[pjw] EVENT: Mission Accomplished? Iraq, Afghanistan, Al Qaeda Still Issues in 2021 Fri 4/30/21 5 PM

[Peace and Justice Works]

Hello Iraq Affinity Group supporters and allies

With the recent announcement that the US will be pulling troops out of 
Afghanistan _starting_ on May 1, rather than ending as was previously 
promised, we recognize both that we can't take President Biden at his word 
that the troops will all leave by 9/11, AND the very strange obsession 
American leaders seem to have with the first of May. Below is an 
announcement for the weekly Friday rally two weeks from today (don't 
worry--we'll be there tonight and next week too!) to focus on these 
topics.

If your organization wants to be listed as an endorser or cosponsor let us 
know.

Feel free to share. The info and a link to the flyer for the event can be 
found at
http://www.pjw.info/mission_accomplished0421.html

dan handelman
peace and justice works iraq affinity group
      ______________________________________________________________________

                              "Mission Accomplished?"
                 Iraq, Afghanistan, Al Qaeda Still Issues in 2021
                          Friday, April 30, 2021 5:00 PM
                     Weekly Friday Rally for Peace and Justice
                            Pioneer Courthouse Square,
                              SW Yamhill and Broadway

    What do these three things have in common? George W. Bush declared
    "Mission: Accomplished" in Iraq in 2003, Barack Obama oversaw the targeted
    killing of Osama Bin Laden in 2011, and Donald Trump set a deadline to get
    US Troops out of Afghanistan last year-- a deadline Joe Biden has chosen to
    use as a start rather than an end date. They all center around the same
    date: May 1. At the weekly Friday Rally for Peace and Justice on Friday,
    April 30, the theme will be "Mission Accomplished? Iraq, Afghanistan, Al
    Qaeda Still Issues in 2021" as protestors (masked up and distanced) call
    attention to the the fact that military actions are not the solutions, they
    just lead to endless wars. The event will take place at 5 PM at the corner
    of Pioneer Courthouse Square, SW Yamhill and Morrison, starting with a 25
    minute rally followed by a 20-minute march around downtown.

    The US now says the withdrawal from Afghanistan will be done by September
    11 (the 20th anniversary), still has troops in Iraq, and continues to face
    affiliates, offshoots or copycats of the Al Qaeda network that Bin Laden
    headed up. President Biden has called Russian President Vladimir Putin a
    "killer" without acknowledging his own role in the assassination of Bin
    Laden, proximity to targeted drone strikes, and ongoing warfare including
    at least two strikes in Iraq and one in Syria this year.

    It's possible that the Presidents are all focused on May 1 because in most
    countries other than the United States, that day is celebrated as
    International Workers' Day. Portland has seen years of lively May Day
    protests lifting up both working people and immigrants, though frequently
    those events have been attacked by Portland Police. May Day is also a day
    celebrated to mark the spring season. Instead, Americans are reminded
    regularly on this date that "might makes right" and that the way to resolve
    problems is at the end of a gun, bomb or missile.

    The Friday Rally for Peace and Justice was established by Portland Peaceful
    Response Coalition in November, 2001, shortly after the US invasion of
    Afghanistan, and has occurred every week for over 1010 weeks. In March,
    2020 following the outbreak of the COVID pandemic, Peace and Justice Works
    took over sponsorship of the weekly event.

    For more information, contact Peace and Justice Works Iraq Affinity Group
    at 503-236-3065 or iraq at pjw.info.