Author: Fight Back

Tampa, FL – As President Obama seeks approval from Congress to attack Syria, protests have been spurring up all over the country. Over 150 protesters gathered in Tampa to demand “U.S. hands off Syria.” Protesters gathered at an intersection, Sept. 7, chanting and waving signs while motorists honked in support. This protest had grown in size from last week, with many more Syrian Americans attending.

Different organizations came out, including the Friends of the Syrian American Forum, St. Pete for Peace, Students for a Democratic Society, Veterans for Peace and Freedom Road Socialist Organization.

For several hours the protesters chanted in both English and in Arabic, while waving signs and Syrian flags. Towards the end of the protest, a protester called the office of Florida Senator Bill Nelson, a pro-war Democrat. The entire protest was put on speaker-phone and then recorded a message to the Senator – “Hands off Syria!”

At the end of the rally Matt Hastings of Students for a Democratic Society said, “We hear the U.S. government tell lies about WMDs, but we know that it is, in fact, the U.S. government that has and uses weapons of mass destruction. It was the U.S. who dropped nuclear bombs on civilians in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, dropped depleted uranium bombs in Yugoslavia and used napalm to terrorize in Vietnam. Under Obama’s presidency, the U.S. has used drone strikes to terrorize and cause mass destruction in numerous countries. This must come to an end.”

Currently President Obama wants congressional approval to attack Syria. Students for a Democratic Society in Tampa are planning to protest Florida Senator Bill Nelson. Since day one, Nelson has been one of the biggest war hawks, urging the Democratic Party to back military action against Syria. Protesters plan to come back to the intersection with more people to hold a presence.

New York City, NY – Over 1000 people demonstrated against the threatened attacks on Syria here, Sept. 7, marching from Times Square to Union Square along Broadway, past tens of thousands of people. The main slogan was “U.S. hands off Syria.”

Sara Flounders, of the International Action Center, invited demonstrators to come to Washington D.C. on Sept. 9, to protest when the U.S. Congress reconvenes. Many other organizations supported the march. This was one of at least 40 demonstrations held across the U.S. today.

Minneapolis, MN – More than 300 people joined a spirited protest here, Sept. 7, to demand that Congress votes against a war on Syria.

The Obama administration will be seeking a resolution in support of a military attack on Syria in the upcoming week.

Carrying signs and banners, protesters chanted “1,2,3,4, we don’t want another war, 5,6,7,8, vote no, it’s not too late,” receiving the support of many of those passing by.

Meredith Aby, of the Twin Cites based Anti-War Committee, told the crowd, “Secretary of State Kerry had the balls to say that after WWI the civilized members of the international community decided to never use chemical weapons again. Well, the civilized ones might have agreed but that clearly didn’t include the U.S. The U.S used chemical weapons to inflict illness and painful death on large amounts of innocent people by using napalm in Vietnam and Southeast Asia and later in Iraq by using white phosphorus. If Obama really is appalled by the use of chemical weapons, he should at least have the same concern about what his own country does. All of us here should demand that the U.S. never use chemical weapons again.”

Speaking on the goals of a U.S. attack Aby said, “Obama has publicly stated he wants a regime change. At the point at which the president is deciding who gets to rule Syria, we are talking about the U.S. installing a puppet government. It’s clearly about clearing the way for a U.S. or Israeli attack on Iran. The U.S. geopolitical plans for the region are the real motivations for attacking Syria. Stopping this war is critical because we are not just fighting to stop an attack on Syria, we are working to stop an attack on Iran and to stop the continuation of U.S. imperialism in the Middle East.”

The protest was initiated by Minnesota Peace Action Coalition and endorsed by Anti-War Committee, Twin Cities Peace Campaign, Veterans for Peace, Women Against Military Madness and others.

Gainesville, FL – Demanding Congress vote no on U.S. military intervention in Syria, 70 protesters gathered in Turlington Plaza at the University of Florida, Sept. 6.

University of Florida Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) organized the protest demanding “Hands off Syria!” Gainesville Vets for Peace, Occupy Gainesville, Freedom Road Socialist Organization and members of University of Florida faculty and other students and community members joined SDS at the protest.

The action comes on the heels of local call-in day telling Gainesville House of Representative members Corrine Brown (D) and Ted Yoho (R) to oppose military intervention in Syria and to “Vote no.” Congress is debating President Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry’s calls for war, while U.S. ships sail to the region and prepare for attacks to start the war.

In his speech, Conor Munro, a member of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, said, “This war has nothing to do with chemical weapons or democracy. This is an imperialist war. This is a war of exploitation and control of the region’s oil. This is a war of domination.”

University of Florida SDS and its allies will continue to speak out and organize against the Obama administration’s hypocrisy in another U.S. military foray into the Middle East. SDS and its allies will continue to push their message, “Hands off Syria!”

