[pjw] EVENT REMINDER: "Remembering the Relentless Bombing of Iraq Since 2003" Fri 3/22/24 5 PM

[Peace and Justice Works]

Hi again Iraq Affinity Group supporters

Tomorrow (Fri 3/22) is our special event marking 21 years since the US 
invasion of Iraq. I guess I should have sent this reminder two days ago on 
the actual anniversary.

As an experiment I typed in "Iraq invasion 21 years later" into a search 
engine and... everything that popped up was about the 20th year last year. 
Huh, how soon people forget. (I realize 21 years is a long time, but we 
still have holidays marking 1776, George Washington/Abraham Lincoln's 
birthdays, etc.)

We will have a new fact sheet that will be handed out tomorrow and posted 
either before or after the rally, and if all goes well a special new item 
to alert people to our message.

As a reminder, the event page is at
    https://www.pjw.info/iraq21yl.html

and a flyer can be found at

  https://www.pjw.info/iraq_21yl_flyer.pdf

Hope to see some of you Friday!

dan handelman
peace and justice works iraq affinity group

                        Remembering the Relentless Bombing
                                of Iraq Since 2003
                          Friday, March 22, 2024 5:00 PM
                     Weekly Friday Rally for Peace and Justice
                                  Please mask up
                           and stay distanced for safety
                            Pioneer Courthouse Square,
                              SW Yamhill and Broadway

      On March 19, 2003, the US launched a massive invasion and occupation of
      Iraq, based on George W. Bush's false assertions of weapons of mass
      destruction (WMDs) and leading to mass devastation from a "shock and
      awe" bombing campaign. In 2011, President Barack Obama withdrew most of
      the troops. In 2014, Obama sent more US military back into Iraq to
      engage in warfare against the Islamic State. In 2017, President Donald
      Trump stepped up the bombing, destroying most of the Iraqi city of
      Mosul. In 2020, Trump ordered the assassination in Iraq of Iranian
      General Qasem Soleimani, leading to a vote by the Iraqi Parliament to
      eject all US troops. In December 2021, President Joe Biden decided to
      leave 2500 American military personnel in Iraq, where they remain to
      this day. As of late January, US forces in Iraq have been the target of
      attacks over 55 times (and the 900 troops in Syria over 85 times)
      largely due to American support for Israel's bombardment of Gaza in
      October. The US has conducted what it says are defensive retaliatory
      strikes, which Iraq sees as a violation of its sovereignty.
      On February 2, 2024, the US launched 85 airstrikes in Iraq and
      Syria in retaliation for attacks on American troops in Jordan.

      The world seems to respond differently to Russia's invasion of Ukraine
      and Hamas' attack on Israel when compared to Israel's disproportionate
      response and the US invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan or countless
      other military and economic acts of warfare. Some say the US' disregard
      for international law has opened the proverbial floodgates.

      Iraqis have been subject to US interference by war, sanctions and
      occupation since August, 1990. Iraq's infrastructure has never fully
      recovered from the the 1991 "Gulf War," the 2003 invasion and other
      American-led actions. Even if the US removes its troops, as is being
      considered, their influence-- and the world's largest embassy-- will
      remain in Baghdad. Join us to remember the past, call attention to the
      present and call for a better future.

      Coordinated by Peace and Justice Works Iraq Affinity Group as part of
      the weekly Friday Rally for Peace and Justice, held since Nov. 2001.

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