[pjw] REPORT BACK: Violence at home and abroad: Friday rally #149 since stay-at-home orders

[Peace and Justice Works]

Supporters of peaceful conflict resolution

Last night eight of us gathered, rallied and marched at the Friday Rally 
for Peace and Justice, along with a ninth person who admired our "Police 
Accountability" sign, read parts of the Copwatch newsletter, discussed 
the idea of police de-escalation, held a sign for about 5 minutes, then 
moved on. It felt as if, for the second week in a row, we had more support 
from passers-by than people in cars, though we did get one semi-detractor 
who asked why our signs say "no war on Russia" instead of "no war on 
Ukraine." More about this worsening global conflict below. No rain to 
speak of, and the protests about Tyre Nichols in Portland didn't start 
until 7 PM so we weren't able to overlap with them (again, more below).

This week, here are some of the headlines we talked about:

--The US, United Kingdom, Germany, Poland, Finland, Norway, and Spain are 
planning to send tanks (not light armored vehicles) to Ukraine. The US is 
sending 31, with the UK, Germany and Poland pledging 14 each. That's 73 
tanks. Perhaps they want to be sure this war keeps going, and killing.

  https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/1/25/which-countries-are-supplying-tanks-to-ukraine

--Two stories about US military violence in Somalia:

---A US helicopter raid led to the targeted killing of an "ISIS leader," 
who, like a regenerating lizard limb was like all the others "the worst of 
the worst" allegedly.

  https://archive.is/QhRwk
  https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/26/us/politics/isis-leader-us-somalia-raid.html

---Also, 30 people were killed by a US airstrike four days earlier.

  https://news.antiwar.com/2023/01/22/us-military-says-30-al-shabaab-killed-in-somalia-airstrike/

--Reminding us that drone strikes go both ways, there was another attack 
on a US base in Syria. The article doesn't indicate any injuries or 
deaths. But it also doesn't address WHY THE US HAS ANY LEGAL RIGHT 
TO HAVE MILITARY BASES IN SYRIA.

  https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/1/20/drone-attack-hits-us-led-coalition-base-in-southern-syria

--Secretary of State Blinken affirmed what it would seem the US would be 
hard pressed to admit, which is that there has not been a surge in
"terrorism" in Afghanistan since the withdrawal. But he (felt he had to) 
add that the US can always fly in and kill someone if need be.

  https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-181697

--France signed a cooperative agreement with Iraq including ways to 
enhance their national oil company's presence ("Total"). The article 
indicates that Exxon/Mobil, Shell and BP are reducing their presence in 
Iraq, which is surprising.

  https://english.alarabiya.net/News/middle-east/2023/01/27/France-and-Iraq-sign-comprehensive-strategic-partnership-agreement

In local news, Portland Police are asking for input into their new 5-year 
Equity plan. While it seems, as usual, more words than action, thy do 
include the important words that they don't want to be an "occupying 
force" and that they want to "deal with" misconduct. ("Deal with"?) 
They're taking comments until Feb. 19

  https://www.portland.gov/police/news/2023/1/26/portland-police-bureau-creating-new-racial-equity-plan

It also was important to make the connection between government violence 
to enforce state power abroad with the shocking police brutality in 
Memphis. The amazing things about the death of Tyre Nichols are (a) that 
five officers were all fired and indicted, and (b) all five are Black. To 
this point, I heard a minister from Memphis say that the issue in policing 
isn't race, but it's the culture of police brutality that is the problem.

  https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2023/01/27/christian-reverend-tyre-nichols

Along the march route, I tried to summarize the week in violence in 
Israel, where Israeli forces raided a West Bank refugee area and killed 
nine people, the rockets were fired from Gaza, followed by Israeli 
airstrikes. Speaking of people who need to learn de-escalation.

  https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-air-strikes-gaza-rockets-deadly-jenin-raid

As we headed back toward SW Yamhill and 6th to wrap up, I noted that I 
rarely talk about Republicans making sense on the military budget. But 
Senator Rand Paul called this week to cut $100 Billion from "sacred cow" 
military expenses to balance the federal budget in four years. However, he 
did not say that more money should be diverted from that budget to get 
people jobs, homes, health care and a safe environment. Still.

  https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/rand-paul-gop-should-give-up-sacred-cow-and-trim-military-spending/ar-AA16Kdxz

This week the Ann Huntwork Peace Memorial Sign went out along the block by 
the Gucci store on 4th Ave. Admittedly the battery generator was down to 
about 50% so, it may have been that issue? But probably the gremlins.

I reminded everyone that on March 17 we'll have our special event about 
"After 20 Years, the US is Still in Iraq." I'm told some allies in the 
movement said "you could do an anniversary all the time because the US has 
so many wars." That is true, but as the Iraq Affinity Group-- and as the 
war on Iraq continues in the form of occupation-- we continue our efforts.

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