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---------- From: Vietnam Veterans Against the War Anti-Imperialist <vvawai@oz.net> To: Recipient List Suppressed:; Subject: 1 of 2 statements Date: Thu, Sep 19, 2002, 2:36 am Veterans Say: War Without End? War on Iraq? NOT IN OUR NAME! We encourage people across the country, and especially from the East Coast and Mid-West, to come to NYC and make your voice heard on Oct. 6. On Oct. 6, 2002, the anniversary eve of the bombing of Afghanistan - Tell the people of the world that George Bush does NOT speak for everyone in the U.S. Take the Pledge of Resistance and say: War Without End? Not in Our Name! War on Iraq? Not in Our Name! Many Vietnam Veterans returned from Vietnam vowing Never Again. Never Again would we allow our government to send troops over to commit atrocities against a people struggling for national liberation. Never Again would we allow innocent young soldiers be used to kill others. And then came the Gulf War. Veterans were in the forefront leading demonstrations to stop that war. When the U.S. government declared victory many veterans hurt -deep, and questioned if it was even possible to beat back this governments attacks. In this post 9/11 atmosphere of never-ending war, people are told to put their faith in a government shoes actions are changing every single day. The FBI is reorganized to allow more domestic spying, military troops are told to be ready for "preemptive action" meaning attacks without provocation, explanation or declaration of war, and a new super-department is created: The Department of Homeland Security. The combining of 22 federal agencies into a single operation will better allow this government to conduct its spying, expand its network of government snitches, and target and profile students, visitors and immigrants from the Middle East and around the world. On June 1st, in speech at West Point, Bush said that the U.S. government is transforming the military into a force capable of striking anywhere in the world without notice. On June 5th, reports came out that the Marine commanders were visiting the Israeli army to study their "urban combat" techniques in Jenin. "We're interested in what they're developing, especially since Sept 11th. There's a lot of things we could learn from them." Lt. Col. Booth told the Marine Corps Times. That same day leading Senate Democrats announced they were unanimously supporting the plan to overthrow Iraq's government. As veterans we need to see that these are the actions of a wounded animal-vicious but desperately attempting to lock things down. We are in a race against time and we need one voice to say: "Not in Our Name". Nam vets learned the hard way that the power of the people was mightier than the man's technology. As veterans we have a right to speak and an ability to influence America's new cannon-fodder. We need to encourage and support GI Resistance-some of which is beginning to leak out into the press. Veterans - join us in taking up the Not In Our Name Project and take the pledge to actively and physically demonstrate that the actions of this government and its "war against terrorism" are NOT IN OUR NAME. We call upon all vets of all eras to take up, support, and popularize the Pledge to Resist and Statement of Conscience and to join with millions of others in the Fall in joint and diversified actions that can truly inspire the worlds people and begin to wake-up those Americans who are still asleep. It has been wisely said that "dissent without resistance is consent." Join us in resistance. New York / East Coast Sunday, Oct. 6, 1-5 p.m., East Meadow, Central Park (enter at Fifth Avenue and 96th Street) SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA Oct. 6, 2 p.m. mass convergence rally, Union Square, San Francisco. SEATTLE, WASHINGTON Sunday, Oct. 6, 1 p.m. Rally at Volunteer Park Amphitheater (10th Ave. E and E Prospect St., near the north end of Broadway in Capitol Hill). 3 p.m. March to Westlake Center (4th and Pine, downtown Seattle). _______________________________________________ Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. To unsubscribe, visit http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk