September 2007

1249 W. Argyle St. August, 2007 INS I DE TH I S I SSUE Voices for Chicago, IL 60640 773-878-3815 2 Seasons of Discontent: A Presidential Creative email: [email protected] Occupation Project web: www.vcnv.org 3-4 Q&A: Iraq – Afghanistan War Nonviolence Funding – 2008 by Jeff Leys Dear Friends, 4 Summer-Fall Actions to End Iraq War! From Amman, Jordan, Kathy Kelly wrote the following in 5-6 Neglect and Projection early July: by Dan Pearson A few days ago, on the night of my arrival in Amman, 6-7 Attuned to Tom and Jerry Jordan, an Iraqi friend who is here for desperately needed By Kathy Kelly cancer treatment, surprised me by asking, “Is it true, Kathy, there is a woman in the United States, she will take Bush’s place and she will send all the U.S. army home, It’s difficult, perhaps unimaginable, for people running every one of them?” I must have looked baffled. “Yes!” for public office to forego the perceived security of being she insisted. Her infectious smile brightened the drab in bed with major corporations in the defense lobby and room, as she eagerly nodded her head. “We heard this. If the oil industry, all of whom benefit from ongoing war in it is true, we, we will vote for her!” Iraq. It’s unnerving and uncomfortable for U.S. leaders to Knowing my friend would be hospitalized the next devise new strategies that likewise challenge privileged morning, I wanted her to continue feeling hopeful about elites in the Middle East who also benefit from the proxy the future. I murmured something about changing wars being fought in Iraq. circumstances in the U.S. My friend’s survival depends on Nevertheless, we must continue vigorous efforts to several rounds of chemotherapy, treatment which should educate the U.S. public about the terrifying consequences have been administered a year ago. The health care she of relying on the U.S. military and its vast network of needs is unavailable in Iraq, so her family sold their home “security” groups to steer policies in Iraq. We must further and she risked her life getting to Amman. How strange insist that the U.S. use its resources to honestly contribute that my brave Iraqi friend might benefit from optimism, toward reconstruction in Iraq and reparations for the however misplaced it may be, derived from the rhetoric of grievous suffering we’ve caused. an aspiring U.S. presidential candidate. These extremely difficult steps are necessary if we prefer Those of us who don’t bear the sickening and frightening not to be identified as an imperial menace, terrifying realities of life in Iraq bear a crucial responsibility to refute other people by use of overwhelming threat and force. comforting and naive hopes invested in any U.S. elected One of the most indispensable steps for us to take, now, official who refuses to cut funding for the war. My friend involves making our voices heard while the Senate and has seen her country ravaged by U.S. sanctions, her city the House of Representatives deliberate over the next turned into a battlefield. This young mother of three supplemental spending bill. longs for an end to the U.S. occupation of Iraq. Who wouldn’t find some glimmer of hope in removing from My friend, who now languishes in a hospital bed, referred office those who, in 2003, dared to declare, “Mission to “this woman” who could bring all of the troops home. Accomplished.” But it’s not enough to simply hold No, we cannot turn to “this woman,” or “that man.” We President Bush Sr. or President Bush Jr. or any presidential must arouse vast multitudes of women and men across administration accountable. The U.S. Senate and the the U.S., willing to work, assiduously, to call off the battles, House of Representatives must also be held responsible to bring the troops home and then seek creation and, by extension, the U.S. voters themselves. continued... 1 • Voices for Creative Nonviolence of environs, in Iraq and beyond, wherein peaceful • Full funding for the Common Good in the U.S.—to development can take root. rebuild our education and health care systems; to create jobs training programs for jobs that pay a Thank you for your help in enabling Kathy, Dan, Cathy Breen living wage; to provide universal health care for and other Voices members to live amongst Iraqis who’ve all; to rebuild our country’s inner cities and rural been displaced in Jordan and Syria. Please join Voices for communities; and to initiate a campaign on the Creative Nonviolence in efforts to organize the next round scale of a new Tennessee Valley Authority and Rural of the Occupation Project. We send this newsletter with Electrification Project of the Great Depression era to deepest thanks and admiration for the careful, steady and create affordable, safe and sustainable alternative determined efforts that have taken