We confront the horror of Bush's failed Iraq War daily. It is clear that hundreds of thousands of Iraqis have died. While the U.S. death toll is orders of magnitude smaller, it now exceeds 2,800 (90 GIs have died in Iraq so far in October), more than 21,000 GIs have been wounded in combat, and more than 45,000 in total are classified as non-mortal casualties (includes evacuation for disease or non-combat injury, as well as wounded). The Iraq War has cost us taxpayers $378 billion, and, when future costs, including lifelong healthcare for our troops, is considered, it is clear that, even if we were to leave Iraq today, this would be just a down payment. The war is a criminal violation of international law and has, by all assessments, including those of Bush's own intelligence agencies made us less, not more, secure.
TAKE ACTION ON IRAQ: We urge you to speak out now to end the war. Attend vigils. Communicate with officeholders and candidates. Write letters to the editor. Display yard signs, buttons, bumperstickers and other peace messages. Raise your concerns with your family, friends, neighbors co-workers and members of your house of worship. Encourage others to speak out as well.
IRAQ INTERVIEW: You are also encouraged to tune in to hear Raed Jarrar, Global Exchange's Iraq Project Director who will be the guest of PW Director Mark Haim on Evening Edition on 89.5 KOPN this evening (Tuesday, 10/24) 6-7 p.m. Those who are local are encouraged to tune in and call in with questions and comments. The rest of you are invited to listen to the show on-line at www.kopn.org after the fact. The show should be available by Wednesday. Just go to the KOPN site, click on podcasts and scroll down to Evening Edition.
CONFRONTING IRAN & THE POSSIBILITIES OF WAR WITH IRAN: As horrible as the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars have been, a prospective U.S. war on Iran could be far worse.
Many rational thinkers look at the twin quagmires the U.S. military is now in and scoff at the idea that the Bush administration would launch another war of aggression. We have to hope they are right. Others, including Seymour Hirsch, Christopher Hedges, Daniel Ellsberg, Scott Ritter and Ray McGovern all have been outspoken in this regard, warning that a U.S. attack is likely, and perhaps imminent.
Some of these analysts believe that because the Bush administration is on the ropes politically, they are more likely to launch this war now, to rally the nation behind them and win the elections. Some of these same analysts cite as evidence of their concerns current naval deployments, including deployment to the Persian Gulf of a naval strike force, led by the nuclear aircraft carrier U.S.S. Eisenhower, accompanied by U.S. minesweepers. They say that the latter would not normally accompany a strike force on routine deployments. They also indicate that the attack on Iran would be a bombing--perhaps using tactical nuclear weapons--not a land invasion.
Peaceworks does not endorse these theories as correct, but we note they are coming from generally credible sources and we therefore can't dismiss them out of hand. We are therefore urging members and supporters to do two things:
1) Speak out now against a U.S. attack on Iran. Contact your U.S. Representative and Senators today. You can find phone numbers and e-links at: Missourians for Safe Energy. Urge them to contact the White House insisting on no attack on Iran.
2) Should an attack on Iran take place, please join us in a candlelight vigil. If the attack takes place after 12 noon, Missouri time, we will gather the next evening at 6 p.m. in Peace Park, at 7th & Elm Sts. If it takes place before 12 noon, we will gather that evening at 6 in the same location.
We sincerely hope that we do not have to implement this plan, but felt it was essential to have a response plan in place and to make this known to all of you in advance of any possible attack.
For those who would like to read more about the possibility of an attack on Iran, we suggest visiting Truthdig.
