Below is a statement by the UNAC CC on the assassination of Iranian scientists and the growing threat of war against Iran.
Also, UNAC members participated in a national conference call on Tuesday with many other antiwar and Iranian groups. The meeting called for demonstrations on February 4 to protest the threat of war against Iran. Please join us on February 4 and plan a protest in your local area. There is a Facebook event for February 4 here.
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Statement by the United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC)
On the Assassination of Iranian Scientist Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan
and the Growing Threat of War Against the Islamic Republic of Iran
Another Iranian scientist has been assassinated in Iran by a car bombing. This is the fifth Iranian scientist targeted in Iran during the past two years. This is a dangerous escalation of the covert activities conducted by the CIA and Israeli intelligence and their domestic spies in Iran against the government and people of Iran.
The following talk was given, Nov. 5, at the first national conference of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression, in Chicago. Sundin is a leader in the anti-war movement. Her home was among those raided by the FBI, on Sept. 24, 2010.
by Jess Sundin
Sisters and brothers, I’m so glad to be here with you today. I’m honored to speak on the same platform with so many people I respect, whose examples I strive to follow. Not only my friend, Carlos Montes, but also the speakers you will hear later – the families of political prisoners from the Palestinian struggle – Sami Al Arian, Ghassan Elashi and Abdelhaleem Ashqar. These men, like Carlos, have dedicated their lives to the liberation of their peoples and making this world a more just one for all of us.
We are here today because the powers that be will do anything to silence voices for justice. U.S. imperialists have bombed out whole cities, killed, tortured and starved millions of people – all in the pursuit of power and profit. We are here today as those who have raised our voices to oppose imperialist wars. We have organized our communities to stand in solidarity with the oppressed, those directly in the crosshairs of the imperialist war machine.
And yet, they dare to call us the terrorists, to treat us as the criminals. But turning reality on its head cannot save them as their grip on the world slips every day. From the Arab uprisings to Occupy Wall Street, and all points in between, the war criminals are losing ground. They cannot control the will of the peoples of the Middle East or South America, so they make criminals of those here in the U.S. who support self-determination for the world’s peoples.
For ten years, the tragic events of September 11, 2001, have been used as a pretext for endless war — tens of thousands dead in Afghanistan; more than a million killed in Iraq; and a campaign of repression at home, carried out against thousands of Arabs, Muslims, and now, even the peace movement. The road from 9/11 led the FBI to my door, with an early morning raid on my home, and a secret grand jury investigating two dozen peace activists on terrorism charges.
When the Bush Administration used the events of September 11 to justify war against Afghanistan, I joined thousands to march against that war. How many of us knew it would become the longest war in US history? Costing tens of thousands of lives, and nearly 500 billion dollars, this war has lost the support of the majority of Americans. Even so, the Obama Administration continues Bush’s war, making it his own. Under his command, the war has expanded into Pakistan, and the “war on terror” is still offered as justification for aggressive military policies across the globe.
After 9/11, a war was launched on civil liberties inside the US. In an effort to clear the way for endless war abroad, the government created fear of an enemy within. I watched in shame as this unfolded first within Arab and Muslim communities — thousands of immigrants were rounded up and questioned, many detained or deported. This has become a permanent campaign of repression and it has now expanded beyond the Muslim immigrant community.
The PATRIOT Act, with 160 provisions, opened the door for unrestrained spying on American residents and citizens, authorizing the FBI and other agencies to tap our homes, read our emails, and comb through our trash. It laid the groundwork for a network of undercover agents hiding within our own communities, from mosques to peace groups. At the same time, we witnessed massive scale racial profiling, especially at airports, where Muslims, Sikhs, Arabs and South Asians were questioned and searched, sometimes denied boarding onto flights they had paid for.
The following video features Tom Burke of Freedom Road Socialist Organization (Fight Back). He talks about intimidation and harassment tactics by the FBI directed at him, his family, and other activists.
“Obama is ‘winding the war down’ (!) by barely chipping away piecemeal at his own escalation – while planning a permanent occupation force. This is called ‘responsible withdrawal.’”
“A police action becomes an invasion, becomes an occupation, becomes a permanent outpost of empire. And at every step there is the mix of whining disappointment and ongoing participation among official liberals.”
“Would U.S. withdrawal mean that their puppets are exposed? Yes. Is that so bad? No.
“Would U.S. withdrawal mean that its future ability to threaten is weakened? Yes. Is that so bad? No.”
“They will call our logic and demands ‘irresponsible’ — well, so be it. We are responsible to a different set of people and a different future. Humanity doesn’t need or want some strutting capitalist ‘global policeman’ (whose corruption, murder and plunder masquerades as self-defense and selfless aid.)”
by Mike Ely
Obama announced his Afghanistan plans this week, and it was all posed as a “responsible withdrawal” — slow, paced, preserving U.S. “gains,” protecting U.S. puppets, maintaining the dignity of a superpower. And the official media arena is filled with debate over whether it is “responsible” enough.
