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U.S./Israel Hands Off Syria! A Statement by the United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC) The May 2-3 and 4-5 nighttime bombings of Syria's International Airport, military installations in a Damascus suburb and a military supply depot reportedly killed 300 people. The bombings were initially denied but then confirmed by Israel and soon after given the stamp of approval by the Obama Administration. The previous week President Obama and Secretary of Defense Charles Hagel threatened to escalate U.S. intervention in Syria based on the unsubstantiated charge that Syria had employed weapons of mass destruction, in this case the deadly sarin gas. What is incontrovertible is that U.S. allies in the region - Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia - have supplied hundreds of millions of dollars in lethal military aid to destabilize the Syrian regime. The U.S. itself claims to have supplied some $400 million in "non-lethal aid." The U.S., which funds Israel's multi-billion dollar "Iron Dome" missile program, is the chief military force in the region. No serious observers believe that Israel, the largest recipient of U.S. aid in the world, to the tune of $4 billion annually, acts without U.S. approval - the same is undeniable with regard to Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the U.S. NATO ally, Turkey. In the case of Qatar, a nation without an army, the U.S.-established and privatized Blackwater military installation is used daily as an operational base for the U.S. war in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere. The U.S. Machiavellian strategy in Syria is first and foremost to advance its economic, military and regional "interests." The latter includes deepening the isolation of Iran, whose oil wealth the U.S. corporate elite seeks to regain. We recognize no rights among imperial nations to determine the future of any oppressed nation on earth, not to mention the modern day neo-colonial interveners. With regard to Syria, that right belongs to the Syrian people only. The U.S. government is presently restrained by the mass antiwar sentiment expressed in repeated polls over the past two years. The most recent Pew Research poll indicates that 62 percent are opposed to any U.S. intervention in Syria. We must add to this the fact the U.S. bloody wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the decades long U.S. support to the Egyptian Mubarak dictatorship as well as the constant drone attacks on Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia have earned it the deep hatred of the peoples of the Middle East and beyond. The Iraq "weapons of mass destruction" justification for this still-raging war, that has taken the lives of 1.5 million Iraqis so far, and the ongoing war in Afghanistan, wherein the U.S. puppet Hamid Karzai regime is discredited around the world, has convinced social justice activists everywhere that the U.S. imperial rulers fight for oil and military-geographic advantage and not for peace and justice. More than Ever the U.S. & the Worldwide Antiwar & Social Justice Movement Must Demand: . U.S./Israel Hands Off Syria! . Bring All U.S. Troops and Mercenaries Home Now! . Self-Determination for the Syrian People! . No to U.S. Sanctions Anywhere! . End All U.S. Aid to Israel! . U.S. Out of the Middle East Now! 5/9/13 WHO WE ARE The United National Antiwar Coalition formed at a conference attended by 800 activists from peace, environmental, and social justice groups from around the country held in Albany July 23-25, 2010, the largest conference held since the initiation of the so-called War on Terror. An Action Program was adopted which included a review of the present period, an ambitious program of actions, including national bicoastal mobilizations in NY and SF on April 9-10, campaigns to deal with the burning issues we face, and the demands we make on a government and system that puts profits above human needs. UNACpeace.org is a growing national coalition of organizations founded on: 1) unity in the movement, 2) independence from political parties, 3)demo-cratic-decision-making, 4) U.S. Out Now from Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan (and now Libya), and 5) a commitment to mass action as the major strategy for building a powerful and inclusive movement, while endorsing other kinds of actions as well to build a movement capable of bringing about fundamental change. Since July, UNACpeace.org has implemented the action program passed in Albany and responded to the huge events of recent months: the popular uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt, and other North African countries; the fight backs to union-busting and cuts to social services in Wisconsin and elsewhere; rising Islamophobia and racist attacks on Muslims such as the Peter King hearings and pre-emptive prosecutions; activists targeted by the FBI; threats to Gaza, Iran and No. Korea; the dangers of nuclear power; and the new war on Libya. WHO ARE THE PEACEMAKERS? WE are the vast majority of humanity who want peace, a healthy planet and a society that prioritizes human needs, democracy and civil liberties for all. WHAT WE FACE The US supports brutal dictators around the world, gives billions to Israel supporting the oppression of the Palestinians, claims over 800 military bases around the