[pjw] REPORT BACK: Warmaking Secrets Revealed: Friday rally #100 since stay-at-home orders

[Peace and Justice Works]

Hello again Iraq Affinity Group supporters

It's hard to believe it that last night's Friday Rally for Peace and 
Justice was the 100th such event that PJW has sponsored since March 2020. 
We had a fittingly round number of 10 people at the event. I know that I 
should stop saying this but it was the seventh week in a row we didn't get 
rained on. We had plenty of people expressing support verbally and with 
car horns and thumbs-ups, even one "rock on" devils horns sign-- or maybe 
it was "I love you" in American Sign Language. I didn't see where their 
thumb was.

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41Yq1iiaH2L._SY300_QL70_.jpg

https://www.zazzle.com/rlv/sign_language_i_love_you_stickers-rd3a7977830b14d40bea63322199fffe6_v9waf_8byvr_630.jpg


Once again I announced the March 18 rally, "Remembering the 
Devastating US Invasion of Iraq 19 Years Later," find info online here:

What was the news of the week? Here's some of what we talked about.

--The US says Russia is lying about troop withdrawal and is planning a 
fake event such as a chemical weapons attack on Russians living in Ukraine 
to justify war. Where does the US come up with this stuff? Oh yeah, it's 
their own playbook. I previously talked Gulf of Tonkin but you may also 
remember the Kuwaiti babies in incubators dashed to the ground ("Gulf 
War") and the Weapons of Mass Destruction (Iraq War)... It seems akin to a 
quarterback saying "I think the other team is going to run down the field 
on one side but really pass the ball to the other side," and then the rest 
of the team is wondering "why are you letting them know exactly what WE 
are going to do?" Secretary Blinken told the UN these accusations are to 
prevent a war, not provoke one.

  https://thehill.com/policy/defense/594639-us-says-russia-has-added-troops-at-border-despite-pullback-claims

  https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/blinken-united-nations-remarks-russia-ukraine/


--Women in Afghanistan spoke out to criticize Biden's seizure of Afghan 
assets.

  https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-176763

--Israel bombed Syria again, but because Russia is helping patrol the 
skies the Israelis used a missile, not an aircraft to strike:

  https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-said-to-target-army-base-near-damascus-used-by-iranian-forces/

---In related news, the US, which isn't in Syria at the government's 
invitation, "escorted" three Russian planes in NE Syria which were over 
the area America decided to "protect" starting in 2014

  https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/us-fighter-jets-escort-russian-aircraft-in-eastern-syria-after-it-flew-into-coalition-restricted-airspace/ar-AATTI89

--Last week 33 Republican Senators promised to scuttle the Iran nuclear 
deal; this week it was 165 House Republicans. They insisted the agreement 
be looked at as a treaty or it would be torn up by a Republican President; 
however, only the Senate approves treaties. So. Whatever.

  https://thehill.com/homenews/house/594683-more-than-160-house-republicans-threaten-to-scuttle-potential-iran-deal?rl=1

--In Yemen, Saudi Arabia bomber telecommunications ministry buildings, 
claiming they were being used to control drone strikes. With no evidence.

  https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/2/14/saudi-led-coalition-targets-satellites-station-in-yemen

--And in Iraq, another drone strike was "thwarted" against a US military 
base, which in theory doesn't exist if there are no combat troops there?

  https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/mideast-drone-wars-increase-attack-in-iraq-airstrikes-in-yemen/ar-AATP92D

In local news, City Council heard testimony on the new Police Association 
contract. This Oregonian article captures the gist of the hearing pretty 
well-- Council patted themselves on the back for a job well done while 
every community member who testified questioned why the police "union" 
gained so much and the public got so little.

  https://www.oregonlive.com/crime/2022/02/city-council-holds-first-public-hearing-on-negotiated-4-year-contract-with-portland-police-union.html

Along the march route, I relayed the 
shocking-but-less-so-since-it-seems-so-commonplace news that Israeli 
forces killed a 17 year old after demolishing a Palestinian home in the 
West Bank.

  https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/2/14/palestinian-teen-killed-in-west-bank-clashes-with-israeli-forces

And, as we came back to the Square, I updated the news about the 
still-not-yet finished 2021-22 American budget, wherein Congress passed a 
stopgap bill for essentials, which to them means giving money to the 
Pentagon, not necessarily for healthcare, environmental needs or housing.

  https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/us-senate-aims-for-prompt-passage-of-stop-gap-bill-to-avert-government-shutdown/ar-AATZPEj

Either the Ann Huntwork Peace Memorial Sign's new-ish infrared remote 
blocker (a piece of cardboard) and "ferrite bead" need reinforcements or 
the Gucci store has upped their game; the sign went out again just as we 
got near the ritzy retailer in Pioneer Place Mall on 4th.

Please feel free, if you are feeling healthy enough to mask up and do to, 
to meet us at the corner of SW Yamhill and Broadway any Friday at 5 PM, 
please do so.

We're still in discussions about whether PJW will continue to sponsor the 
event weekly, but it's likely even if we DON'T that the regulars will 
hold down the corner on the weeks we don't bring the "fancy" support 
materials (picket signs, electronic sign, wagon, traffic cone bullhorn).

Hope to see you; if not it's very gratifying to hear the feedback on these 
reports that comes in, thanks to those who've responded.

--dan handelman
peace and justice works iraq affinity group