#MiamiFL #ImmigrantRights #Iraq #Syria #SaudiArabia #refugeeCrisis #MiddleEast

Minneapolis, MN – To mark one year since the start of the latest U.S. military intervention in Iraq, over 60 people joined a Minneapolis anti-war protest on August 8.

The protest, organized by the Minnesota Peace Action Coalition (MPAC) was organized around the demands of “Out of Iraq–No U.S. War; Stop Bombing Iraq & Syria; No Boots on the Ground; Troops Home Now.”

The protest, held at the busy intersection of Lake Street and Hiawatha Avenue, received wide support from people passing by in cars, buses, on foot and bicycle. One participant said, “This is the best corner in Minneapolis to have a visible protest, thousands of people pass by and many people waved and honk in support.”

Several large commercial truck drivers passing by laid on their horns and waved in solidarity.

Among the speakers at the event was Meredith Aby-Keirstead, a member of the Anti-War Committee, who said, “We are here today to mark the one-year anniversary of the Obama administration’s bombing campaign in Iraq. It is important to view this campaign as an escalation of the war on Iraq – a war the U.S. has been waging in some form or another since 1991. The U.S. is using the new phase of the war on terror to send more troops to Iraq, to construct bases, to conduct daily aerial bombings and to extend into Syria’s civil war next door.”

“The Obama administration is fanning sectarian conflicts throughout the Middle East to weaken the progressive and anti-imperialist forces so that the U.S. will have less resistance to its foreign policy for the 1%. No amount of U.S. intervention will make things better. U.S. intervention is like pouring gasoline on a fire!”

Aby-Keirstead concluded, “We, the global 99%, need to continue to stand up and oppose these U.S. wars every day!”

A statement issued by organizers said: “August 8 will mark one year since the Obama administration launched a bombing campaign and started sending troops back into Iraq in the name of fighting the Islamic State.”

The statement continues, “Twenty plus years of U.S. war, sanctions, occupation and bombing have created the current crisis in Iraq. More bombs, troops, weapons and ‘advisors’ has not made things better.”

An independent monitoring group, Airwars, issued a report last week that documented that at least 459 civilians have been killed in Iraq and Syria as a result of the U.S. military’s air strikes. The U.S. has spent over $3 billion on the air war over the past year.

Groups endorsing the August 8 protest included: AFSCME Local 3800, Anti-War Committee, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Mayday Books, Marxist Student Association, Military Families Speak Out (MN chapter), MN Coalition for Palestinian Rights, Peace with Justice Committee of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Sacred Heart Catholic Church Peace and Justice Committee (St. Paul), St. Joan of Arc Church, St. Paul Eastside Neighbors for Peace, Socialist Action, Students for a Democratic Society (SDS-UMN), Twin Cities Peace Campaign, Veterans for Peace, Welfare Rights Committee, Women Against Military Madness, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, Workers International League.

#MinneapolisMN #AntiwarMovement #Iraq #Syria #AntiWarCommittee

Tampa, FL – Over a dozen students at the University of South Florida (USF) gathered outside of Russell M. Cooper Hall on campus, March 30, to condemn recent interventions by the U.S. in Venezuela, Iraq, Syria and Ukraine. The students made speeches and chanted, attracting other students to listen.

James Kramer of Tampa Students for a Democratic Society explained, “Cloaked in the rhetoric of ‘human rights, democracy and freedom,’ the U.S. ruling class supports invasion and the installation of dictators into countries where they have no influence, but vast interests. These intervention efforts by the U.S. cannot be recognized as anything other than criminal.”

“When the U.S. and the rich of Latin America unite to overthrow progressive governments and worker and student organizations in these countries, poverty and disaster are the effects! We must remember that this is another example of the clear determination that the U.S. has to rule over other countries,” said Marisol Marquez of Raíces en Tampa, an immigrant rights group.

George Nassar of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression said, “It's important that we're gathered here today. Were we not here, these criminal threats would go unchecked. If we don't do this, no one will stop the U.S. bombings, sanctions and coups that have claimed hundreds of thousands of lives in the last decade.”

Tampa Students for a Democratic Society stands against U.S. intervention of any sort. SDS pledges to continue to fight for the repeal of the University of South Florida memorandums of understanding with USCENTCOM and USSOUTHCOM military commands.