Minneapolis, MN – More than 50 people met with Congressperson Keith Ellison at the Masjid An-Nur mosque in North Minneapolis, Sept 6. This was meant to be a low profile, private ‘listening session’ with 20 invited people – the vast majority in favor of bombing Syria. Although discouraged by Ellison’s office and told there would be no opportunity to speak, 30 anti-war activists mobilized on very short notice and succeeded in speaking.

Representative Ellison opened the meeting by explaining his decision to vote for bombing Syria. His reasons follow the administration’s line. He said, “Every country has an obligation to defend its citizens from mass atrocities and when they don’t the U.S. has the responsibility to do it by force if necessary.”

Ed Felien cited the reports which dispute the claims the Syrian government used sarin gas and asked, “How’d you get your evidence?” Ellison replied that he got it from the Syrian American community.

John Kolstad called on Ellison to call for the release of the documents which the administration claim shows the Syria government is guilty of using chemical weapons. He recalled Representative Alan Grayson’s (Democrat from Florida) Sept. 5 questioning of Secretary of State John Kerry, at the House hearing on releasing the communication report of the Syrian generals, which some sources say contradicts the administration version.

One activist asked, “Are we going to drop DU [depleted uranium], white phosphorous and cluster bombs – all weapons of mass destruction – to deal with weapons of mass destruction?”

Steve McKeown of Vets for Peace questioned why Ellison is so ready to bomb Syria because of their alleged use of sarin gas when he won’t see vets outside his district who suffer from Agent Orange.

Bruce Nestor from the National Lawyers Guild of Minnesota noted that it’s against international law to go to war without authorization from the UN. He said, “Would it have been OK if Russia or China had shot missiles at U.S. troops to stop the slaughter of 100,000 Iraqis by the U.S. and NATO?”

Margaret Sarfehjooy of Women Against Military Madness (WAMM) said, “Hagel has said this will not be a pin prick. Will it be like shock and awe? You will have blood on your hands.”

Sarah Martin of WAMM said, “You are on the wrong side of history. The U.S. public, the world and many governments including the UN oppose this rush to war.”

A protest opposing the war will be held at Hiawatha Avenue and Lake Street on Saturday Sept. 7 from 12:30 to 1:30 In Minneapolis. This will be the fourth demonstration against war on Syria this week.

Minneapolis, MN – As the U.S. Congress prepares to vote on the war resolution sought by the Obama administration, peace and anti-war groups have called for a protest in Minneapolis on Sept. 7 to speak out against a new war.

The Minneapolis protest will be held Saturday from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. along the sidewalks at Lake Street and Hiawatha Avenue.

Anti-war actions are being planned in cities around the country on Sept. 7 to call on Congress to reject the war resolution and U.S. military intervention in Syria.

The Minneapolis event is initiated by Minnesota Peace Action Coalition and endorsed by Anti-War Committee, Twin Cities Peace Campaign, Veterans for Peace and Women Against Military Madness and others. The Sept. 7 protest will be the third major anti-war event planned by those groups in the last ten days.

“There is tremendous opposition to a new war, but time is short. Everyone who opposes a new U.S. war needs to be active, in the streets, calling Congress and making their voice heard,” said a statement issued by organizers.

The statement goes on to say, “The U.S. Congress will vote soon on the White House plans for military intervention in Syria. The U.S. is sending warships, including an aircraft carrier, despite overwhelming opposition from the U.S. public.”

The organizers’ statement concludes by saying, “The U.S. has been at war continuously for 12 years: Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, the drone wars in Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia and now the Obama administration is proposing yet another military intervention. Over the past 12 years, thousands of lives have been lost and billions upon billions of dollars have been spent. The people are saying enough of war and intervention. People need funds for jobs and housing, not another war.”

In addition to the Minneapolis event, anti-war actions are planned for the weekend in New York, Washington D.C., San Francisco and many other cities.

Hands off Syria!

As anti-war/anti-intervention activists, we need to oppose any kind of U.S. attack on Syria. The Obama administration has been trying to sell this war to the American people by claiming it will be a short volley of cruise missile strikes with no boots on the ground. Claims of a “short war” rest on the assumptions that the Syrian government will not respond at all to being bombed and on the idea that U.S. objectives (regime change) will be achieved without further attacks. Hundreds if not thousands will die and nothing good will come of it.

On chemical weapons and red lines:

President Obama is arguing that the government of Syria has crossed a so-called “red line” by using chemical weapons in Syria. This has a number of problems. There is absolutely no evidence or confirmation that Syria’s government carried out the alleged chemical attack. Doctors Without Borders admits that its report is based not on their own investigation, but on reports they received from a Syrian rebel group. It is not logical for the Syrian government to have used chemical weapons, given that they were having success in the conflict, and that UN weapons inspectors were in Syria only ten miles from where the attack took place. We can’t forget how we were lied to about WMD’s in Iraq.