So we are presented with a (typical and deceptive) ruling class debate where the most basic realities are shoved to the side.
The facts remain: Obama’s “responsible pace of withdrawal” may will leave troop in Afghanistan forever. And for the foreseeable future they are not far from where Bush-era levels of invasion force.
Obama’s plan is a token shift of 10,000 soldiers (leaving by the end of 2011) and maybe (maybe!) 23,000 in another year.
Compare these numbers to the current size of the occupation force which is 250,000 military forces by the U.S. and its invasion partners (100,000 U.S. troops, 50,000 NATO troops and 100,000 Pentagon-paid contractors).
This is a plan for a continuing war and brutalization of Afghanistan’s people (and of nearby Pakistan) — all while claiming that the invaders “provide the people with the security they need for normal life”! Obama’s plans apparently envision at least 25,000 occupation troops remaining after 2014. Meaning that there is zero discussion involving ending this occupation, but instead plans to make it permanent.
With much respect… It is worth thinking about the importance of reaching out to soldiers in wartime, and to those who do such organizing. From GI Cafe Germany about plans around the sprawling Ramstein base in the heart of Europe.
Minneapolis, MN – U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder got a cold reception in Minneapolis May 27, where the Committee to Stop FBI Repression dogged him all day about FBI and grand jury attacks on anti-war and international solidarity activists. 100 people gathered outside his event at the University of Minnesota. The shouts of protesters outside could be heard inside, “Hey Holder, hear our fury! Stop the FBI, end the grand jury!”
In September of 2010, 14 peace and international solidarity activists in the Midwest, including Minneapolis, were subpoenaed to testify at a secret grand jury investigating material support for terrorism. In December, nine more activists were subpoenaed. The 23 activists have declared their refusal to testify and have declared their First Amendment right to protest, to free speech and to assemble. Last week, the FBI stepped up its repression when it participated in a raid on the home of Los Angeles immigrant rights activist, Carlos Montes.
As Holder began to speak at the University of Minnesota event, several people stood up to interrupt him with questions demanding that he explain his why his Department of Justice is pursuing activists.
The first to challenge him was Tracy Molm, one of the targeted activists and a member of Students for a Democratic Society. Holder talked with her after his speech, saying they would have to “agree to disagree” on whether international solidarity activism like hers is constitutionally protected.
FBI plans, interview questions discovered in raided activist’s home
Activists in the Twin Cities today announced at a press conference that they were releasing a recently-found document that was left behind by federal agents when they raided Mick Kelly and Linden Gawboy’s Minneapolis home on 24 September 2010.
FBI agents, who raided the home of Mick Kelly and Linden Gawboy, took with them thousands of pages of documents and books, along with computers, cell phones and a passport. By mistake, they also left something behind; the operation plans for the raid, “Interview questions” for anti-war and international solidarity activists, duplicate evidence collection forms, etc. The file of secret FBI documents was accidently mixed in with Gawboy’s files, and was found in a filing cabinet on April 30. We are now releasing them to the public.
Kasama has discussed the Kent State massacre of 1970 every year on its anniversary. The article first appeared on This Can’t Be Happening. Thanks to Stiofan for pointing this out. The Huffington Post also has an article on this new evidence.
Linn Washington Jr. is an Associate Professor of Journalism at Temple University in Philadelphia and a weekly columnist for The Philadelphia Tribune – America’s oldest black owned newspaper.
Obama Officials Refuse to Investigate New Evidence in National Guard 1970 Kent State Shootings
by Linn Washington Jr.
Three days after President Barack Obama visited Ground Zero in New York City on May 5th with his message of “justice being done” with the slaying of terrorist Osama bin Laden, disturbing news broke about this administration’s blocking of a quest for justice in the infamous May 1970 killing of four Kent State students.
Those four students fell in a barrage of gunfire on May 4, 1970 by Ohio National Guardsmen who opened fire during a peaceful protest against the Vietnam War on Kent State’s campus. That lethal fusillade of 67 shots during a 13-second period also wounded nine others, some seriously.
What is revolutionary work? We have started to push more on that in a pair of threads (following Gregory’s post and mine).
What is there beyond “activity in broad protest movements plus talking socialism”? Yes we need to be part of the movements that arise spontaneously around deeply felt issues of the day. Yes we need to be among the people especially when they rise up, and especially among those people in conflict with the system.
But the question is how do we do that, in what forms…. in what varieties of roles.
In a recent piece I spoke about the importance of both political struggle (that brings broader numbers people up against the system in a fighting front over key matters), and actions of the advanced. In order to flesh that out, it is valuable to give examples… here, in addition to some examples given earlier, is an important moment. It is an embodiment of the kinds of non-routinized, creative, non-stereotypical, shocking-but-soulstirring mass activities that we need to help conceive and execute.