#TampaFL #Venezuela #SDS #PeoplesStruggles #Iraq #Syria #Ukraine #UniversityOfSouthFlorida #Florida #USF #AntiWar

Minneapolis, MN – Around 200 protesters took to the streets here, March 21, to mark the 12th anniversary of the start of the U.S. war on Iraq. The protest called for an end to U.S. military intervention in Iraq, Syria and elsewhere and coincided with national anti-war actions, including an anti-war protest in Washington, DC at the White House on the same day.

The protest began at the busy intersection of Lake Street and Hiawatha Avenue in Minneapolis with protesters holding signs saying “Stop bombing Iraq and Syria,” “No new wars for the 1%,” and “Hands off Ukraine, Venezuela and everywhere.” After a short rally they marched on Lake Street, one of the busiest streets in Minneapolis, to Walker Church.

The U.S. is very much at war in Iraq again, and the war has extended to Syria. March 2015 marks 12 years since the start of the U.S. war in Iraq. Now, the U.S. is again at war in Iraq and the war is expanding into Syria. The Obama administration has requested a new Authorization for Use of Military Force from Congress, which will give a legal cover to more years of endless war. Reuters news service reported March 18 that a Pentagon report states that as of March 12, the U.S. military has flown 2320 air strikes since Aug. 8 at a cost of $1.83 billion, hitting thousands of targets. The new military intervention costs an average of about $8.5 million daily according to Reuters.

Loretta Van Pelt, a leader in the Welfare Rights Committee, spoke out at the opening rally. She explained, “The resources that are used to fight whoever and whatever could best be used to help low income people, more affordable housing, a living wage, the list goes on. They wonder why 50% of public school kids live in poverty, wonder why people still have a hard time finding a job even though the economy supposedly improved and the unemployment rate is going down. War is obviously not the answer, which is why we are here today! We need to keep rallying for peace, stop all wars and stop U.S. aggression!”

Sabry Wazwaz, a Palestinian American activist with the Anti-War Committee, spoke at Walker Church, “The U.S. government spends trillions of dollars on wars, invading other countries leaving over a million deaths of innocent civilians just for their own personal interests. Instead it should fix inner cities across the U.S. Instead of closing so many schools down in inner cities they should invest money into them and fix them. The U.S. should help its own citizens as millions of homeless sleep under bridges including thousands of vets themselves, build more care centers to help the mentally ill, and fix up the city of Detroit instead of sending billions to Israel.”

Speakers also condemned U.S. intervention in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Ukraine and Venezuela.

Joe Callahan, a spokesperson for the Minnesota Cuba Committee and a long time Latin America solidarity activist, addressed the crowd at the opening rally about the Obama’s recent actions against Venezuela, “On the other hand, here in the hemisphere, the U.S. has stepped up hostility toward Venezuela, they have declared sanctions against Venezuela and ominously proclaimed that Venezuela represents ‘an extraordinary threat to U.S. national security.’ Venezuelan leaders have sounded the alarm about U.S. organized coup plots, arresting the mayor of Caracas and expelling some U.S. embassy personnel. Food distributors are holding back food, and the right wing blames shortages on the government. It’s a very tense and dangerous situation. We need to stand together with Venezuela against U.S. intervention. Hands off Venezuela!”

The protest was organized by the Minnesota Peace Action Coalition. It was endorsed by AFSCME Local 3800, Alliant Action, Anti-War Committee, Committee for Palestinian Rights, Community of St. Martin, Every Church a Peace Church, Faith Mennonite Church, Freedom Road Socialist Organization, Grandmothers for Peace, Marxist Student Federation, Mayday Books, Military Families Speak Out (MN chapter), Minneapolis Green Party, Peace and Justice Committee of Sacred Heart Catholic Church (St. Paul), St. Frances Cabrini Justice and Peace Committee, Socialist Action, Students for a Democratic Society (UMN), St. Joan of Arc/WAMM Peacemakers, St. Paul Eastside Neighbors for Peace, Twin Cities Peace Campaign, Veterans for Peace, Welfare Rights Committee, Women Against Military Madness, and Workers International League.

#MinneapolisMN #AntiwarMovement #Iraq #Venezuela #IraqWar