WINNING PEACE THROUGH RELEVANCE: THE STATE OF THE ANTI-WAR MOVEMENT

WINNING PEACE THROUGH RELEVANCE: THE STATE OF THE ANTI-WAR MOVEMENT

As a military veteran who is actively involved in the anti-war movement, I have been truly amazed and impressed by the growing and powerful relevance in national and world politics that the anti-war movement has clearly demonstrated. Now more than ever the anti-war movement has proven its increasing relevance by becoming an astounding political heavyweight and by helping transform the political landscape in fundamental ways. For example, its ability to originally channel Bush into the UN and its ability to nearly stop a long-planned war is alone impressive. Add to that the ability it demonstrated to activate the conscience of vast numbers of populations in other nations in such a manner that prevented the UN from giving stamp approval for the Bush Administration’s war on Iraq and what we have before us is a movement that has real impacts and can bring real change. The anti-war movement’s ability to force Bush to remain at peace or to wage a starkly unilateral war devoid of international approval is no small accomplishment; rather it is a huge victory for the anti-war movement. These impacts on international and foreign policy are sweeping and fundamentally transformative developments. The anti-war movement has truly accomplished amazing, astounding feats that are nothing short of breathtakingly impressive. It has truly morphed into a global superpower. The question is, now that military hostilities are coming to a close in Iraq, what is the state of the anti-war movement and where should it proceed next?

I had to laugh when I read an interesting article this past weekend that was originally published in the New York Times and reprinted on CommonDreams.org, (see the article at http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/0420-02.htm ) written by Kate Zernike. While it was comforting to see some coverage on the state of the anti-war movement, what made me laugh were some of her starkly false assumptions that were either inferred or clearly stated. The article basically discusses some of the proposed directions that many leaders in the anti-war movement are considering in the wake of the recent unjustified invasion upon the sovereign nation of Iraq. One line in the article dared to bluntly assert that the anti-war movement had “lost” given the military successes in Iraq. Let me say as both a military veteran who cares deeply for the lives of the troops and as a committed anti-war activist that this ridiculous assertion could not be further from the truth.

First of all, it is the contest of war alone that can be said to be divided into “winners” and ”losers.” There never existed a contest between Bush and the anti-war movement. What existed between Bush and the anti-war movement was a healthy democratic debate. The contest where terminology such as winners and losers is relevant is the war alone. The American military won the war and the Iraqi’s lost the war. The anti-war movement did not lose, Iraqi’s lost. During the process of events leading up to the war, the anti-war movement became and is now more relevant than ever before. Its impact on national and international political frameworks is more powerful and more relevant than ever before. The anti-war movement has gained considerable ground in political circles. Given this obvious relevance, it is simply a mistake to assert that the anti-war movement has lost anything because, in reality, it has gained everything we in the anti-war movement had hoped it would gain, namely, the anti-war movement has gained increasing and impressive measures of political relevance and hence it has become a powerful, political, international force to be reckoned with. The anti-war movement has not lost; rather it wields vast and considerable power.

Secondly, I really have to scratch my head and wonder why some Americans think that if a small number of U.S. troops were killed, then this somehow makes the effort of invading and occupying Iraq a worthy and just military war. It does not. First we must not forget that thousands of Iraqi’s have been killed in this war. Why should this fact be of concern to all of us? The reason why it should be of concern to us, as Americans, is due to the lack of good evidence to wage this war in the first place. As we all know, the Bush administration claimed that the threat posed by WMD and by Saddam Hussein had to be dealt with using military force. But where are the weapons of mass destruction (WMD) Mr. Bush? Can it be true that the Bush Administration sought to disarm Iraq of WMD first, before invading, so as to make the invasion possible without risking a likely defensive use of WMD by Iraq? I think so. Since no WMD have yet been discovered and since there is speculation that our government may wish to plant WMD evidence in Iraq, we as a people should be deeply concerned about such glaring fabrications and lies being promulgated by the Bush Administration. Further, even if in fact WMD are indeed discovered legitimately, it was clear from the beginning that the survivalist Hussein would likely never have used them against us for that would be suicidal insofar that it would have likely provoked a nuclear response by us upon Saddam. As proof of this assumption, I offer that because he did not use WMD against us during the war when his power was most threatened then either he never had WMD or if he did have WMD, then given the restraint he showed in the war even as his power basis crumbled around him, he certainly would never have used them against us because that is incredibly contrary to his survivalist nature. Why are these questions worth asking? They are worth asking because it appears that Saddam Hussein was clearly containable and because that is so, the war needn’t have been waged at all. For these reasons, the war upon Iraq was unjust, immoral and illegal. In fairness, I must say that for the people of Iraq it is good to see the tyrant Hussein gone from power, but that fact alone does not justify the murder of thousands of Iraqis nor the murder of over 100 American troops. And because I feel the war was clearly unjustified, illegal and immoral, I also feel that those who died in this war died unjustly, immorally, illegally and died without good reason for giving their lives. In short, they were murdered. They were murdered by President George W. Bush. Fortunately in America we have the option of un-electing incompetent, destructive and murderous officials: So remember to get out the vote and un-elect Bush in 2004. Personally my favorite candidates in order of preference are Governor Howard Dean, Representative Dennis Kucinich and in third place, Senator John Kerry.

