[pjw] EVENT: US Bombs and Troops Still in Syria, Nine Years Later... After 22 Years, USA Mostly Gone from Afghanistan Fri 9/29/23 5:00 PM

[Peace and Justice Works]

Hello PJW supporters
As mentioned in Saturday's report-back and yesterday's meeting 
announcement, we've set aside Friday Sept. 29's weekly rally to mark 9 
years in Syria and 22 years since the Afghan invasion.

Below is the current calendar listing. At the meeting on Tuesday we're 
going to discuss how to address the fact that after we had this date 
locked in, national groups have called for a week of action for peace in 
Ukraine from Sept 30 to Oct 7. It may be that we will make the theme of 
the October 6 rally to be about Ukraine. (Ironic, since that's the actual 
anniversary of the invasion of Afghanistan.)


ANYHOO here's the full announcement for the Sept 29 event. The flyer's 
online at
https://pjw.info/afghan22yl_flyer.pdf
and this announcement can be found at
https://pjw.info/afghanistan22yl.html
where any updates including groups who want to be listed as endorsers will 
be added in the coming weeks.

Please share it out!
dan handelman
peace and justice works iraq affinity group

-------------

Peace and Justice Works
    Iraq Affinity Group
    PO Box 42456
    Portland, OR   97242
    (503) 236-3065  (Office)
    iraq at pjw.info
    http://www.pjw.info/Iraq.html


                      U.S. Bombs and Troops Still in Syria,
                               Nine Years Later...
                After 22 Years, USA Mostly Gone from Afghanistan
                     Friday, September 29, 2023 5:00 - 6 PM
               at the Weekly Friday Rally for Peace and Justice
               Pioneer Courthouse Square, SW Yamhill and Broadway
                  please mask up and stay distanced for safety

     This special Friday Rally for Peace and Justice marks two painful
     anniversaries. On September 23, 2014, the US began bombing Syria
     ostensibly to fight the Islamic State (ISIS). This date was very close
     to the anniversary of when the US invaded Afghanistan following 9/11,
     on October 7, 2001. The event is titled "U.S. Bombs and Troops Still in
     Syria, Nine Years Later... After 22 Years, USA Mostly Gone from
     Afghanistan" and begins at 5 PM at Pioneer Courthouse Square at the
     corner of SW Yamhill and Broadway.

     While there are no US troops in Afghanistan any more, America keeps an
     "over-the-horizon" presence, claiming the right to interfere militarily
     at its discretion. In Syria, roughly 1000 US troops are stationed in at
     least 24 military sites,*-1 in a country that did not invite American
     presence. The US exercised its self-proclaimed right to bomb
     Afghanistan in July, 2021, when a drone used a missile armed with
     knives to kill an alleged Al Qaeda leader in Kabul. America also
     continues to hold about $7 billion of Afghan assets in its banks and
     refuses to turn it over, despite widespread hunger and poverty racking
     the nation's people.*-2

     By continuing its presence in Syria without Congressional or UN
     Authorization, the US is engaged in illegal warfare, frequently coming
     into near-conflict situations with Russian aircraft who patrol Syria's
     skies at the government's request. Syria has objected to the US
     presence but the United Nations takes no action against the 800-pound
     gorilla that also launched a war in Iraq based on fraudulent evidence,
     and continues to conduct airstrikes in Somalia and Yemen. In addition,
     response to the massive earthquake that hit Syria early in 2023 was
     delayed due to US sanctions.*-3

     The Friday Rally for Peace and Justice began on a weekly basis shortly
     after the invasion of Afghanistan. Portland Peaceful Response Coalition
     began to gather at Pioneer Courthouse Square at 5 PM every Friday and
     hosted until March, 2020 when the COVID pandemic hit. PJW's Iraq
     Affinity Group has hosted since that time.

     The event is coordinated by Peace and Justice Works Iraq Affinity
     Group. For more information, or if your group would like to cosponsor
     or endorse this event, contact Peace and Justice Works at 503-236-3065
     or iraq at pjw.info.

    *1-https://www.newarab.com/news/global-anti-coalition-building-new-base-northern-syria

    *2-https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/afghanistan-two-years-taliban-takeover-humanitarian-crises-economy-womens-rights/

    *3-https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/un-earthquake-rescue-system-blocked-syria-iran-us-sanctions