world, wages proxy wars in Africa, and ruthlessly bullies the world to maintain domination, control energy resources, and fend off competition. For strategic, not humanitarian reasons, the US-led military intervention in Libya threatens new wars in North Africa and to stifle the democratic movements that have inspired us in Egypt and elsewhere. Today, we face perpetual wars and occupations abroad that deplete the world's resources and contribute to thousands of deaths and massive suffering globally, as well as by American soldiers. The criminal economic, environmental, and human costs of war based on a system built on financial flimflam that takes from the poor and showers wealth on the banks, corporations and the few already obscenely rich, results in draconian austerity measures at home to pay for the false deficits they have created. As always, in the name of profits, the most vulnerable are victims - the Black community, Latinos, and Native Americans - bear the brunt. Muslims and immigrants are scapegoated to divert attention and blame from what those in Washington and their puppet masters are doing. Working people face unemployment, home foreclosures, poor education, and a broken health care system profiting insurance companies. They rape the environment in their unending craving for energy resources and treasure and subject us to health hazards like radiation and industrial pollution, and to the horrifying consequences of global warming. To quell dissent, they pass laws like the Patriot Act to abridge our civil rights and liberties. They go after truth tellers and whistle blowers. They entrap people to pick off leaders, divide the movements, and justify the "War on Terror". They come after peace, justice, solidarity and environmental activists with FBI raids and summons' to Grand Juries; they attack WikiLeaks for exposing their wrongdoings. They make speaking out and protesting a crime, claiming this gives material support to terrorists. WHAT WE STAND FOR WE DEMAND a better world. Only a massive, united, inclusive and independent movement has the power to bring it into being. WE DEMAND the U.S. Bring Troops, Mercenaries and War Contractors Home Now from Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan! No war on Libya or other North African countries! End the sanctions and stop the threats of war against the people of Iran and North Korea. No to war and plunder of the people of Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa! End U.S. Aid to Israel! End U.S. Support to the Israeli Occupation of Palestine and the Siege of Gaza! WE DEMAND trillions for jobs, education, social services, an end to all foreclosures, quality single-payer healthcare for all, a massive conversion to sustainable and planet-saving energy systems and public transportation and reparations to the victims of U.S. terror at home and abroad. WE DEMAND an end to FBI raids on antiwar, social justice, and international solidarity activists, an end to the racist persecution and prosecutions that ravage Muslim communities, an end to police terror in Black and Latino communities, full rights and legality for immigrants and an end to all efforts to repress and punish WikiLeaks and its contributors and founders, and whistle blowers like Bradley Manning. WE DEMAND the immediate end to torture, rendition, secret trials, drone bombings and death squads. The names and organizations of the people on the UNAC administrative committee are below: NAME ORGANIZATION Marilyn Levin co-coordinator New England United Joe Lombardo Co-coordinator Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace Leah Bolger Veterans for Peace Chris Gauvreau CT United for Peace Sara Flounders International Action Center Ashley Smith International Socialist Organization Joe Iosbaker Committee to Stop FBI Repression Margaret Kinberley Black Agenda Report Judy Bello Fellowship of Reconciliation, Upstate Coalition to Ground the Drones Monami Maulik Desis Rising Up and Moving (DRUM) Bernadette Ellorin BAYAN, USA Abayomi Azikiwe Pan African News Wire, Michigan Emergency Committee Against War and Injustice Representative Muslim Peace Coalition, USA Jeff Mackler San Francisco UNAC Pete Shell Thomas Merton Center, Pittsburgh www.UNACpeace.org <https://nationalpeaceconference.org/Donate.html> click here to donate to UNAC <http://www.facebook.com/#%21/home.php?sk=group_157059221012587&ap=1> Click here for the Facebook UNAC group. _____ _____ To add yourself to the UNAC listserv, please send an email to: [email protected] <http://us.mc1216.mail.yahoo.com/mc/[email protected] et> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- LAAMN: Los Angeles Alternative Media Network --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unsubscribe: <mailto:[email protected]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe: <mailto:[email protected]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Digest: <mailto:[email protected]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Help: <mailto:[email protected]?subject=laamn> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post: <mailto:[email protected]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Archive1: <http://www.egroups.com/messages/laamn> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Archive2: <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yahoo! 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