[pjw] REPORT BACK: so many wars: Friday rally #221 since stay-at-home orders

[Peace and Justice Works]

Iraq Affinity Group supporters

Last night at the Friday Rally for Peace and Justice there were 10 of us 
who rallied, one who left partway through the march. It was "only" 82 
degrees downtown though it was supposed to be much hotter. I think I've 
mentioned before that the rally and 95% of the march happens in the shade 
which helps too.

We had a lot of honking horns, particularly along the march, and receptive 
pedestrians. In fact, we gave out another 50 flyers for the June 25 Noor 
Ghazi livestream event (which I did remember to announce) and a few other 
pieces of lit as well.

Remember to let people know about the June 25 event:

  https://pjw.info/n_ghazi_livestream062524.html

I also announced today's 1:30 PM Rose Festival Fleet protest at SW Couch 
and Naito Pkwy, but many of you probably won't read this reminder before 
that begins...

Here is some of what we talked about this week:

--In celebrating 80 years since D-Day, Biden and the other allies who won 
the war against Nazi Germany seem to have forgotten that Russia was among 
their allies, and paid the heavy price of over 20 million dead. Instead 
they used their talks to foster anti-Russia sentiment.

  https://news.antiwar.com/2024/06/06/in-d-day-speech-biden-celebrates-deaths-of-russian-soldiers-in-ukraine/

--In Israel, the US-Backed IDF bombed a United Nations school, killing 40 
people. And we have the receipts to prove it: CNN reports US-made bombs 
were used.

  https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/06/middleeast/israel-airstrike-un-school-gaza-intl-hnk/index.html

---Israel, not content to be the only party in the war on Gaza that has 
fighter airplanes, is going to buy 25 questionably reliable and very 
expensive F-35 jets. Where'd they get that $3 billion to give to US 
weapons makers? Oh yeah, from our tax money.

  https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/israel-inks-deal-to-buy-25-more-f-35-fighter-jets-for-3-billion/

---The ceasefire deal being pushed by President Biden doesn't promise to 
make the end of hostilities permanent, so the Israelis are worried they 
won't be able to start up again and the Palestinians are worried they 
will.

  https://www.axios.com/2024/06/03/gaza-hostage-ceasefire-deal-netanyahu

---Tying together our group's main focus on Iraq with this ongoing war, 
dozens of wounded Palestinians are being treated in Iraqi hospitals. This 
article notes how the people report being subjected to war crimes. Iraq

  https://www.newarab.com/news/gazas-wounded-find-refuge-iraq-recount-israeli-war-crimes

--On its other fronts, Israel killed another Iranian military advisor in 
Syria with an airstrike...

  https://www.barrons.com/news/12-pro-regime-fighters-killed-in-israeli-strike-near-syria-s-aleppo-ngo-fb4d636b

--...and used drone to kill two people in Lebanon.

  https://www.arabnews.com/node/2522881/middle-east

--Meanwhile, days after being given the go-ahead, Ukraine used US weapons 
to bomb Russia. World War III.... we're soaking in it. (Still, I would 
say the post 9/11 wars have never ended and this is just spiraling them.)

  https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-weapons-biden-kharkiv-c46c3ca0f0f4893c8c3b0ef53e974438

--The US directly bombed Somalia this week, killing at least three people.

  https://news.antiwar.com/2024/06/02/us-launches-airstrike-in-somalia-says-three-isis-fighters-killed/

--OK, that's enough war news. Unless the International Atomic Energy 
Agency's call for Iran to cooperate with their inspections is another 
precursor to war like that same demand in Iraq in 2002/03... For Iran's 
part, they're like, "where is the sanctions relief we were promised?"

  https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cyrrp1xg3j5o

--I swear I am not making this story up. South Korea has suspended its 
military agreement with the North because North Korea sent a series of 
balloons over the border carrying garbage.

  https://www.thedefensepost.com/2024/06/03/seoul-suspends-korean-military-deal/

In local news, I forgot last week to report that the Portland Police shot 
their THIRD PERSON in 2024, 44 year old Patrick Myers, wounding him. This 
was the first time since November 2022 they did not kill a suspect even 
though this was the eighth shooting since that time.

  https://www.oregonlive.com/crime/2024/06/portland-man-shot-by-police-officers-indicted-for-attempted-murder.html

Along the route I talked about this article in the Associated Press that 
found extremists in the West Bank were not curbing their violent behavior 
against the Palestinians (who are the ones who are SUPPOSED to live 
there), instead it's emboldened them as supporters raise private funds.

  https://apnews.com/article/us-sanctions-israeli-settlers-west-bank-palestinians-501e6bad17911341eda242372f621eda

Near the end of the march I updated folks about the House military 
budget-- previously I noted a panel was trying to force the Navy to build 
two submarines when they only wanted one. Well, the second one was 
scrapped, but the bill now includes a provision forcing the President to 
deliver aid to Israel. Probably won't pass the Senate, but, also probably 
won't have its funds redirected for human needs.

  https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/us-house-defense-spending-bill-tightens-grip-on-israel-arms-transfers-halts-ukraine-aid/ar-BB1nKoTt
  https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/house-defense-spending-bill-nixes-funding-for-second-virginia-sub/ar-BB1nD3Ix

For those of you playing Ann Huntwork Peace Memorial Sign bingo, the sign 
lost power again across from the Apple Store right in that spot where a 
metal mystery box used to stand. Eerie. I added "Warships are not family 
fun" to the scroll since the ships are downtown already.

Remember to join the rally sometime on a Friday at 5 PM if you can. Also 
remember to be careful out there, one of our casual attendees has been out 
a few weeks with COVID, so our masking and distancing is still strongly 
recommended...

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