place so far. Let’s equip forms of energy and energy consumption; and for ourselves with resolute determination to nonviolently resist “endless war” and to pointedly insist that U.S. legislators end other vital social programs. funding for this war. • Full funding for the highest quality health care, education and jobs training benefits for veterans of August 2007 - Scott Blackburn, Joel Gulledge, Laurie our country’s Armed Services. Hasbrook, Jeff Leys, Kathy Kelly, Gerald Paoli, Dan Pearson o For those Presidential candidates who currently hold a seat in the House or Senate, we set forth the following Announcing SODaPOP additional demand: Seasons of Discontent: A • Vote against any additional funding for the Iraq war Presidential Occupation other than those funds that are essential to fund the Project complete withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. Publicly commit to oppose the use of U.S. military Nonviolent Civil Resistance During the • Presidential Campaign forces against Iran. Voices for Creative Nonviolence and our allies in Iowa Join us in Iowa and New Hampshire for the Seasons of and New Hampshire are in the initial stages of organizing Our Discontent: Presidential Occupation Project. Join us a campaign of nonviolent civil resistance focused upon in these two critical states for weekly, if not daily, acts of those who would be President. nonviolent civil resistance / civil disobedience to seek a redirection of our country’s policies and to bring about an Seasons of Discontent: A Presidential Occupation Project end to the Iraq war. (SODaPOP) will launch this fall, sometime in October, and will last through the Iowa caucus on January 14 and the We especially invite you to join us in Iowa and New New Hampshire primary on January 22. Hampshire beginning January 1 for concentrated nonviolent action in the days leading up to the Iowa While the demands of the campaign are still being caucus on January 14 and to the New Hampshire primary finalized, the initial concept is to occupy the campaign on January 22. We travel to Washington, D.C. for national headquarters and offices of Presidential candidates who actions all the time. Now is the time to travel to Iowa, the do not commit to: heart of our country’s heartland, and to New Hampshire, • Complete withdrawal of the U.S. military forces our country’s Granite State, to seek an end to the Iraq war. from Iraq within 100 days of assuming the office of President of the United States (or May 2009). Please be in contact with us about joining this very critical • Complete halt to any and all military actions— campaign of nonviolent direct action, civil resistance including ground, air and naval--against Iraq and Iran. and civil disobedience. You may reach us via Voices for • Full funding for the reconstruction of Iraq to repair the Creative Nonviolence at 773-878-3815 or via email at damage caused over these past 17 years of economic [email protected] and military warfare that the U.S. and its allies waged o against Iraq. 2 • Voices for Creative Nonviolence Iraq – Afghanistan War report to Congress by Sept. 15 on the progress (or Funding – 2008 lack thereof) being made in the “surge” and towards Iraq’s achievement of the “benchmarks” established by How much money is President Bush seeking Congress. for Fiscal Year 2008? President Bush and the military are seeking $145 billion What reports are due to Congress this fall? to wage the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan for Fiscal The Bush Administration is required to submit three Year 2008 ($142 billion is for the military and $3 billion reports to Congress in August and September. is for other agencies). He submitted this request on By September 1, the U.S. Comptroller General will February 5. Already, the Army is talking about seeking submit a report assessing the progress of Iraq towards even more funds than it originally requested to fund meeting the benchmarks set forth by Congress in the additional personnel costs and to procure MRAP (Mine May war supplemental. Resistant Ambush Protected) vehicles. FY 2008 begins on October 1, 2007 and ends on September 30, 2008. By September 15, General Petraeus will testify before What will the money be used for? Congress to assess progress on the benchmarks. $17 billion will be for Personnel costs; $73 billion for By September 25, an independent third party (Center Operations and Maintenance costs; and $36 billion for for Strategic and International Studies) will report Procurement costs. on “The readiness of the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) to Procurement funds the acquisition of ammunition, assume responsibility for maintaining the territorial vehicles, weapons systems, etc.

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