[pjw] REPORT BACK: More Hypocrisy: Friday rally #90 since stay-at-home orders

[Peace and Justice Works]

Iraq Affinity Group supporters

We had five people at the Friday Rally last night. While it originally 
seemed that vehicle and pedestrian traffic was up, it tapered off quickly. 
Still, many people including an older gentleman approaching us on the 
sidewalk gave us appreciative feedback. We once again were fortunate not 
to be rained on despite the overall weather of the day/week.

A commuter stopped by the rally to listen to the headlines before she 
hopped on the MAX. This is some of what was said:

--The US announced Thursday that its combat mission in Iraq has ended, but 
also that the 2500 troops will remain there in an "advisory" role. We'll 
see how new Prime Minister Moqtada Al Sadr feels about that.

  https://www.stripes.com/theaters/middle_east/2021-12-09/iraq-us-troops-combat-isis-pentagon-3912835.html

--President Biden, who talked so much about ending the ongoing US wars, 
said we "have to" prepare "other options" (hint hint) if talks with Iran 
about the nuclear deal fail.

  https://www.timesofisrael.com/biden-orders-to-prepare-additional-measures-in-case-iran-nuclear-diplomacy-fails/

--Also the US, which continues to operate Guantanamo prison, tolerates 
police brutality and the world's highest incarceration rate, and was 
founded on the decimation of its indigenous people is staging a diplomatic 
boycott of the Olympics because of China's human rights record, adding 
that beyond US government personnel they want corporations to boycott too.

  https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3159128/diplomatic-boycott-not-enough-lawmakers-press-us-corporate-sponsors

--In Syria, a US drone strike aimed at "terrorists" injured an entire 
family. Who's the terrorist now?

  https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20211208-pool-of-blood-us-drone-strike-hits-syria-family

--Bearing in mind the US "Over the horizon" plan for Afghanistan and the 
above story on drones in Syria, it may be a good thing that Biden said the 
US will not send ground troops to Ukraine to fend off an alleged 
forthcoming Russian invasion? (Nothing said about talking to the UN 
though, just NATO):

  https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/584898-biden-sending-us-troops-to-ukraine-not-on-the-table

In local news, the Portland Police shot and killed a suspected carjacker 
on Monday. Their initial report claimed he had shot and wounded a woman in 
a car but they "walked that back," saying she was injured some other 
way. By then the media narrative was "this was a guy who shot someone so 
he deserved to die," so... they control the narrative on their life-taking 
events. This was the 7th officer shooting this year and the fourth fatal 
one.

  https://www.oregonlive.com/crime/2021/12/bystander-footage-shows-first-detailed-look-at-fatal-police-shooting-on-portland-freeway.html

Along the march route I noted some mildly good news, that the US pushing 
back caused Israel to abandon its effort to build a new settlement at an 
old airport in East Jerusalem. That doesn't stop the other settlements 
currently existing or in progress in Palestinian territory, but celebrate 
the small wins I guess.

  https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-jerusalem-airport-settlements-halt-amid-us-pressure

And, the still-going-back-and-forth $768 billion defense bill passed the 
house 363-70, mostly Democrats dissenting in the bipartisan effort to keep 
the war economy going. The biggest new amendment was to create a 
commission to look into the Afghan withdrawal. I'll save them some money 
with six words: We should never have been there.

  https://thehill.com/policy/defense/584833-house-passes-768b-defense-policy-bill

(I promised to look up how Oregon voted: Blumenauer, Bonamici and DeFazio
  voted no, Schrader and Bentz voted yes
  https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2021405?Page=4
  I'm not sure why it's title is about the Pulse Night Club)

And the Ann Huntwork Peace Memorial sign went out again right as we got 
next to the Gucci Store in Pioneer Place Mall. I had also walked it by the 
Apple store (across Yamhill st from the mall) on the way _to_ the rally 
and it went out there as well.

I also announced the special extended Friday rally planned for January 7 
(4 weeks from yesterday) about Guantanamo's 20th anniversary, as noted 
yesterday details can be found here:

https://pjw.info/guantanamo20yl.html

Join us then or sometime between now and then if you feel safe and are 
willing to mask up and stay distanced.

Thanks

--dan handelman
peace and justice works iraq affinity group