Third, please don’t be fooled by the apparent end of military hostilities as a reason to say the war is “over” for it is actually far from really “over”. The real war has only just begun. This is the war for the independence of Iraq by Iraqis themselves for this war will most certainly commence likely sooner as opposed to later in order that they may ultimately free themselves from a new tyrant: that of being occupied by a foreign power that has no business dictating to Iraqi’s how they will live or what form of government they will live under. Bush has achieved his objective of ridding Iraq of Saddam and now Bush should get out of a country that our military has no business being in at all in the first place. Bring the troops home now and turn over the reconstruction efforts to the United Nations and Iraqi’s themselves. Leaving the troops in Iraq to “rebuild” is nothing short of employing a course dependent on colonialist rule. Unfortunately, since Bush&Co have launched a unilateral war and isolated America in the world it will be harder than ever to engender UN support and turn over operational reconstruction to them. Frankly, when I take a step back and look at the wider picture, I am left asking the following questions with reference to Bush’s foreign policy program: Why is Bush&Co such a bunch of incompetent idiots? Which morons are developing this ill-thought, short-term based foreign policy strategy? Why are these buffoons employing such a dangerous and disastrous foreign policy program that only enriches a tiny minority closely connected to Bush? Do we as a people deserve to have our economic future heavily damaged by the long-term implications of Bush’s unilateral strategy and the likely impacts this will have such as declining foreign investment in America? A good article that discusses this can be found on Alternet.org at: http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=15695 .

We as Americans should not tolerate the continuation of this Occupation nor should Iraqi’s be expected to endure an Occupation themselves. If the war is over, then America has no business being in Iraq and should get out now. If we must stay and rebuild then we should also appoint Iraqi’s to lead their own government and keep the colonial American governors out of Iraq. Since this new phase of the war for independence of Iraq from an illegal occupying foreign power has likely just begun, then our role in the anti-war movement must be to leverage our power by voicing our collective opposition against this immoral and illegal Occupation of a foreign land not our own. We must remember other Occupations in history and remember also that most “Occupations” are typically sold to the public as “Liberations” but history has proven nearly all occupations are oppressive in nature, immoral, unnecessary and that they most often lead to mutual aggression. Occupations by their very nature are rooted in and emerge from a belief structure that basically says if my guns are bigger than yours then I can shove my political ideologies down your throat. It is a candidly undemocratic notion and clearly devoid of any moral or religious underpinning values for which we often espouse through lip service. Nearly all occupations lack a principled-value core. Democracy must be chosen by the people to whom which it serves, not by those to which whom it does not immediately serve. Besides, Iraqi’s not Americans should be the beneficiaries of their own Iraqi government and further, they should be the primary beneficiaries of their own resources, i.e. their own oil which lies under their own sand that is theirs alone and that is not ours to regulate or to chiefly profit from.

