Sir! No Sir! Exposing and Debunking Military Lies from Vietnam to Iraq

Upcoming Events - Southwest Winter Soldier this Saturday in Pasadena

Pasadena City College, Building R room 122
1570 E. Colorado Blvd in Pasadena
All are welcome to attend this forum for veterans, military families, and experts to share their views and experiences concerning the military. We will address the Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. We will also have a question and answer session.
Panels include:

• Boots on the Ground-Marine Infantry (Iraq Veterans Against the War)
• History's Relevance-Vietnam Veterans Against the War
• A Daily Sacrifice-Military Families Speak Out
• The Ultimate Sacrifice-Gold Star Families
• Military Combat Strategy-Why the U.S. can't win an occupation

Guests should park in the designated student lot and follow the signs to building R room 122. Make sure to pay the $2 fee for parking and display it on your dashboard to avoid college citations. Please be prepared to register by showing identification and association to an organization (if any) the day of the event. All attendees should have proper registration to be allowed in by security personnel.
This is a peaceful and informative gathering. Attendees agree to abide to a strict Code of Conduct by registering and by presence. Violence, slander, or any other disruptive activity will not be tolerated and attendees displaying such behavior will be asked to leave.
Dinner and snacks will be provided and donations are highly encouraged and appreciated.
The event will also include informational resources from:

• Military Families Speak Out
• Vietnam Veterans Against the War
• Veterans for Peace
• Orange County Recruitment Awareness Project
• Addicted to War
• Peace Action West
• SoCal Oath Keepers

For more information or to volunteer to help out at the event, please email Wendy Barranco at [email protected]. Members of the media contact should contact Pat Alviso at [email protected].

Winter Soldiers at the University of California (Irvine), February 26, 2009

The Worker Student Alliance at the University of California, Irvine hosted a week long event entitled, "Gears of War." On Thursday, February 26th, 2009. They hosted an event where Iraqi war veterans discussed the war overseas through their eyes. This discussion is filled with stories and experiences from the soldiers who saw it all.
Special Thanks goes out to the Worker Student Alliance for these videos.

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Upcoming Events - March on the Pentagon, Saturday March 21 2009

This announcement was originally published by the ANSWER Coalition

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The ANSWER Coalition is joining with other coalitions, organizations, and networks in a March 21 National Coalition to bring people from all walks of life and from all cities across the United States to take part in a March on the Pentagon on the sixth anniversary of the Iraq war: Saturday, March 21.
Iraq The Iraqi journalist Muntather Al-Zaidi spoke for millions of Iraqis and outraged people everywhere when he threw his shoes at George Bush during Bush's publicity stunt "victory lap” in Baghdad yesterday. As he threw his shoes, Muntather said, “This is a gift from the Iraqis; this is the farewell kiss, you dog! This is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq!”
Tragically, the criminal occupation of Iraq will not be over even by the sixth anniversary of the start of the war in March 2009. People around the world will be marching together on the sixth anniversary in the strongest possible solidarity with the people of Iraq demanding an end to the occupation of their country.
Marking the sixth anniversary of the criminal invasion of Iraq, on March 21, 2009, thousands will March on the Pentagon to say, “Bring the Troops Home NOW!” We will also demand “End Colonial Occupation in Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine and Everywhere” and “Fund Peoples’ Needs Not Militarism and Bank Bailouts.” We will insist on an end to the war threats and economic sanctions against Iran. We will say no to the illegal U.S. program of detention and torture.
To endorse the March 21 March on the Pentagon, click here.
To sign up to be a Transportation Organizing Center, click here.
While millions of families are losing their homes, jobs and healthcare, the real military budget next year will top one trillion dollars--that's $1,000,000,000,000. If used to meet people’s needs, that amount could create 10 million new jobs at $60,000 per year, provide healthcare for everyone who does not have it now, rebuild New Orleans, and repair much of the damage done in Iraq and Afghanistan. The cost for the occupation of Iraq alone is $400 million each day, or about $12 billion each month.
The war in Iraq has killed, wounded or displaced nearly one third of Iraq’s 26 million people. Thousands of U.S. soldiers have been killed, and hundreds of thousands more have suffered severe physical and psychological wounds. The U.S. leaders who have initiated and conducted this criminal war should be tried and jailed for war crimes.
The idea that the U.S. is in the process of ending the criminal occupation of Iraq is a myth. Washington and its dependent Iraqi government signed a “Status of Forces” agreement, supposedly calling for the U.S. military to leave Iraqi cities by July 1, 2009, and all of Iraq by 2012. But even this outrageous extension of an illegal occupation is just one more piece of deception, as was soon made clear by top U.S. and Iraqi officials.
The ink was hardly dry on the agreement when, on December 12, official Iraq government spokesman Ali al Dabbagh dismissed the idea that U.S. troops would leave by 2012: "We do understand that the Iraqi military is not going to get built out in the three years. We do need many more years. It might be 10 years."
The next day, General Raymond Odierno, commander of “coalition (U.S.) forces” in Iraq, stated that thousands of U.S. troops could remain inside Iraqi cities after July 1, 2009, as part of “training and mentoring teams.”

