The U.S. cannot “win” the war in Afghanistan. It was losing the war when Barack Obama took office. In March 2009, President Obama ordered another 30,000 troops. Rather than reverse the outcome, the U.S. and NATO effort lost even more ground. Now President Obama has ordered another 30,000 troops to Afghanistan.

Attempting to deflect growing opposition to the announcement of his dramatic escalation of the war in Afghanistan, President Obama is simultaneously claiming that U.S. troops will start to be withdrawn in July 2011.

The Generals and Admirals, and now the White House, are unwilling to accept responsibility for a military setback. The President knows they cannot win and yet is unwilling to leave. Since no leader is willing to take responsibility, they are instead sending thousands more to their deaths.

Bush and Cheney ordered the invasion thinking it would be easy going. They thought Iraq would be easy, too. They were going to wipe out the governments in Iran, Syria and North Korea. This colonial-type fantasy, nourished by “great nation” arrogance and the acquiescence of a caste of corrupt politicians in Congress, set the stage for the current catastrophe of a war without end.

After eight years of war, more than 140 armed insurgent groups of Afghans now exist as a response to the invasion and they control large parts of the country. The people in Afghanistan perceive the occupation as a colonial-type takeover of their country. September 11 was a pretext, but there were no Afghans or Iraqis who hijacked the planes. The people of Afghanistan, like the people in Vietnam, will never accept foreign military occupation in their country.

In the 1968 election Nixon ran on a platform of a “secret peace plan” for Vietnam. In reality, Nixon’s “peace plan” meant more bombing of Vietnam, expansion of the war into Cambodia, and “Vietnamization” – the building up of the South Vietnamese puppet army under the direction of U.S. “advisors.” The puppet army was supposed to do the fighting and dying in the place of U.S. troops in an increasingly unpopular war.

The new plan for Afghanistan calls for more bombing and drone attacks, and “Afghanization” – the building up of a puppet Afghan army trained and led by U.S. commanders. This follows President Obama’s escalation of massive bombing of the people of Pakistan.

Bush Policy – Obama Policy

On Jan. 20, the day that Barack Obama took the oath of office, a government helicopter carrying George W. Bush lifted off and made the ceremonial flight away from the nation’s capital, signaling the end of one era and the start of a new administration.

It was a remarkable event to witness. As the Bush helicopter passed over the inaugural throng, millions of people on the ground started cheering spontaneously. The official pomp of the transfer of power was overwhelmed by the euphoria of those who hated Bush and his policies.

But was there a transfer of power? The personalities change, but the institutions of militarism, war and empire remain intact.

Since Obama took over as president, the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan has nearly doubled, and that’s before the new deployment of 30,000 more soldiers.

Today, less than a year since Bush departed, there are actually more combined U.S. military forces occupying Iraq and Afghanistan than at any time during Bush’s tenure. Between official military forces, private mercenaries and other contractors, by the middle of 2010 there will be nearly a half-million U.S. personnel in the two countries.

At a time of deep economic crisis, with tens of millions out of work and losing their homes, the cost of the wars and occupations in Afghanistan and Iraq is already running at over $225 billion per year or $1.2 billion every two days. Escalating the war will escalate that cost.

The war is not about “the security of the people of the United States being at stake.” If it was, there could be no talk about exit strategies and announced plans for withdrawal.

Starting today, there will be a growing escalation of anti-war protests in the United States. Tonight and tomorrow there are demonstrations across the country.

On Saturday, March 20, 2010, tens of thousands will march in Washington, D.C., with coinciding mass actions in San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Real change comes from below. It comes from the millions who are suffering from unemployment, foreclosure, evictions and poverty. It comes from the young people who are being driven from college because of soaring tuition. The children of working-class families are the ones who do the bleeding and the killing, and they are told they do it for “national security.”

This is not our war. This is a war for empire, one that has gone very badly for the occupying force. How many more will die for the U.S. to avoid the appearance of defeat?

The ANSWER Coalition, in partnership with scores of organizations and echoing the sentiment of millions of people who want the wars to end, will be in the streets today, tomorrow and in the months to come. That is now clearly the only prescription to end the violence and occupation of the American Empire.

Click here to become an endorser of the March 20th National March on Washington, D.C.

To support the anti-war movement, click here.

Specialist Trevor Loope, 24, of Austin,. TX who faced a year in prison and a Bad Conduct discharge at Special Court Martial for AWOL was discharged administratively by order of Ft Drum’s Commander, Gen. Michael Oates on Friday, July 10th.

Because Loope possessed an Honorable Discharge from an earlier Army tour, he will be eligible for GI Bill benefits as well as treatment at VA medical facilities.