Now, given my position on the nature of “Occupations” one might be compelled to ask if I am inferring anything about the Israeli occupation of Palestine. Let me be clear: Yes, I am. Let me elaborate: I am a Zionist for Peace but firmly opposed to the Israeli Occupation of the West Bank and Gaza. I believe Israel has every right to exist within the 1967 borders of the Green Line and that Jews are entitled to a State of their own where they can be free from persecution, having been a persecuted-people for thousands of years. That said, I also feel that Palestinians are entitled to a national state of their own where they can live free from an oppressive Occupation. Why do I bring this up you ask? Because I feel the U.S. can restore its image and a great measure of its international credibility if it takes the lead in pursuing a resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. That alone will help solve many problems in the Middle East and likely inspire populations in the Middle East toward democracy if we demonstrate an even-handed approach to resolving the crisis in the Middle East. By winning the respect of people not by bombing them will we truly engender their respect and admiration for our values, our principles and our willingness to demonstrate our commitment to those values in the difficult, emotionally charged circumstances that engulf the Israeli-Palestinian crisis. Inspire people, don’t bomb them. You catch a lot more flies with honey than you do with vinegar. The ability to inspire people as opposed to bombing them is the chief reason why I believe diplomacy is a far more powerful and effective tool toward accomplishing national and international goals that we seek for our nation; Diplomacy is far more effective than the use of military force.

For the record, I would like you to know that I am both pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian for my personal principles are rooted in a pro-people philosophy and I believe every person deserves to be treated with dignity, respect and honor. Much as I feel that the U.S. occupation of Iraq is immoral, unjustified and illegal so do I also feel that the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza is also immoral, unjustified and illegal. To further clarify my political position, let me also say that I am politically and unapologetically pro-Israeli LEFT WING i.e. (pro-Labor Party, pro-Amram Mitzna) and I am politically and unapologetically anti-Israeli RIGHT WING i.e. (anti-Sharon, anti-Netanyahu, anti-Likud Party). A political establishment exists in Israel just like in any other democratic country and I proudly identify with the Israeli LEFT. To criticize or not criticize Israeli policy cannot simply be relegated to the old Bush saying “you are either with us or against us” or “pro-Israeli or anti-Israeli” overly simplistic Manichean binary mode of thinking without considering the fact that a political framework exists in Israel. I am not simply pro-Israel; I am more complexly pro-Israeli-Left-Wing. I am anti-Israeli-Right-Wing. I am against right wing policies here in the United States and right wing policies in Israel because those policies diverge from my worldview which is based upon showing compassion to my fellow man, seeking justice and peace and pursuing it, and since I love the United States and I love Israel, it is my responsibility to criticize policies that fail to reflect the values that define my Left of center thinking. My criticism of right wing U.S. policy or right wing Israeli policy is born of and is an act of LOVE. I offer criticism because I love my country. I love the U.S. and I love Israel. However, I also understand the valid concern of some Jews who caution against any criticism of Israeli policy. Their point should be listened to closely. (I should say that I too I identify with Judaism, I have identified with Judaism for many years alone by myself and more recently I have identified with Judaism in a more public way now that I have begun active study and religious observance. Let me also say that I am a descendant of Dutch Jews (and Swedish Lutherans) and I am proud of my Jewish heritage (and my Swedish heritage) and I will be more proud after my official conversion as I hope to become a Jew someday soon since my values and principles mirror many Jewish values and principles that I have learned about so far, and most importantly, I want to be a good Jew): So I think there is good reason for some Jews to emphasize caution with relation to criticism of Israeli policy: In light of 20th century European history and the Holocaust, the persecution of Jews in the Middle Ages, and persecution under the Romans, Persians, Ottomans, Arabs, and the Egyptians while in bondage all echo good reasons to be cautious; the tragedy of the Holocaust and its permanence upon its victims in addition to the persecution of Jews by fanatics in the Middle Ages and by other nations and empires throughout history demands that we be cautious on matters concerning criticism of Israeli policy. So I think we should try to understand that there are at least three types of people who criticize Israeli policy: 1) Anti-Semites, 2) those who love Israel and who hope to improve Israeli policy by first identifying the flaws in it, 3) those who are neither anti-Semites nor who specifically love Israel but who simply just find the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza to be oppressive and morally repugnant. But for those of us who love Israel and America like me, the question is how do you respectfully identify the flaws in policy? Here is how I do it: If the policy course that my country pursues is in conflict with the values and principles I believe in and stand firmly by, then it is my responsibility to criticize policy in an attempt to make that policy better and thus make my country better. I criticize because I love and because I believe in Tikkun Olam, Repair of the World. To me, it seems that those who believe in compassion, liberty, diversity, free expression, and above all, freedom, but who fail to criticize policy that does not reflect their own deeply rooted values, like freedom, are the most self-denying and self-hating amongst us all. To love yourself and to love your country, you must stand by the principles you hold dear in the conduct of your own life and in the conduct of the life of your nation. I criticize because I love. Let me be clear: I LOVE ISRAEL AND I LOVE AMERICA. I stand in defense of the Israeli Left and the American Left.