Upcoming Events - Student Assembly Against war and Racism

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Friday, March 20 to Sunday, March 22, 2009, Ryerson Student Centre, 55 Gould Street, Ryerson University, Toronto ON

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Welcome to the Student Assembly Against War and Racism, a pan-Canadian student conference to end the war in Afghanistan. We invite all students and youth from across Canada and Quebec to join us in building a mass student movement against war and racism, and in calling for Canadian troops to come home from Afghanistan.
The assembly will focus on Canada’s war in Afghanistan, where over 2,600 Canadian troops are currently deployed. Thousands more have been cycled through in the largest Canadian combat operation since the Korean War. The assembly will also address a broad range of topics including racism, Islamophobia, civil liberties, counter-recruitment, the militarization of campus, global solidarity, and more.
T he assembly will feature a series of workshops that discuss anti-war issues and build organizing skills. It will also feature high-profile guest speakers, two evening panels, two anti-war socials, open organizing space, and a closing strategizing plenary.
The assembly is co-sponsored by the Canadian Federation of Students–Ontario and the Canadian Peace Alliance.
We hope you can be a part of it!

Upcoming Events - The Shoe Campaign is Launched

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George Bush's first international speech after finishing his presidency will be to the Calgary Rotary Club on March 17th, the sixth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, and the Calgary's activist community would like to give him the welcome he deserves.
There will events throughout the week leading to Bush's visit but for those outside Calgary we wanted to give you a chance to give him his due welcome. To that end the local community in Calgary is asking people from around Canada to send us your old shoes so they can be a symbol to boot Bush Out of Canada! We are hoping people will send shoes in from across the country to show solidarity.
Also, people can include notes or letters with their shoes and we will post them with the wall of shame or attach them to the shoes at the rally for people to see. The sent shoes will be displayed around the perimeter of the “George Bush Go Home Rally” and the conclusion of his trial. We are also going to build a shoe-cannon that will fire shoes at a picture of Bush.
The CUPW, Canadian Union of Postal Workers, Calgary Local has enthusiastically agreed to have their Calgary office as a location where shoes could be sent and stored:

CUPW - Calgary Local 109
5621 11 Street NE
Calgary AB. T2E 6Z7

After the rally, some shoes will be sent to George Bush's best friends and local MP's, Stephen Harper and Jason Kenney. We will donate the remaining ones to an appropriate clothes bank.
For people in the Toronto area please drop your shoes off at the Canadian Peace Alliance office at 427 Bloor St west so we can send a package to Mr Bush. Contact [email protected] for more info.

Upcoming Events - People v Bush in Calgary

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To download a copy of this poster, as a pdf file click here

Upcoming Events - Let Them Stay Week, March 15 - 22

The following actions and activities were originally posted to the Let Them Stay Campaign facebook page

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LET THEM STAY Week
March 15-22, 2009
Welcome War Resisters, Not War Criminals

On the 6th anniversary of the illegal Iraq war, George Bush will be visiting Calgary to give his first speech since leaving office. Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Immigration Minister Jason Kenney both wanted Canada to take part in Bush's war, and have been punishing US soldiers for refusing to participate in it.

While Americans voted Bush out of office, and Canada's Parliament voted to let Iraq war resisters stay, Harper and Kenney continue to defy democracy and support the Iraq war through their policy of deporting US Iraq war resisters. Since last summer, three US Iraq war resisters have been deported by the Harper government. During the week that Bush visits Canada, Canadians will be rallying from coast to coast to demand of Harper and Kenney: "welcome war resisters, not war criminals."

Please check the listings below for events you can participate in.

Leafletting Day: Choose a busy corner in your city and hand out leaflets in support of war resisters to help spread the word and involve more people. You can download a leaflet here. See local events below to find out about leafletting sessions which are planned for your city.

Monday, March 16: Letter-to-the-Editor Day: Send a letter to your local newspaper to support U.S. Iraq war resisters. Some points you can include:

• Canada refused to fight in Iraq and a majority of Canadians support US Iraq war resisters
• on June 3rd Parliament passed a motion to stop deporting war resisters and to let them stay
• Prime Minister Harper and Immigration Minister Kenney need to respect Parliament
• Canada should welcome war resisters, rather than welcoming war criminal George Bush
  

Tuesday, March 17:

1. Bush Visit to Calgary The protest against George Bush will include shoes gathered from across the country. The Canadian Union of Postal Workers has enthusiastically agreed to gather shoes for the protest. They can be sent to CUPW-Calgary Local, 109 - 5621 - 11 St. N.E., Calgary AB, T2E 627.
   