This action was part of Dewey Canyon III, organized by Vietnam Veterans Against the War in April 1971, involving about 800 veterans throwing back their medals in front of the Congress — and including among them, war veterans associated with the communist Revolutionary Union (who reflected those politics in statements and ongoing work).
"No foreign intervention - Libyan people can manage it alone."
by Mike Ely
Over the last days there have been building threats of intervention by the U.S. and European powers in the affairs and events of Northern Africa. It is being announced (as usual) in the name of helping democracy — but, in fact, the deployment of weapons and planes would involve an inevitable power-grab, an attempt to influence (read: control) who emerges with power in Libya, and an attempt to justify the right of imperialist power to continuous and future intervention in the Middle East and Africa.
We should not assume that the U.S. plans some full invasion. They are currently tied up in two losing wars already — Gates just quipped that those who advocate U.S. land wars “should have their heads examined.”
The U.S. is likely to threaten “power projection” — by air, by arms supply, perhaps by dropping an electronic curtain over Libya. It will certainly support actions by its partners-in-crime, like Britain or France (or even various African puppet forces they have cultivated and trained).
Faces of Iraqi children in the aftermath of U.S. attacks -- Let us not forget what the world has learned.
One of the most ugly features of American political life is the casual chit-chat about “the best use of our power” — where both liberal and conservative pundits, politicians, talkshow commentators (Rachel Maddow!) and even assholes drinking coffee in your neighborhood greasy spoon debate their ugly views on how the U.S. “should” pound distant people — running down Pentagon “options” like they are participants in some global war room. The right of imperialism is assumed. The sense of superiority is overwhelming. You can’t help imagining the blood dripping off their lips and down their chins.
Just as we should not be confused by the U.S. bullshit about “helping democracy” so we should not be confused by their claims of restrained and cost-free bullying.
Even a “no fly zone” is an outrage. Just the movement of their navy toward Libya is an aggressive provocation. Every threat they now make is a precedent for more and coming interventions around the world.
We urge everyone to help expose and oppose these imperialist moves — especially the actions of the United States government.
For those unclear on the sinister nature of these moves — we urge you too look closely at the lives and faces of people in Afghanistan and Iraq, where U.S. invasion has led to massive suffering, permanent counter-insurgency, deepened ethnic fragmentation and the rise of utterly corrupt political forces. Worst of all: Where the gun goes, power follows. The intrusion of western military power will never produce liberated people — it will be an attempt to shape turmoil into new regimes of running dogs.
Thanks to Brad Sigal for sharing this report with us. It appeared (along with more important information) on the site of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression.
Palestine Solidarity Group Chicago Condemns
New Subpoenas Issued to Palestine Solidarity Activists
Submitted by stopfbi on Mon, 2010-12-20 21:22
December 20, 2010 – The Palestine Solidarity Group-Chicago (PSG) strongly condemns the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s continued harassment and repression of solidarity and anti-war activists with the issuance of five new subpoenas in the Chicago area to Palestine solidarity activists on Friday December 3 and Wednesday December 8.
This continues the assault on the anti-war and Palestine solidarity movement that began on September 24th. This case began with 14 subpoenas delivered to anti-war, labor and solidarity activists in coordinated raids that swept the Midwest, involving scores of federal agents. A total of 19 people have been subpoenaed. “The FBI is continuing their campaign to intimidate the movement,” stated Joe Iosbaker of the national Committee to Stop FBI Repression. Iosbaker was one of those raided and subpoenaed in September.
Thanks to Gary for suggesting this. It appeared in the British Independent.
Few things are more subversive, bold, desperate and lofty than fraternization in battle. This is a story from World War 1 (1914).
The Christmas truce: When the guns fell silent
So extraordinary was the Christmas truce of 1914 that some no longer believe it could have happened. But as a new film recreates those days, Stanley Weintraub says it was no myth
by Stanley Weintraub
Live-and-let-live accommodations occur in most wars. Chronicles since Troy record stops in fighting to bury the dead, to pray to the gods, to assuage a war-weariness, to offer signs of amity encouraging mutual respect. But none had happened on the scale or duration – or the potential for change – as when the shooting suddenly stopped on Christmas Eve 1914.
The difference then was in its potential to become more than a momentary respite. In retrospect, the interruption of the horror, to soldiers “the sausage machine”, seems unreal, incredible in its intensity and extent, impossible to have happened without consequences for continuing the war. Like a dream, when it was over, troops wondered at it, then continued with the grim business at hand.
“We thought we were incandescent. It was thrilling to be alive, to feel ourselves as part of a movement of liberation, to dedicate our lives to that movement, to be caught up in the urgency of transformation of ourselves and lives and planet, to take risks, to transgress, to feel a new love, and to feel a new rage.”