Loope had left Ft Drum in 2007 when he was unable to obtain mental health treatment for his Afghan-war-related injuries. With the support of Citizen Soldier, a national GI and veterans rights advocacy group based in New York City, Loope had surrendered to Ithaca’s Common Council on December 3, 2008. He relied on a resolution which the council had adopted in October, 2008 which offered “sanctuary” in Ithaca to war resisters. Although council members offered Trevor support, they didn’t provide sanctuary.

After surrendering at Ft Drum,.Trevor spent the next seven months serving in administrative jobs in his old unit. He had provided Ft Drum therapists with an extensive psychiatric diagnosis which documented that he suffered from both severe Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and a Major Depression.

His civilian psychologist, Dr. David Ogren travelled from Houston TX to testify at an Army “sanity board” which met to determine Trevor’s mental state on June 18th at Ft Drum. Although that board has still not published its recommendations, General Oates approved an administrative discharer in lieu of court-martial.

Tod Ensign, Esq.,and Director of Citizen Soldier commented; “The Army has finally done the right thing by separating Trevor without court martial, but they have done this six months ago. For some reason, they wanted this injured soldier to ‘twist in the wind’ for a while, probably in hopes of deterring other ailing soldiers who might go AWOL in search of treatment.” Ensign added: “Trevor’s release is a victory that resulted from the broad support his case generated in Ithaca and across the country. However, we can’t forget that there are thousands of other soldiers like Trevor who are denied mental health care every day.”

More info: (212) 679-2250 (or) (917) 647-5676 (cell)

More info: Tod Ensign, Esq.
(917) 647-5676 (cell) (212) 679-2250 (O)

Psychologist Who Evaluated Mentally-Stressed Ft Drum Soldier Is Wrongfully Excluded as Witness from Army Sanity Board set for June 18th.

PRESS CONFERENCE, June 18, 2009 8:00 am sharp
Conference room, 4th Flr., Days Inn, 110 Commerce Park Dr Watertown, NY

Dr. David Ogren, a clinical psychologist from Houston, TX with fifteen years’ experience treating victims of mental trauma, spent hours examining and testing Specialist Trevor Loope, 23, of Austin TX. Loope, who spent fifteen months in Afghanistan with the 10th Mountain Division, left Ft Drum in late 2007 because he was unable to obtain therapy for his PTSD and depression at the base.

Dr. Ogren prepared a detailed eleven page psychiatric evaluation which concluded that Loope suffered from “severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and a Major Depression” Ft Drum commanders have scheduled a “sanity board” to assess Loope’s mental health status on Thursday, June 19th 10:00 am at Ft Drum’s Mental Health facility. They also preferred criminal charges against Loope for AWOL with trial by a Special Court Martial set for July 1st.

Two weeks ago, Dr. Ogren telephoned Ft Drum’s mental health chief, Dr.Todd Benham offering to serve as an expert witness before the sanity board.. Ogren’s offer involved no expense to the military, since he is willing to pay his own travel expenses from Houston. On Monday, June 15th, Dr. Benham finally returned Ogren’s call, asking him why he had phoned. When Ogren told him of his desire to testify at Loope’s hearing, Benham remarked that that this was “ridiculous” and that since it was a closed hearing, he didn’t think that Ogren would be allowed to testify.

Tod Ensign, Esq., Director, of Citizen Soldier, a GI advocacy group, and civilian attorney assisting Specialist Loope, will challenge the legality of this “sanity board” if Dr. Ogren is not allowed to testify. According to the Rules for Court Martial (706 (c)(2) which establishes the rules for these boards, one of the four key questions that a panel must answer is, “what is the clinical diagnosis” for the soldier being examined? Also, the sanity board is “required to fairly and impartially examine the accused.” Ensign will argue that Dr. Benham’s apparent bias against Dr. Ogren’s participation jeopardizes the panel’s ability to render a fair and dispassionate opinion in this case. Finally, Ensign will urge that Loope’s sanity board be dissolved and be reconstituted at Walter Reed Army Medical Center where objective panelists can be found.

http://www.theithacajournal.com/article/20090602/NEWS01/90602033/Planned+Parenthood+to+hold+an+Ithaca+rally+for+slain+MD+Wednesday

Planned Parenthood of the Southern Finger Lakes will hold an Ithaca rally in memory and support of Dr. George Tiller, the abortion provider who was fatally shot Sunday while attending church in Kansas.

The rally will be held from 4:45-5:45 p.m. Wednesday at the middle pavilion on The Commons.

Despite the difficulties with parking for an event downtown just after the Ithaca Festival parade, 50 people attended the screening and discussion. If you missed the Ithaca screening, you still can see it in Oneonata (May 29), Corning (June 1), Cortland (June 4), Binghamton (June 5), or other locations in the Mohawk Valley and Sugerties scroll down for schedule).