   See full details for the Calgary protest at www.peoplevbush.ca.

2. National Phone-In Day: Phone or email the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration. Tell him that you want him to respect Canadian democracy and the Canadian Parliament by implementing the motion to stop deportation proceedings against U.S. Iraq war resisters and allow them to stay.
   

   Contact info: Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Jason Kenney,
   Call 613.954.1064 (Ministry office)
   613.992.2235 (Parliamentary Office)
   Or email him at: [email protected] or [email protected]
   

   Please cc the opposition party critics if you email Jason Kenney:
   Liberal party immigration critic Maurizio Bevilacqua: [email protected]
   

   NDP immigration critic Olivia Chow: [email protected]
   Bloc Québécois immigration critic Thierry St-Cyr: [email protected]
   

   The Right Hon. Stephen Harper
   

   Phone: (613) 992-4211
   E-mail: mailto:[email protected]

Friday, March 20: Visit or call your local MP
Call or visit your local Member of Parliament's office and tell them you support war resisters. If your MP is a Conservative, tell them you want the government to implement the Parliamentary motion to stop the deportations of war resisters and let them stay in Canada.

If your MP is a member of one of the opposition parties, ask them to reaffirm their support for the motion and speak out publicly at this critical time against the deportations.

Drive the War Pigs out of the Pentagon

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Contact me at [email protected] if you want a copy of the poster

Upcoming Events - Flyers for the March 21 Protest in Los Angeles to Stop the Wars!

Upcoming Events - Partial List of Protests, listed by United for Peace and Justice, to Mark 6th Anniversary of Beginning of the Iraq War

This list of actions was posted to United For Peace and Justice Website

Palo Alto, Califorinia

6:00 PM End the War! Vigil & Leafletting, Lytton Plaza University Ave. & Emerson St. Palo Alto CA 94301

Join us in marking the sixth anniversary of a war that should never have happened. We will hear from a few speakers and then leaflet passersby, urging them to contact the White House and Congress. With our economy in collapse -- and millions of people losing jobs and homes -- we cannot keep wasting billions of dollars -- nor any more young lives -- on two tragic and fruitless wars.

St. Augustine, Florida

6th Anniversary of Iraq War Candlelight Vigil/Thursday, March 19th, 6:30 PM at the gazebo in the center of La Plaza de La Constitucion.
We will circle the inside of the gazebo with the updated wall of names, set up a flag at half mast, play taps and hold a candlelight vigil with the reading of the names of all troops killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Candles will be available.

Boise, Idaho

End the War Rally, 4:30 pm
Gather at Capitol Annex, 514 W Jefferson, and then march to Boise
City Hall, 150 N Capitol Blvd. for a rally.

Watertown, Massachusetts

5:30 pm to 7:30 pm, Watertown Square

LET US NOT FORGET!
We are fighting two wars in which thousands of US soldiers have died or have been wounded and hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians have been killed and wounded.
We are spending BILLIONS on these wars while teachers are not hired, houses are not built, and families go without food, shelter, and healthcare; and as an economic depression brings more and more unemployment, foreclosures, and despair.
Bring candles and signs that reflect your feelings about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, our spending priorities, and our economy.
Sponsored by: Justice with Peace Task Force of Watertown Citizens for Environmental Safety, Newton Dialogues on Peace and War, and Waltham Concerned Citizens. If you have questions, please call 617-926-8560, mailbox 2.

Fort Lee, New Jersey

4:00PM - 6:00PM Join us in Fort Lee for a special peace vigil as we call for an end to the war in Iraq War. The vigil will be held at the corner of Lemoine Avenue and Bruce Reynolds Blvd

East Patchogue, New York

7:30 PM - Prayer Service for Peace and Reconciliation ALL ARE WELCOME.

New York, New York

1:00 PM = Union Square, New York City, marching to Times Square, New York City 14th & University Place New York City NY 10011

Rally & march to protest US escalation of war in Afghanistan; bombing of Pakistan; continuation of secret rendition. Join the first national anti-war protests of Obama's War on Terror.

6:00 PM - International Youth Hostel Down-Under Room 891 Amsterdam Ave @ 103 St. New York NY 10025,

Screening of Operation Lysistrata, the inspirational anti-war documentary of a worldwide theatrical protest of the Iraq War will be screened along with refreshments and invited guest speakers. Six years too many into this war, rededicate to activism against war and for social & financial justice with this inspiring film!

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Noon, Philadelphia City Hall (west side, 15th & Market Sts.) Vigil for Peace with the Walk for a New Spring:reading the names of U.S. and Iraqi war dead; Celeste Zappala, whose son, Sherwood Baker was killed in Iraq, April '04; music; and walk-around City Hall, prior to Mayor's Appeal for Disarmament. Organized by the Brandywine Peace Community and Catholic Peace Fellowship. Call 610-544-1818 for more information.