[pjw] REPORT BACK: fuel to Mideast fire: Friday rally #241 since stay-at-home orders

[Peace and Justice Works]

Iraq Affinity Group supporters

Right as we were getting set up in Pioneer Courthouse Square last night, 
news broke that Israel had begun striking military targets in Iran. One of 
our Friday regulars let us know since we're all pretty much not hooked 
into technology once we're downtown. This morning's news tells me Iran is 
saying the attacks violated international law (probably true) and that the 
damage was relatively minimal. Once I heard the news I swapped out one of 
my two signs for a "No War on Iran" sign.

So... there were nine of us at the Friday Rally for Peace and Justice, all 
of whom went on the march last night. Portland topped out at 66 degrees, 
pretty warm for an October evening, and there wasn't any rain. We had a 
few people say unintelligible things as they walked by, they seemed to 
oppose our messages but who knows. On the other hand, at least two people 
(both, I'd guess, under the age of 30) took fact sheets from the wagon on 
their own initiative. One person said they'd stopped by previously and 
asked about meetings (which are usually, including coming up in November, 
on the second Monday of each month). There were lots of honking horns 
(buoyed I'm sure by the person who brings a sign that says "honk for 
peace") and other signs of support.

OK, other than the news about Israel/Iran, here is some other information 
we shared:

--Secretary of Arm-Twisting Antony Blinken went to Israel, agreed they had 
to stop Iran, and expressed "shock" at the drone strike by Hezbollah on 
Netanyahu's home (which hit when nobody was there). Now, the US is about 
the world's #1 assassin for taking out people they disagree with using 
violence, with Israel perhaps a close second. Moreover the US created the 
first armed drones and normalized their use. So, what's the equivalent of 
crocodile tears when people pretend to be horrified by something?

  https://news.antiwar.com/2024/10/22/netanyahu-and-blinken-discuss-uniting-against-iran/#gsc.tab=0

---As if to prove that point about normalizing drone warfare, Israel 
killed 12 people in Gaza who were waiting in line to receive aid.

  https://www.barrons.com/news/gaza-rescuers-say-israel-strikes-kill-12-palestinians-waiting-for-aid-21d1f8e0

---In Lebanon this week, Israel killed dozens of people; a couple of days 
ago they conducted an airstrike on a house and killed 19.

  https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cdxy621qn4eo

---...also, though the Israeli government / military tried to tell people 
to evacuate from where they are bombing in Lebanon, they killed three 
soldiers who were trying to evacuate wounded people.

  https://www.newarab.com/news/three-lebanese-soldiers-killed-israeli-strike-south

---While in Syria, Israel conducted an airstrike in Damascus, killing one 
soldier and wounding at least 7 other people.

  https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/10/24/israel-strikes-syrian-capital-damascus-military-site-near-homs

--In other high-conflict areas and more drone warfare news... the US 
earmarked $800 million for Ukraine to allow them to build their own long 
range drones. So instead of Russia being able to complain that Ukraine's 
using American weapons now they're home-made but still bought by your tax 
dollars. Is there a big difference?

  https://archive.ph/6Brzg
  https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/22/world/europe/us-ukraine-aid-long-range-drones.html

--Meanwhile, after Germany's little military cruise a little 
while back, this week Canada joined the US in aggressively sailing through 
the Taiwan Strait to keep tensions high with China.

  https://news.antiwar.com/2024/10/21/us-canadian-warships-sail-through-the-taiwan-strait/#gsc.tab=0

--Oh, and you may remember that since the US left fghanistan and the 
Taliban took over THREE YEARS AGO, America has been holding $7 billion of 
Afghan money in its banks. Well, the UN says that there are 3.2 million 
children who are malnourished. Let's do some math about how much each 
child could get if the US released that money. (It's $2187.50 if you were 
wondering.)

  https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-191303

--Hey, remember how both our President and Vice President said there are 
not any US military in active war zones? They need to explain why another 
two US soldiers were wounded in Iraq conducting a raid on the Islamic 
State alongside the Iraqi military. Also, just wondering whether either of 
them was a National Guard member from Oregon?

  https://news.antiwar.com/2024/10/23/two-us-troops-injured-during-raid-against-isis-in-iraq/#gsc.tab=0

In local news, I don't blame you if you've lost track of all the Portland 
Police shootings since there were three since late August. But back on May 
6, they shot and killed a Richard Perez. Grand Jury transcripts were just 
released showing the officers fired THIRTY-FOUR TIMES at Perez. Their 
training is supposedly to shoot, assess if there's still a threat, then 
shoot again if they feel it's justified. Seems like the literal definition 
of overkill.

  https://www.oregonlive.com/crime/2024/10/ive-never-felt-that-level-of-fear-portland-police-officers-traded-at-least-40-bullets-with-armed-robbery-suspect.html

Along the march route I turned the attention on Israel/Palestine to the 
West Bank, were the US-backed Israeli Defense Forces, according to the UN, 
killed at least 165 children since the October 7 incident triggering the 
latest slaughter. One of the regulars suggested maybe the US should ask 
them to kill only a few kids a month instead of an average of 14.

  https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/10/24/israeli-military-killed-165-children-in-occupied-west-bank-in-past-year-un

The outgoing US General in charge of the Asia-Pacific region said we can't 
"afford" to see China, Russia and North Korea team up and start a war 
there. Not sure if he was saying the military doesn't have enough money, 
person-power or focus, but the article says such a war would cost $10 
trillion. Why not spend that on housing, health care and education? Oh 
yeah there's more money in making bombs.

  https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/the-us-can-ill-afford-another-war-now-its-rivals-are-teaming-up-so-well-us-general-says/ar-AA1sEwEy

The Ann Huntwork Peace Memorial Sign was still running when I got to the 
Apple Store on my way to the rally. So I "checked my backpack" for a while 
and noticed at least one person reading the sign inside the store. Later 
when the whole march went by (across the street) several of us witnessed 
it turn off in the "mystery spot" where two off-colored sidewalk tiles are 
receiving messages from outer space or soemthing.

If the ongoing warfare motivates you to share pro-peace messages with our 
neighbors, come on down some Friday at 5 PM to SW Yamhill and Broadway. 
Hope to see you there.

Oh, and I should note that the Alliance for Democracy Saturday 
sign-holding event has been called off for the rest of the year (mostly 
weather related).

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