Fourth, the anti-war movement must remain on alert against the possibility that our warmonger President will wage further unjust, immoral and illegal wars upon Syria, Iran or North Korea. Now more than ever we in the anti-war movement must leverage our astounding relevance in national and international political circles in order to effectively turn back the disgusting and morally repulsive extreme-right-wing global imperialist vision known as Pax Americana. More than the moral argument against a unilaterally waged Pax Americana, we must also remind our fellow citizens of the bread and butter economic issues that result from unilateral aggression for we all stand to pay a heavy economic price for Bush’s wanton unilateralism, see http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=15695 for the article on Alternet.org that I also listed above. We must be on alert and active against those who would wipe out our freedom by wiping out our civil liberties at home. To that end, we must also demand that true moderates are appointed to the Supreme Court when at the end of this June the Supreme Court session comes to a close which will likely result in the retirement of one or more Supreme Court Justices and give Bush the opportunity to appoint new ones. We must be constantly on alert against those who unfairly attempt to silence dissent by spreading fear throughout our land. And finally, we must be constantly on alert by those who wish only to scapegoat minority groups and paint them immorally as terrorists when they are not terrorists but rather fellow members and citizens of our American community. Together we can save American Democracy from those who wish only to see it crash, burn and die in a fear-ridden America where people are afraid to speak out, speak often, speak loudly and speak without any apology whatsoever.

To choose not speak out even when your conscience demands that you do, is the greatest act of treachery and treason against yourself and against your country. Those who love their country attempt to better it by criticizing policy they individually feel is in direct contradiction to their own personal values, our common values, our principles and our long-term national and international interests. Let us remember that speaking out and expressing oneself freely and without fear is the most patriotic, America-loving and principled act one could ever engage in. It does, however, require some courage, nerve or chutzpah. Free speech is the right of every American citizen, so I urge you to be a good citizen and use what rights you have so that no one dares ever take them away. The best way to protect our collective rights is to actively use them on a regular and consistent basis. Remember and honor the men and women in uniform who have in past wars died for your rights as Americans. Honor their sacrifice best by exercising the rights they died for you to use as often as you wish. And most importantly, remember your civic obligation as citizens to stay informed and speak freely in your American nation. It is your country too so take ownership and responsibility over the course and direction that your nation pursues via domestic and foreign policy. I hope you will not betray your nation by remaining silent.

Writing and publishing my viewpoints often and freely is the patriotic action I take to love and protect American Democracy and bring about Tikkun Olam. I speak openly, freely and candidly because I am defending the ideals of America and my own Left of center values. Once, some years ago, I stood with a gun ready to defend America but today I stand with a pen or a keyboard and computer ready to defend my American values and principles. I must admit that the pen-keyboard is far, far more potent than any gun ever used. I hope you will follow my lead and also stand in defense of your country by speaking freely without fear of reprisal. The only thing there is to fear is fear itself.
The key to being a good citizen really just boils down to asking but one question: What kind of country do you want to live in? Once you know the answer to that question all you have to do is pursue it. The choice is yours alone.

I leave you with a list of internet News resources below to aid you in your ongoing pursuit to stay patriotically informed.

SUPPORT THE TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME NOW!!

WAGE PEACE!!

Sincerely,

Eric E. Johansson
Ex-US Army Paratrooper and Infantryman
President, SF Bay Area Veterans for Peace, Chapter 69
San Francisco, CA
http://www.veteransforpeace.org
"There is no way to peace. Peace is the way." ---A.J. Muste

“The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don’t do anything about it.” --Albert Einstein

"My pacifism is not based on any intellectual theory but on a deep antipathy to every form of cruelty and hatred." --Albert Einstein

Ha'Olam Omer Lo L'Milchamah!!! Heveinu Shalom Aleikhem!!



