[pjw] REPORT BACK: parsing words: Friday rally #178 since stay-at-home orders

[Peace and Justice Works]

People who believe in peace:

We had a lot of positive feedback during last night's Friday Rally for 
Peace and Justice, even though we had a relatively small group of six 
people in attendance. At least three people took literature from the 
"little green wagon of peace" including someone who introduced themselves 
as the head of Students United for Palestinian Equal Rights at PSU. We 
also got many peace signs, honking horns and words of encouragement. Very 
nourishing! The weather was very pleasant (if a little muggy) after a 
three-day heat wave.

So what did we talk about this week?


--Shortly after an Iraqi militia called for the US to actually leave their 
country, Iraq's government signed a new security deal with the US, 
focusing on the Islamic State. 1991->2003->2014-> forever?

  https://www.newarab.com/news/iraqs-security-council-approves-recent-defence-deal-us

--President Zelesnkyy met with the founder of Ukraine's famous neo-nazi 
militia, the Azov Brigade. I guess if you're desperate to get people to 
pick up arms you'll shake hands with anyone.

  https://thegrayzone.com/2023/08/16/zelensky-ukraines-notorious-neo-nazi/

---Reports say that nearly 500,000 people have now been killed or wounded 
in the war between Russia and Ukraine.

  https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/ukraine-war-estimated-casualties-1.6940723

--The US is busy encircling China militarily, first brokering a mutual 
defense pact between Australia and Japan...

https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/International-relations/Indo-Pacific/U.S.-cements-game-changing-defense-ties-with-Australia-Japan
https://archive.li/fvjPj

...and then between Japan and South Korea, during a meeting at Camp David.

  https://www.reuters.com/world/us-south-korea-japan-agree-crisis-consultations-camp-david-summit-2023-08-18/

--Speaking of Japan, our very strange selection of Secretary of 
State Anthony Blinken has given the green light for Japan to release
radioactive Fukushima water into the ocean. (I say strange but really the 
nation's top diplomat historically pushes war and other harmful policies.)

  https://www.reuters.com/world/blinken-says-us-satisfied-with-japans-plans-release-water-fukushima-2023-08-15/

--You were wondering about the "parsing" comment in the subject line. This 
is almost word for word the headline on the next article: 
Israel says missile-killer sale to Germany approved by U.S.
So let's work on that. Israel, a state created following Germany's efforts 
to eradicate Jewish people, is giving Germany weapons called 
"missile-killers" but had to get approval from the US to do so. What???

  https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/israel-says-arrow-3-missile-killer-sale-to-germany-approved-by-u-s-/articleshow/102792976.cms?from=mdr

--For all its continued talk about promoting democracy, the US is showing 
its true colors by wanting to maintain its military presence in Niger 
despite the military coup. It's not about politics, it's all about 
"location, location, location." Oh and global hegemony.

  https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/17/politics/niger-biden-administration-us-forces/index.html

--This week, Afghanistan marked two years since the US left. I noted that 
we've only heard of one "over the horizon" use of military force since 
then (the drone strike killing an "Al Qaeda leader" last summer). This 
article raises the issue of Afghanistan's $7 billion held by the US.

  https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/8/15/taliban-marks-two-years-since-return-to-power-in-afghanistan

--In a double surprise article, I found out that Caroline Kennedy is now 
the US Ambassador to Australia, AND that she hinted that they may arrange 
a plea deal for Julian Assange so he doesn't have to be extradited to the 
US and tried. (And possibly given the death penalty.)

  https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/there-s-a-way-to-resolve-it-caroline-kennedy-flags-assange-plea-deal-20230811-p5dvwd.html

--Speaking of US diplomats, the US envoy to Iran, who was brokering the 
quiet deal which was essentially a back door to reviving the nuclear 
agreement that Trump trashed, was ousted with help from far right in Iran 
and the US.

  https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/iran-us-nuclear-deal-opponents-conspired-oust-robert-malley

In local news, two items:

...on Wednesday, City Council will hear a report from the Independent 
Monitor LLC regarding the excessive force used by police in the 2020 
protests. It's not a perfect report but does acknowledge the community's 
pain and suffering, calls for the end of chemical weapons use and limiting 
some projectile weapons, but also encourages the cops to record protests 
(which violates Oregon law).

  https://www.portland.gov/council/documents/report/independent-monitor-llc-report-council-2020-critical-assessment-under-doj

(Incidentally there's supposed to be a 6 PM town hall on this report too 
but I can't find information about it.)

...also, a grand jury ruled that there was no criminal wrongdoing when 
police killed Immanueal Clark-Johnson last November. No details of the 
incident were released, nor any reason the grand jury took NINE MONTHS to 
come to the same conclusion they always do.

  https://www.oregonlive.com/crime/2023/08/grand-jury-clears-portland-officer-in-deadly-november-shooting.html

Along the march route, I angrily noted that Israel raided another refugee 
camp in the West Bank this week, blew up a building, hit at least 
80 people with tear gas, and caused multiple civilian injuries. But they 
keep getting US financial support!

  https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/8/16/eighty-people-injured-one-seriously-as-israeli-forces-raid-nablus

As we headed back to the square, I updated the estimate I gave a few weeks 
ago: The US has so far authorized $113 BILLION for Ukraine since the war 
started, with a new request for $24 billion pending. A new package of 
weapons worth $200 million is in part drawn from the re-calculation of how 
much previous weapons were worth. If only they'd learn to stretch dollars 
this way for health care, education, housing and the environment!

  https://news.antiwar.com/2023/08/14/new-us-arms-package-uses-money-made-available-by-accounting-error/

The Ann Huntwork Peace Memorial Sign went out in front of the Gucci 
store on SW 4th, the new "normal." Those Trimet people I keep seeing 
wandered by the rally and I asked if they knew any reason this would 
happen. They are contracted security guards and said they couldn't say. 
Nor did they offer me a number when I said I'd previously talked to an 
engineer at Trimet about this back in 2020. Harumph.

We're down at SW Yamhill and Broadway every Friday at 5 PM if you want to 
join us. We're still encouraging masking and distancing; Science Friday on 
NPR did a long story yesterday morning about the continued concerns on 
COVID.

https://www.sciencefriday.com/episodes/august-18-2023/

Be careful out there!

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