[pjw] REPORT BACK: veto power: Friday rally #195 since stay-at-home orders

[Peace and Justice Works]

Hello again people working for peace

Although we had a break from the "atmospheric rivers" of rain last night 
at the Friday Rally for Peace and Justice, we had just five people in 
attendance. Though subdued again like last week, we did get honks and 
words of support which is always uplifting.

We had the flyers for the Guantanamo event on January 12, and I think 
we handed out... maybe one or two? I neglected to do my homework and just 
realized that Jan. 12 will be the 200th Friday Rally coordinated by the 
Iraq Affinity Group. How about that?

  https://pjw.info/guantanamo22yl.html

OK, so what did we talk about this week. Here's a sampling.

--On Friday, the US vetoed a UN Security Council resolution calling for a 
ceasefire in Gaza. The vote was 13-1 with Britain abstaining. Remind me 
again why the countries who won WWII get to veto things?

  https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-un-resolution-ceasefire-humanitarian-6d3bfd31d6c25168e828274d96b85cf8

---Israel's finally told people in Gaza where they can go that's a "safe 
zone," it's a small strip that's only 2.5 square miles, which this article 
says is smaller than London's Heathrow airport. And how exactly to 1.8 
million people fit there?

  https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/12/6/how-israel-is-squeezing-1-8-million-palestinians-into-an-airport-sized-area

---With missiles being fired by Yemen from time to time over the last 
month or more, the US has warned Israel not to retaliate. But this hint 
was that Americans will deal with the issue. Oh, great.

  https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-said-to-tell-israel-it-will-handle-houthi-attacks-but-is-eschewing-strikes-for-now

---In his first step up on the issue, Senator Bernie Sanders voted against 
the $111 Billion aid packet for Israel/Ukraine/Taiwan because he doesn't 
think the US should keep funding the right wing government of Israel

  https://news.antiwar.com/2023/12/06/senate-republicans-block-111-billion-military-aid-bill-over-border-dispute/

Meanwhile in similar US warmongering news...

--The Senate rejected Rand Paul's proposal to withdraw troops from Syria 
on a 13-84 vote. Why, why, why. End all the occupations!!!

  https://news.antiwar.com/2023/12/07/senate-votes-down-resolution-to-withdraw-troops-from-syria/

---Bonus, the antiwar.com article leads to the vote count showing that 
Wyden and Merkley were among the 13 who votes yes. Yay Oregon (and 
Vermont, and Massachusetts, where both Senators also voted yes)!!! 
Where's everyone else???

  https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1181/vote_118_1_00333.htm

--In a dispute between Venezuela and Guyana, the US decided to stay out of 
it... oh, no wait, the dispute is about access to oil so they're sending 
military flights over Guyana to help increase the likelihood of a shooting 
war.

  https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/us-conduct-flight-operations-guyana-concerns-mount-over-border-spat-2023-12-07/

--And now that Sweden is about to be able to join NATO they have given 
permission to the US to access all their military bases. Rightfully so, 
Russia feels this is a threat to their safety.

  https://www.foxnews.com/world/sweden-signs-defense-pact-granting-us-access-all-scandinavian-military-bases

--There have now been 76 attacks on US bases in Iraq and Syria since 10/7 
(that number was 23 at the beginning of November). Let's say it together: 
"WHY DOES THE US HAVE MILITARY BASES IN IRAQ AND SYRIA?"

  https://www.newarab.com/news/76-attacks-us-forces-syria-and-iraq-pentagon

--Again for those people who ask me when I carry an "IRAQ: US OUT" sign 
(which I've traded since October for the "War is Terrorism with a Bigger 
Budget" sign), the US conducted an airstrike killing six people in Iraq 
this week.

  https://www.timesofisrael.com/iraqi-source-five-pro-iran-fighters-killed-in-suspected-us-strike/

--This is kind of a funny story because you know they'll never get it, but 
Iran is demanding $50 billion from the US in damages for killing General 
Soleimani in 2020.

  https://www.newarab.com/news/iran-orders-us-pay-50-bn-soleimani-assassination

--I deliberately saved this story until just before talking about local 
police: An off-duty Israeli soldier killed a person firing a weapon... who 
turned out to be a fellow Israeli who was shooting at Palestinians. The 
government's response? "We have to shoot to kill."

  https://www.newarab.com/news/israel-forces-must-shoot-kill-minister-says-amid-uproar

So, in a related story, the Portland Police have now shot and killed a 
third person this year. On Wednesday they were investigating allegations 
that someone was stealing electricity from a business out near the 
airport. They ended up killing 27 year old Isaac Seavey. The name of the 
officer is expected to be released.... on December 21.

  https://www.portlandmercury.com/news/2023/12/06/46918487/update-isaac-seavey-27-was-victim-in-fatal-police-shooting-in-northeast-portland

As we marched along the route, I added to the Israel/Palestine info: 266 
people have now been killed by nearly daily raids in the West Bank. That's 
well more than the 206 killed from January to September. Also, there have 
been 308 settler attacks on Palestinians since October 7.

  https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/12/7/israel-intensifies-daily-raids-on-occupied-west-bank

And nearing the Square for our wrap-up, I noted that Congress is ready to 
reconcile the now-$874 B military budget for this year. The military wants 
to dump the F-22 fighter jets because they will cost billions to fix for 
their purposes. Congress is forcing the project to continue. Instead of, I 
don't know, paying for housing, healthcare and education.

  https://www.defenseone.com/policy/2023/12/congress-saving-f-22s-boneyard-once-again/392565/?oref=d1-homepage-top-story


And once again the Ann Huntwork Peace Memorial Sign turned off right as we 
got near the Gucci Store. I have decided to only use the desk lamp while 
we're stationed at the Square because the goose neck twists around in 
transport.

Anyway, hoping you can join us sometime on a Friday night at 5 PM (though 
as noted, the Jan 12 event will start at 4:30). We still ask folks to mask 
up-- the CDC reports 1000 COVID deaths a week and 15,000 hospitalizations, 
way up from 500 a week earlier this year...

  https://news.yahoo.com/spike-covid-cases-1-000-140458034.html

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