[pjw] EVENT REMINDER: "19 Years in Afghanistan: End the War!" TODAY Tues 10/6, 4:30 PM

[Peace and Justice Works]

Hello IAG supporters
Just a very last-minute reminder about today's action from 4:30-6 PM at 
East Burnside and MLK. While we mentioned the event in our post about 
last Friday's rally we alerted the media separately this morning.
dan h.

Peace and Justice Works
    Iraq Affinity Group

NEWS ITEM / CALENDAR LISTING

For immediate release          October 6, 2020

                       "19 Years in Afghanistan: End the War!"
                       Tuesday, October 6, 2020, 4:30-6:00 PM
                      Expanded Weekly "Stand for Peace" Event
                    East end of the Burnside Bridge (at MLK Blvd)
        last of three limited attendance rallies for peace Sept-Oct 2020

Today, Tuesday October 6, from 4:30-6:00 PM, Peace and Justice Works Iraq 
Affinity Group (IAG) is coordinating the last of of three planned 
limited-attendance rallies for peace demanding an end to the US' ongoing 
foreign wars. At the weekly "Stand for Peace" visibility action held at the 
east end of the Burnside Bridge at Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd,* today's action 
is titled "19 Years in Afghanistan: End the War!" It will feature the Ann 
Huntwork Memorial Sign, a mobile digital display board with messages to end the 
Afghan war among other US military actions.

October 7 marks 19 years since the US invasion of Afghanistan in response to 
attacks by Al Qaeda, a non-state actor, on 9/11/2001. President Trump has 
negotiated with the Taliban, which currently is working with the Afghan 
government on a peace plan. America has no right to remain in the country, 
which is rich in natural resources but unable to stabilize due to over 30 years 
of international interference.

While Trump has said his goal is to get US troops out of Afghanistan, reports 
are that the current troop level of 8600 will only be reduced to 4,500 (CNN, 
September 11).

Today's event will emphasize to commuters, pedestrians and all Portlanders that 
it's far past time to end the US occupation. The war has led to multiple times 
more deaths than occurred on 9/11, and unnecessary military escapades by the US 
including attacks on Iraq, Yemen, Somalia, Libya,and (though no US attacks have 
been reported since 2018) Pakistan.

More information is available in a fact sheet produced for the events:

http://www.pjw.info/afghan19ylfacts.pdf

On Monday, Peace and Justice Works sent a letter with signatures from 14 
Oregon-based organizations to Governor Kate Brown demanding that she bring and 
home the National Guard deployed to Afghanistan. The letter notes that Oregon 
Guard helicopters needed to fight fires were instead in Afghanistan as part of 
the endless war effort.

http://www.pjw.info./guardhomeletter2020.html

The three special events have planned under the theme "US Out of Syria and 
Afghanistan!" starting on September 25, with the second event having taken 
place this past Friday October 2.

Participants at all events are asked to wear masks and remain socially 
distanced, and to RSVP if possible to ensure the gatherings are no larger than 
25 people.

Stand for Peace began its weekly presence in March, 2014 and was suspended 
briefly after the coronavirus lockdown.

For more information or to get involved contact the Peace and Justice Works 
Iraq Affinity Group at (503) 236-3065 or iraq at pjw.info. A flyer for these 
events can be found at < http://www.pjw.info/IAGrallies09_10_20.pdf>.

&*- Stand for Peace usually only lasts one hour from 4:30 to 5:30.
See http://pjw.info/ongoingvigils.html for details on more ongoing Portland 
area events.