ALTERNATE SOURCES OF NEWS FOR YOU

Radio and Television Programs in your Area:

http://www.democracynow.org/stations.htm
http://www.democracynow.org/watch.htm
http://www.pacifica.org/
http://www.pbs.org/now
http://www.radiopower.org

My Top Five Favorite Sites:
http://www.commondreams.org
http://www.counterpunch.com
http://www.alternet.org
http://www.antiwar.com
http://www.truthout.com


NEWS sites - Non-Partisan

http://news.bbc.co.uk
http://www.haaretzdaily.com
http://www.islamonline.net/english/index.shtml
http://www.hindustantimes.com
http://www.dailymirror.co.uk
http://www.dailytelegraph.co.uk
http://www.latimes.com
http://www.washingtonpost.com
http://www.nytimes.com
http://www.timesonline.co.uk
http://www.independent.co.uk
http://www.telegraph.co.uk
http://www.sfgate.com
http://www.reuters.com



NEWS-sites - Liberal Perspective

http://www.commondreams.org
http://www.alternet.org
http://www.motherjones.com
http://www.thenation.com
http://www.workingforchange.org
http://www.tompaine.com
http://www.villagevoice.com
http://buffaloreport.com
http://www.interventionmag.com
http://www.truthout.com
http://www.dissentmagazine.org
http://www.lchr.org
http://www.drudgereport.com
http://www.progressive.org
http://www.theonion.com
http://www.utne.com
http://www.zmag.org
http://www.inthesetimes.com
http://www.fpif.org
http://www.presentdanger.org
http://www.counterpunch.com
http://www.movingideas.org
http://www.yellowtimes.org
http://www.progressivemajority.org
http://www.freespeech.org
http://www.indymedia.org
http://www.transnational.org




NEWS-sites - Conservative Perspective

http://www.anti-war.com
http://www.fff.org
http://www.drcnet.org/cops
http://www.lewrockwell.com
http://www.mises.org
http://www.lp.org
http://www.cato.org
http://www.reason.com
http://www.drugpolicy.org
http://www.stopthedrugwar.org
http://www.theamericancause.org
http://www.amconmag.com
http://www.fee.org/vnews.php?sec=iolmisc



Veterans / Peace Issues

http://www.veteransforpeace.org
http://www.vaiw.org
http://www.veteransforcommonsense.org
http://www.vvaw.org
http://www.mfso.org
http://www.peacefultomorrows.org
http://www.antiwarnetwork.org
http://www.actagainstwar.org
http://www.debka.com
http://www.mwaw.org
http://www.iwpr.net
http://www.patriotsforpeace.org
http://www.ruralpeacemakers.org
http://www.addictedtowar.com
http://www.unitedforpeace.org
http://www.moveon.org
http://winwithoutwarus.org
http://www.peace-action.org
http://www.californiapeaceaction.org
http://www.warresisters.org
http://www.globalexchange.org
http://www.war-times.org
http://leb.net/IAC
http://www.nonviolence.org/vitw
http://www.objector.org
http://www.nonviolence.org
http://www.activism.net


Good Organizations to Join or Follow:

http://www.aclu.org
http://www.fair.org
http://www.poclad.org
http://www.unequalprotection.com
http://www.democraticmedia.org
http://www.now.org
http://www.sierraclub.org
http://www.greenpeace.org/homepage
http://www.aflcio.org
http://www.uslaboragainstwar.org
http://www.hrc.org
http://www.gay.com
http://www.ngltf.org
http://www.stopaids.org
http://www.hispaniconline.com
http://www.naacp.org
http://www.aarp.com
http://www.plannedparenthood.com
http://www.tolerance.org
http://www.corpwatch.org
http://www.amnestyusa.org
http://www.hrw.org



Religion-Based Organizations to Join or Follow:

http://www.shalomctr.org
http://www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org
http://www.jewsagainsttheoccupation.org
http://www.paxchristiusa.org
http://www.ncccusa.org
http://www.afsc.org
http://www.csmonitor.com
http://www.tikkun.org
http://www.gush-shalom.org/english/index.html
http://www.seruv.org.il/defaulteng.asp
http://www.rhr.israel.net/intro.html
http://www.seekpeace.org
http://www.socialaction.com/index.phtml
http://traubman.igc.org/dg-prog.htm
http://www.junity.org
http://www.geocities.com/jewishpeacemakers
http://www.peacenow.org
http://www.btselem.org
http://www.ipcri.org/index1.html
http://www.pij.org