http://www.ufppc.org/content/view/2264/


Informant: jensenmk

From ufpj-news

Our last Iraq Update announced the online Wage Peace movie depicting the human cost of war. The response has been terrific. Thank you all for telling your friends about the campaign.

The movie has now been viewed more than 30,000 times, and more than 25,000 people have joined the Wage Peace Campaign by signing the petition. The momentum is building.

Here are two things you can do to keep up this momentum for peace:

- Download the print version of the Iraq Peace Petition and ask your friends, colleagues, faith community, and neighbors to sign it. Download it here: http://ga3.org/ct/sdA7S5F1Tz2k/petition/

- Ask your favorite websites to link to the Wage Peace Campaign. Or mention the campaign and movie on discussion boards and listservs. This will help us get out the word about our efforts to the broadest possible audience.

And, of course, continue to tell your friends and lists about the movie, petition, bracelets, and the campaign in general.

We've heard from many of you that you have sent out messages to many, many people, and we appreciate it. Keep up the great work!

I have two more things to highlight. You'll hear details about them soon.

Second anniversary of the war

March 19 will mark the two-year anniversary of the war in Iraq. An inspiring variety of activities are scheduled at the local and national level. We'll be posting event listings and resources on our website soon. We'll let you know when the information is online. For now, please mark your calendars. We want the story of the second anniversary to be the story of the growing peace community.

War funding

Yesterday, President Bush introduced a 'supplemental' funding bill to cover the expenses of this war - estimated to be $5 billion a month. Continued funding of a military occupation signals a determination to prevail militarily and raises questions about long-term U.S. interests in Iraq. The lesson of the recent elections is that the Iraqi people wish to be in charge of their own affairs.

The Administration has not learned from its mistakes. Instead, the U.S. should meet its legal obligations under the Fourth Geneva Convention to repair war damages and provide food, water, and public safety to Iraq. We should be helping Iraqis rebuild Iraq, not continuing to fund a military occupation.

Peace,
Peter Lems
AFSC Iraq staff

P.S. Our colleagues at the Friends Committee on National Legislation are organizing home district lobbying for the peace community. Join with your neighbors to visit your elected officials while they are in the home district for the Presidents' Day recess. Visit the online registration system to join others in your area. http://ga3.org/ct/spA7S5F1Tz2o/fcnl/

The senators described the management of the CPA's multi-billion dollar reconstruction programme as a "scandal".

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4266231.stm


From Information Clearing House

British opponents of the Iraq war arrested for breaking into military bases were denied justice because the conflict itself was illegal, a court case with potentially far-reaching implications was told.

http://tinyurl.com/4un3y


From Information Clearing House

An Australian scientist involved in the US search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq today said the CIA censored his reporting so that it suggested the weapons existed.

http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=4130247


From Information Clearing House

An Australian intelligence insider reveals how key dossiers on Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction were censored, and how his early reports to Canberra about prisoner abuse were ignored.

http://207.44.245.159/article8067.htm

Wreaking Death and Destruction

That's what soldiers do. Why the shock? Article by Charley Reese:
http://www.lewrockwell.com/reese/reese163.html

What war does to many normal people: “Some days you walk outside [in Baghdad, Iraq] and start gagging because it’s so bad. There’s always something dead along the road. Everything from (Iraqis) to dead civilians to dead U.S. (personnel),” Iraq War Army veteran Caleb Catron said.

http://www.veteransforcommonsense.org/?Page=Article&ID=2834

Here is another example of how the military and veterans' healthcare systems are failing, as the Iraq War takes a very heavy toll on our Nation's soldiers: "Sergeant Curtis Greene loved the military; the structure, the stability. But eight months in Iraq changed him. And the thought of returning led him to a stark proclamation." Greene committed suicide rather than return to the Iraq War.

http://www.veteransforcommonsense.org/?Page=Article&ID=2833