600+ Peace Activities Express Majority Opposition to Iraq War

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MEDIA ALERT * UNITED FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE
http://www.unitedforpeace.org | 212-868-5545
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For Immediate Release: March 19, 2006
Contact: Hany Khalil (718) 637-7351 mobile, (212) 868-5545 office

United for Peace and Justice Condemns
Recent Escalation of War in Iraq
With U.S. Public Opinion Solidly Opposed to the War,
600+ Anti-War Activities Across the U.S.
Mark Third Anniversary of Iraq War

WHAT: Press Briefing via Teleconference

WHEN: Monday, March 20th

TIME: 11 am EST

NUMBER: Dial in to 605-772-3001, access code 887480

PARTICIPANTS:
Leslie Cagan, National Coordinator of United for Peace and Justice, the country's
largest anti-war coalition with more than 1,400 member organizations in all 50
states.

Phyllis Bennis, fellow of the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington, DC and
author of the just released book, Challenging Empire: How People, Governments and
the UN Defy U.S. Power.

Rahul Mahajan teaches at New York University, publishes the blog Empire Notes, and
is the author of two books, most recently Full Spectrum Dominance: U.S. Power in
Iraq and Beyond. He has been to occupied Iraq twice and was present in Fallujah
during the April 2004 assault.


On the eve of the 3rd Anniversary of the U.S. war and occupation of Iraq, the U.S.
military, along with Iraqi forces, launched Operation Swarmer, the largest air
assault in that country since the war began. Over a week long period, more than 600
anti-war activities throughout the nation are calling for an end to the war and for
all of our troops to be brought home, now.

Responding to a call for local actions issued by United for Peace and Justice,
anti-war groups
throughout the country have been holding marches, rallies, forums, vigils,
nonviolent civil
disobedience actions and other events to mark the 3rd anniversary of the war. For a
complete
list of the activities still to take place, click here:
http://unitedforpeace.org/calendar.php?caltype=39&lcountry=&state=&search=Search

Below are quotes from several people on the National Steering Committee of United
for Peace and Justice:

LESLIE CAGAN: lesliecagan [at] igc.org, 212-868-5545, National Coordinator, United for
Peace and Justice (http://www.unitedforpeace.org)
"Concerns that the anti-war movement has lost momentum should be put to rest. In
every state of the nation, people have been making their voices heard in a clear
call to end the war and bring home all of our troops. The news about Operation
Swarmer has only served to make our movement more determined than ever. We will
continue to pressure Congress to cut off the funds for this war and we will use
every tactic available to make sure there is not a 4th anniversary of this war!"

ANNE ROESLER: docondeck [at] pacbell.net, 408-205-2199, Military Families Speak Out
(http://www.mfso.org)
"George Bush continues to tell the American people that progress is being made in
Iraq. Yet, the largest air assault since the invasion of that country is currently
underway. My son is a staff sergeant in the Army's 82nd ABN and has spent almost 2
of the last 3 years in Iraq. During his most recent deployment, and referring to the
elections, he said, 'This is as close to a win as we're going to get. We need to
hold [the elections] and get out. Otherwise we're looking at another Vietnam.' We
now have more than 2,300 dead American soldiers and marines, over 16,000 wounded,
and thousands of Iraqis wounded and/or dead. How many more will die for Bush's lies?
The American people and our elected representatives need to wake up and see these
acts for what they are...crimes against humanity. Escalating the war isn't the
answer; ending the war and bringing our troops home now is!"

KELLY CAMPBELL: kcampbell [at] afsc.org, 503-720-1815, Co-Founder, Sept. 11th Families
for Peaceful Tomorrows (http://www.peacefultomorrows.org)
"Having witnessed first-hand the devastating effects of U.S. so-called 'smart bombs'
to civilian lives in Afghanistan, I am very concerned about the effects of an
increased air war in Iraq. In Afghanistan, I saw residential neighborhoods hit by
U.S. bombs where children where killed in their homes, and hospital wards full of
kids missing limbs from U.S. cluster bombs. The escalation of the war war in Iraq
will put Iraqi children in an even more dangerous situation than they currently are,
and will inflame violence against U.S. soldiers on the ground."

RAHUL MAHAJAN: rahul [at] empirenotes.org, 512-589-3435, Publisher of the blog Empire
Notes (http://www.empirenotes.org)
"Three years after the invasion of Iraq, perhaps 200,000 more Iraqis are dead than
would have died had Saddam's despotic rule and the brutal multilateral sanctions
continued (after 18 months, a household survey published in the Lancet estimated
100,000 excess deaths; the situation has gotten worse since then). Reconstruction
funds have run out and Iraqis have fewer hours of electricity per day and less
access to potable water than before the invasion. Terrorism is rife and the country
stands on the brink of sectarian civil war. As the United States' presence
continually contributes to worsening the situation, the constant refrain across the
political spectrum is, 'We can't leave because things are so bad.' It's time for the
nonsense to stop and coalition forces to pull out of Iraq."

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