The Social Justice Council of the First Unitarian Church of Ithaca is screening “From Mills River to Babylon and back… the Jimmy Massey Story”, a 67-minute documentary by Otsego County filmmaker Joseph C. Stillman. The film chronicles the life of Jimmy Massey, a former twelve-year career Marine who refused to continue killing in Iraq, and examines the political, legal, moral, and human rights implications of the war.

Filmmaker Joseph Stillman and Massey himself will be present for discussion afterwards. A $10 donation is suggested to help cover part of the production cost of the film, but all who want to come are encouraged to attend.

The event, part of an eleven-city tour in Upstate New York, will be held in the sanctuary of the First Unitarian Church, at the corner of Buffalo and Aurora Streets in Ithaca, on Thursday, May 28 at 7:30 p.m.. Screenings are also being held in Syracuse, Cortland and Corning. For more information, go to the filmmaker’s web site: lapalomafilms.net.

This is the premier screening of the film, which was shot in 14 states over the past 4 years and features interviews with Scott Ritter, Cindy Sheehan, Martin Sheen, Maxine Waters and numerous other congresspersons and human rights activists.

The film shows Massey’s early life and the tragic death of his father, his decision to enlist in the marines due to economic hardship, illicit recruiting tactics that target single parent families by recruiters (Massey was a Marine recruiter), weapons of mass deception, depleted uranium use and its effects on soldiers and civilians. Stillman explains, “I believe it’s particularly important for parents and young people especially, to understand the tactics military recruiters will use to fill their quotas at the expense of the youth in our community.”

Stillman says, “This project has opened my eyes to many of the facts that Jimmy has raised and the tragedy of an ongoing war that didn’t have to be fought. I sadly learned, for instance, that the U.S. has dropped massive amounts of depleted uranium, used in ammunition and bombs, in Iraq and Afghanistan since the first Gulf War and that it is presently having disastrous effects on our returning military personnel and especially on the civilian populations in those countries.”

Jimmy Massey last visited Ithaca in March 2005, when he spoke at Cornell GIAC. and shared his first hand knowledge of how military recruiters lie and prey on our youth, especially low income kids, with promises that will seldom be fulfilled.

“FROM MILLS RIVER TO BAYLON AND BACK… THE JIMMY MASSEY STORY” DOCUMENTARY SCREENINGS
Contact: Joseph C. Stillman-Filmmaker 607.433.0811/267.6646 lapalomafilms@yahoo.net

Date | City/Organization | Screening Location | Time

May 27 (Wed) Syracuse Syracuse Peace Council, Jessica Maxwell TBA
315-472-5478 www.peacecouncil.net

May 28 (THU) Ithaca 1st Unitarian Church, Buffalo & Aurora 7:30
cris@tompkinsagainstwar.org
607.387.9830

May 29 (FRI) Oneonta Foothills Performing Arts Center 7:30
La Paloma Films, 607.433.0811

May 30 (SAT) Vestal H.S. Broome County Veterans for Peace 7:00
607.321.8537

May 31 (SUN) Hudson Time & Space Limited, 434 Columbia St. 8:00
518.822.8100 fyi@timeandspace.org

June 1 (MON) Corning Palace Theater, 17 East Market Street 7:00
607.329.6173

June 2 (TUE) Hudson Time & Space Limited, 434 Columbia St. 8:00
518.822.8100

June 3 (WED) Andes Roundtable, Andes Hotel 7:00

June 4 (THU) Cortland Lucky’s, 77 Main Street, 607.842.6801 7:00

June 5 (FRI) Binghamton Broome County Veterans for Peace 5:30/7:30
First Presbyterian Church 42 Chenango St. 607.321.8537

June 6 (SAT) Troy Bethleham Neighbors for Peace/NY Media 8:00
Alliance at The Sanctuary 518.321.8537

By Troy Pasulka | April 20, 2009

ITHACA, N.Y.–Sixty people gathered April 16 at the Workers’ Center to hear Professor Margo Ramlal-Nankoe describe how she was denied tenure at Ithaca College due to her complaints about sexual harassment and her outspoken opposition to the Israel-U.S. war on Palestinians. She is reaching out to the public for support.

Ramlal-Nankoe, a non-citizen immigrant and woman of color, says that she clearly meets Ithaca College’s tenure criteria for Sociology faculty members, and has many letters from students and peers to support this claim.

The Dean of Ithaca College’s School of Humanities and Sciences also decided at this time to recommend that Ramlal-Nankoe not receive tenure. Ramlal-Nankoe alleges this was because the dean is pro-Israel and didn’t like the fact that she was involved in groups like Students for a Just Peace in Israel/Palestine (SJP). In advising SJP, Ramlal-Nankoe helped the group bring outspoken critics of the occupation of Palestine, such as Ali Abunimah, Sara Roy and Marty Rosenbluth, to campus.