The notion that there is a “red line” that no one is allowed to cross is cynical at the core. Iraq is saturated with cancer causing depleted uranium from U.S. bombs. The U.S. military used the chemical weapon white phosphorus in Fallujah and Israel used white phosphorus in Gaza in a manner that violates the Geneva Convention. Chemical weapons are pretext to do what the U.S. government, weapons manufacturers, Israel, and the Saudi ruling class wants to do – bomb Syria.

Honest and good people have found themselves confused about Syria. There are people who feel powerless and just wish the bloodshed would stop. Some feel that military action will make them feel better. They instead need to be asking if military action and more bloodshed improve the situation in Syria. The clear answer is no.

No blood for oil??

While Syria doesn’t have much oil, there is a whole lot of it in the neighborhood. The conflict in Syria has been ongoing because it is being used as a geopolitical chess piece by the West. The point of the attack is to defeat Syria so the U.S. can next move onto Iran and strike at other forces that are opposed to U.S domination.

Syria’s real ‘crime’ is to remain independent, ignoring the agenda of U.S. empire in the Middle East and befriending the patriotic peoples of Iran, Lebanon and Palestine. The U.S. speaks of chemical weapons, hoping that we have forgotten their plan for ‘regime change’ in Syria. The U.S. government has no right to determine who should lead the Syrian government. Beyond just openly calling for the Syrian president to be thrown out, the U.S. has already given more than a billion dollars’ worth of battlefield support to the Syrian opposition.

Devastating Syria with hundreds of cruise missiles or bombs will only make it harder for the Syrian people to exercise self-determination. Only the Syrian people themselves can decide their own future. The continued escalation of U.S. involvement in Syria and the Middle East makes a lasting peace impossible. As anti-war activists we should not call for the great powers to lead negotiations on a settlement of the conflict in Geneva or anywhere else to solve Syria’s problems.

We’re opposed to war. We represent. We are the 91%!

Working people are weary of the blood and treasure expended to benefit military contractors while we have problems like foreclosures and student debt. In the face of real hardship at home, including cuts to food stamps and Head Start, our bankrupt government is spending our resources to fight the people of Syria, who have more in common with us than we have with Obama.

Politicians, both Democrats and Republicans, represent the interests of U.S. imperialism and are trying to push us toward war. The anti-war movement represents the vast majority. 91% of the American people agree with us. We need to mobilize people to demonstrate and show that we don’t want to be dragged into another war. We have to pressure Congress to listen to the majority’s voice. Unfortunately, we can’t trust that they will honor our wishes. We’re prepared to continue the fight and raise the level of struggle.

1,2,3,4: we don’t need another war. 5,6,7,8: stop it now, it’s not too late!

Failing to win support of the United Nations, the Obama administration is now turning to Congress for cover in the form of a resolution authorizing the use of military force. Getting approval from Congress doesn’t make the attack legit.

When Congress returns to D.C. next week, on Sept. 9, their votes will affect whether and how a war on Syria may begin. This week, while they are in their home districts across the country, politicians need to hear from their constituents. This is the time to stop the war before the U.S government is bogged down in another expanding war like Iraq.

Minneapolis, MN – More than 175 people demonstrated in front of the office of U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar to oppose a U.S. military attack on Syria. The protest was initiated by the Minnesota Peace Action Coalition and was endorsed by the Anti-War Committee, Twin Cities Peace Campaign, Veterans for Peace, Women Against Military Madness and others.

Meredith Aby, of the Twin Cites-based Anti-War Committee told the crowd, “The White House and Pentagon are preparing a cruise missile attack on Syria. Failing to receive international support for these plans, and in the face of overwhelming opposition from the U.S. public, the Obama administration is now turning to Congress for cover in the form of a resolution authorizing the use of military force. When Congress returns to D.C. next week, on Sept. 9, their votes will determine whether and how a war on Syria may begin. This week, while they are in their home districts across the country, politicians need to hear from their constituents.”

Aby also stated, “Syria’s real ‘crime’ is to remain independent, ignoring the agenda of U.S. empire in the Middle East and befriending the patriotic peoples of Iran, Lebanon and Palestine. They speak of chemical weapons, hoping that we have forgotten their plan for ‘regime change’ in Syria. The U.S. government has no right to determine who should lead the Syrian government. Beyond just openly calling for the Syrian president to be thrown out, the U.S. has already given more than a billion dollars’ worth of battlefield support to the Syrian opposition. And devastating Syria with hundreds of cruise missiles will only make it harder for the Syrian people to decide their own future and ensures a continued escalation of U.S. involvement in Syria and the Middle East.”