[pjw] REPORT BACK: Missiles galore: Friday rally #126 since stay-at-home orders

[Peace and Justice Works]

Hello again peaceful people

If you're not aware of the mechanics of a typical Friday Rally for Peace 
and Justice, this is generally what happens.

Sometime about 5 PM: People arrive, I set up the wagon
   filled with picket signs and with the Ann Huntwork sign scrolling
   at SW Yamhill and Broadway

About 5:20 PM: We do the rally where I read the news headlines

About 5:30 PM: We head out on the march

About 5:45 PM we disband at SW Yamhill and 6th.

I'm describing this because last night the sound check for a live band in 
Pioneer Courthouse Square ran a little longer than usual. Eight of us had 
been gathered, and a ninth person joined us just long enough to march two 
block north, where I did the announcements by a storefront. The ninth 
person then had to leave to get to yet another event.

We got a good number of supportive comments including a young Palestinian 
woman who blessed us for doing the work we're doing.

Here are some of the headlines we talked about:

--There was a lot of ink and digital pixels spilled this week as it marked 
one year since the Taliban took over in Afghanistan and the US puppet 
leadership fled in a helicopter full of cash. One headline was about the
quick way Ukrainian refugees (whose plight began in February) are being 
hustled quickly through immigration while Afghans have to sit and wait:

  https://thehill.com/opinion/immigration/3601572-time-to-treat-afghan-allies-with-same-respect-as-those-fleeing-ukraine/

---A group of 9/11 families urged President Biden to return the $7 billion 
to Afghanistan rather than give it to them, calling the US seizure of the 
funds "legally questionable and morally wrong."

  https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/their-money-not-ours-911-families-urge-biden-return-frozen-funds-afghans

--Meanwhile, the US had held off on a nuclear-capable missile test due to 
tensions with China and Russia. Now as those tensions are INCREASED, the 
fired the missile off in California and landed it in the Marshall Islands:

  https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/minuteman-iii-nuclear-missile-launched-from-california-in-test-delayed-by-ukraine-war/ar-AA10J6VF

--For the second week in a row and the third time in a month, the US 
bombed Somalia, this time killing 13 people.

  https://news.antiwar.com/2022/08/17/us-bombs-somalia-says-13-al-shabaab-fighters-killed/

--Having learned they can do so with impunity, Turkey killed 17 people in 
airstrikes in Syria, then sent ground forces into that country. 
International law? Who needs international law.

  https://english.alaraby.co.uk/news/turkish-forces-enter-syria-following-deadly-drone-strike

--In Ukraine, the tensions remain high around the nuclear plant occupied 
by Russian forces.

  https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/aug/14/ukraine-says-it-will-target-russian-soldiers-at-zaporizhzhia-nuclear-power-plant

--And referring back to the smoldering tensions between the US and China, 
what better way to poke at that bear than to have more US Representatives 
visit Taiwan, following up by sending more US warships to the area?

  https://apnews.com/article/taiwan-china-nancy-pelosi-government-and-politics-143aebea0f425aaaaabaa72b40e53bc1

--The ongoing unrest in Iraq (where Parliament was NOT dissolved) is being 
seen as a sign of dwindling US influence. I hope so? The article also 
mentions the US embassy (largest in the world) is almost empty, but not 
how many of the 2500 troops are housed there.

  https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/iraqs-political-crisis-deepens-US-influence-dwindles

--The Iran nuclear talks are still ongoing, but the US is insisting that 
Iran drop "extraneous" demands, unlike the dozens of extra sanctions 
America keeps piling on during the negotiations.

  https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/us-says-will-provide-views-eu-privately-iran-nuclear-deal-text-2022-08-15/

In local news, the Portland Police Bureau's Focused Intervention Team has 
been involved in ANOTHER shooting, their third since being formed in 
January. This time the person lived to tell the tale-- and was talked down 
by a civilian, not a police officer. Hmm. Interesting.

  https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/i-can-see-pain-in-his-eyes-portland-standoff-hostage-talks-suspect-into-surrender/ar-AA10MlzF

Also the PPB is refusing to name the officers in THIS shooting just like 
they did with the one on July 27, despite their rules saying there has to 
be a credible threat _to those officers_ to hide that info.

  https://www.opb.org/article/2022/08/19/portland-police-shootings-policy-withhold-names/

Along the march route I mentioned that Israel admitted a raid earlier this 
month on a Gaza cemetery killed five Palestinian children. We wondered 
whether the Israelis were worried about people rising up from beyond the 
grave.

  https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/8/16/israel-behind-gaza-strike-that-killed-children-report

Near the end point, I noted that the military is so hard up for recruits 
they are offering a $50,000 signing bonus per person. This while millions 
have no health care, housing or education. Priorities, people.

  https://www.thenation.com/article/world/military-recruitment-crisis/

PJW is continuing to ask people to mask up and stay distanced at all of 
our events, just to be extra cautious. We all look forward to a day when 
we can see the bottoms of each others' faces and have a large gathering 
indoors.

Thanks
--dan handelman
peace and justice works iraq affinity group