Ramlal-Nankoe appealed the dean’s negative recommendation and the votes against her within her department, arguing that these individuals had committed serious violations of the rules governing her tenure process. When the Appeals Committee and Provost at the time agreed with her, she was granted a new, supervised tenure review.

But Provost Peter Bardaglio, who was to supervise the second review, left Ithaca College before it began, and Ramlal-Nankoe was left to face a repeat of her first “tenure travesty”–a description of her situation coined by Norman Finkelstein, who was denied tenure at DePaul University because of his scholarship critical of Israel.
Norman Finkelstein has reviewed Margo’s case and has this to say regarding Margo and her situation:

“I have met and spoken at length with [Ramlal-Nankoe] and her husband,” Finkelstein wrote on his Web site. “They are the most decent of human beings: doing the right thing at great personal and professional expense. I have carefully scrutinized the facts in her tenure case. It simply cannot be disputed that she is the victim of a political witch-hunt.”

Finkelstein–and Joel Kovel, a professor who was recently terminated at Bard College because of his criticism of Zionism–spoke via Skype during the April 16 public meeting defending Ramlal-Nankoe.

The morning after the meeting, Ithaca College President Thomas Rochon claimed to a reporter that he didn’t “really understand” the request for a public tenure review because her “tenure review has been completed.”

Fortunately, many people do understand the injustice perpetrated against Ramlal-Nankoe. During the question-comment section of the meeting, Karen Ross, a member of United Auto Workers Local 2300, explained why Margo’s fight is important: “Where is the accountability? We need a fair depiction of both sides on controversial issues at institutions of higher education.”

Defending those who, like Ramlal-Nankoee, speak critically of the U.S. and Israel’s role in the Middle East is a crucial part of the project of rebuilding a left in this country that can pose a real alternative.

It’s time to let the White House know where we stand on Cuba policy!

Call the White House comments line:  202/456-1111 ­ or go to www.whitehouse.gov, click on the link for the Office of Public Liaison & Intergovernmental Affairs, and you can submit a written message directly to the White House.

Also call your Congressional representative and your senators (Congressional switchboard: 202/225-3121).  Make sure they’ve signed on as co-sponsors of HR874/S428, which will end all restrictions on travel to Cuba ­ not just for Cuban-Americans but for all Americans.  And then tell them that travel is just the first step ­ and that we urge them to keep moving toward full normalization of US/Cuba relations.  Significant steps toward normalization would include:

1) Taking Cuba off the list of nations considered state sponsors of terrorism.

2) Allowing Cuba to buy construction supplies from the US for hurricane relief and repairs.

3) Cutting the USAID budget for “assistance to a free Cuba.”  This is in fact an allocation of more than $50 million per year to undermine the sovereign government of Cuba.

4) Releasing the five Cubans being held in US supermax prisons for more than 10 years ­ for the simple reason that they uncovered US-supported terrorist plans to attack Cuba.

5) Opening dialogue with Cuba on any one of a number of issues: immigration, cooperation on drug interdiction and human trafficking, port security, medical research, etc. etc. etc.

Surely you have heard the news about the delegation of seven members of Congress who visited Cuba last week.  The delegation was led by Rep Barbara Lee (D-CA), chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, along with CBC members Reps Emanuel Cleaver II (D-MO), Bobby Rush (D-IL), Melvin Watt (D-NC), Marcia Fudge (D-OH), and Laura Richardson (D- CA); and Rep Michael Honda (D-CA), chair of the Asian and Pacific American Caucus.  Their attitude throughout the delegation was one that we wholeheartedly support ­ because they approached Cuba in a spirit of mutual respect and good will ­ which is the only way to start productive dialogue with a neighbor nation.

What the White House announced yesterday is commendable, BUT IT IS NOT ENOUGH!!!  We must continue to keep the pressure on — to end the blockade, to normalize relations with Cuba, and to engage in dialogue based in mutual respect, rather than our insisting on undermining Cuba’s sovereignty.

Please contact the White House and your elected representatives in Congress, and let them know that “WE SUPPORT CONGRESSWOMAN BARBARA LEE AND THE DELEGATION THAT VISITED CUBA, AND WE APPLAUD THEIR INITIATIVE:  IT’S TIME TO TALK WITH CUBA!”

IFCO/PASTORS FOR PEACE
418 West 145th Street, 3-FL.
New York NY 10031
tel: 212.926.5757 – fax 212.926.5842 – e-mail ifco@igc.org

You are invited to a screening of the award winning

Occupation 101: Voices of the Silenced Majority

A film by Sufyan Omerish and Abdallah Omerish
Thursday, April 16 at 5 pm in G85, Cornell Law School.

Pizza