“I do not want to disappoint, but I have not changed at all. I renounce nothing I ever did. I am critical about some aspects of the past, but even then I don’t renounce any of it. And I’m not tired.”
“In the 1950s, I never would have expected the sudden burst we experienced in the 1960s, so the impossible does happen, and happens suddenly. It is not going to come from where we expect it. So, we talk about the long haul, and the work we do now in different ways is the seedbed, so that when that spark happens I think it is going to be greater than the 1960s.”
On Nov. 9, 2010, Platypus hosted the public forum, “Rethinking the New Left,” moderated by Spencer A. Leonard.
A deep crack has appeared in the Obama political coalition, as his more left-leaning supporters feel betrayed and abandoned on issue after issue — starting with the continuing wars, but now taking the form of continuing the Bush tax cuts for the rich. We have had our own discussion of this process, all along.
“The wording of the first paragraph is confusing. It can be read as if the people listed (Michael Moore, etc…) are the initiators of the letter, when in fact they are “the left establishment” that is being addressed by the letter. Also, while there is a list of signatories its not really clear who has initiated this. It would be great if Moore et al had the courage to sign on to something this frank. So far that is not the case.”
With the Obama administration beginning its third year, it is by now painfully obvious that the predictions of even the most sober Obama supporters were overly optimistic. Rather than an ally, the administration has shown itself to be an implacable enemy of reform.
It is not about the willingness to take risks, as Carl pointed out. The problem is protest mode. Protesting and marching with no connection to organizations and a movement organizing to seize power. I wrote a short essay a while back on an experience protesting police brutality and protest mode that I think is relevant. I pasted it below.
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Protests are Fine, but Power is Better
by Keith Joseph
In 1996 the New Brunswick the police murdered Carolyn “Sissy” Adams in the middle of the night. Local revolutionaries learned of the murder and released a flyer that hit the street before the morning newspapers calling for a demonstration that evening. Thousands of people turned out and the crowd grew as we marched through the city with red flags flying. We marched onto the highway and shut down the courts for the evening, it was thrilling and we made lots of demands like an “all elected civilian police control board.” But we didn’t really know what to do next.
Thanks to Chegitz for suggesting this article from the BBC. This piece obviously represents a pretty cynical view — but it raises questions that are of interest. What happens when specific tactics become a routine… and has lost its surprise, its bite, its coherent purpose.
“To make my voice heard,” was the usual reply. Really? Even if the government isn’t listening? Making one’s voice heard wasn’t the reason people went on marches at the beginning.
‘Today, marching seems to be a retro activity, an act of political nostalgia more than a tactic to bring about specific change”
Political Marching: What’s at risk?
By Michael Goldfarb
The police motorcycles came out of nowhere and blocked the intersection of Kingsway and Theobald’s Road in central London. The bus came to a sudden stop and remained motionless.
What the heck? I walked forward to ask the driver what was going on and then I heard whistles and drums and indistinct chanting. I no longer needed to ask. The kids from the University of London were marching to protest tuition fee rises.
“…last June in Holder v. the Humanitarian Law Project [the Supreme Court] decided that non-violent First Amendment speech and advocacy ‘coordinated with’ or ‘under the direction of’ a foreign group listed by the Secretary of State as ‘terrorist’ was a crime.”
“In 1996, Congress made it a crime then punishable by 10 years, later increased to 15 years, to anyone in the U.S. who provides “material support or resources to a foreign terrorist organization or attempts or conspires to do so.” The present statute defines “material support or resources” as:
‘any property, tangible or intangible, or service, including currency or monetary instruments or financial services, lodging training, expert advice or assistance, safe houses, false documentation or identification, communications equipment, facilities, weapons, lethal substances, explosives, personnel and transportation except medicine or religious materials.’”
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Each of us needs to understand the implications and dangers of these developments.
First that we need to expose and help defeat attempts to criminalize internationalism.
Second, while important solidarity work remains legal and urgent – such efforts should not be “coordinated with” international groups. I.e.Specific international connections and coordination are being made legally “radioactive” and internationalist work within needs to be carefully independent (in planning, conception and finances) from people outside the country — no casual communications, no back and forth flow of suggestions, no appearance of mutual consultation on plans, no exchange of seemingly innocent help (skills, money, etc.) Any international communications by solidarity participants should be limited and careful scrutinized with these legal constraints in mind. Anyone who is approached by someone claiming to be from a proscribed group who claims to have suggestions (however innocent) should report the incident and not pursue the conversation — entrapment is a real tactic of sinister forces.
Chicano antiwar activist Carlos Montes’ next court hearing is Tuesday, January 24.
Thanks to Chegitz for suggesting this article from the 
