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Protesters Try to Influence Afghanistan Policy
In the wake of terrible news out of Afghanistan, there is renewed debate at the Pentagon and White House over the future of the war.
A protestor is arrested as he participates in a demonstration against torture, detentions in Guantanamo Bay and the war in Afghanistan and Iraq, in front of the White House in Washington on October 5, 2009. UPI/Kevin Dietsch. In the first five days of the month, there have been more deaths of U.S. service members than in all of October in 2008. And the calls for an end to the war were increasingly loud outside the White House Monday afternoon.
In a defiant display with hopes of influencing the president's plan on Afghanistan, hundreds of people marched from McPherson square chanting and holding signs. Some chained themselves to the White House fence, demanding we leave Afghanistan now and wondering aloud, where's the "change" they were promised.
"I hope he's not in the business of ignoring us because if he's about the business of ignoring, it's going to spell his downfall," said Bill Dyson of Connecticut.
Wayne Young and his wife came all the way from Denver.
"We shouldn't be the world policemen. We're not authorized to do that, that's what the U.N. is for."
Their pleas, and cheers fro group leaders like Cindy Sheehan, come amid increased violence in Afghanistan. Eight U.S. service members were killed over the weekend, 16 so far this month. And now, the White House must consider General McChrystal's request for 40,000 more troops.
Monday morning, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said, "With violence levels up some 60 percent from last year I believe the decisions the president will make for the next stage of the Afghanistan campaign will be among the most important of his presidency."
Late Monday afternoon, insight from White House spokesman Robert Gibbs: "No part of the conversation involved leaving Afghanistan. That's not something that's ever been entertained."
The White House will hold several top-level meetings on the direction of the war this week with officials from the Pentagon and Congress. Meanwhile, there's also concern the insurgency is intensifying.
"Americans are infidels," one rebel recently told ABC News in Afghanistan. "My house is destroyed, my father and two nephews killed. God willing, I will fight to the last."
But so, too, will protesters; more than 50 today, willing to be arrested if it can help their voices be heard.
"We haven't been successful in the past you know," said Cindy Sheehan. "We've been out here with hundreds of thousands of people. That was a different time. We're hoping if we do create a mass movement that we can affect policy."
Moments later, she was handcuffed and carted off with a bus load of other protesters.
- Posted in
40 Comments so far
Show AllCindy Sheehan:
Thank you for remaining to be a voice for peace.
Thank you Common Dreams for publishing this. News on protests just don't get the coverage they deserve from other sources.
It's clear from Obama's staff member's comment that getting out of Afghanistan was never on the table.
The pipeline must be built to benefit Obama's campaign contributors.
I admire Cindy Sheehan and the rest of the protestors for speaking out.
"Thank you Common Dreams for publishing this. News on protests just don't get the coverage they deserve from other sources."
Just got the idea that whenever such protests are not covered by MSM and right wing sites, we could post the news we find here to those places that do not cover them. That way more than just us are seeing what is happening.
So Obama's goons are no different than Bush's.
That Cindy Sheehan has been arrested is a travesty and a tragedy.
Her son died for a lie. Now other mothers will know that same grief.
For NOTHING!
Cindy is one of the last few of you willing to speak truth to power.
That people are being arrested and oppressed for exercising their right to free speech in a supposedly 'free' country is tragic beyond description.
Cindy Sheehan always knew how to fight with her heart and mind despite the persecuting defeats in elections and arrests. My heart goes out to you Ms. Sheehan. :.(
I agree with everything you've written except the past tense.
AFAIK, Cindy's still alive & kicking!
· Yr Obd't Servant
Man, the awesome things that happen just 5 blocks from where I work.
Those of us who have worked for peace into our old age, must now again take up he banner. In our broken down physical conditions we must again lead the charge. There are so few others willing to risk, especially the young, that it is up to us once again. We will not fail to take the fight to the elitist warmonger Obama. In our ashes perhaps the young will find meaning and courage. We must do it or it will not be done! Old peace activists rise once again!
Agreed!
But there _are_ young anti-war activists - at least where I live, and you must recognize that young activists will do things differently, and respect their way of resistance as part of a diverse spectrum of tactics.
Yep pjd412. "Back in my day" is one boring turn-off. We can give the benefits of our experience only if we have eyes open to what's new. Young people's insights and tactics are sometimes a source of great delight.
Joe
Agreed.
Like I have written before, I have seen the demise of my local peace and justice center an an effective agent after the departure of it's former open-minded director who respected diversity of tactics. Older activists took over, one of them a fairly famous ploughshares action veteran. the older activists, probably under the pressure of some of the wealther donors to the center, proceeded to alienate the youthful - particularly the anarchist and anarchist-leaning youth. I later learned that the former director, who elevated the center to incredible levels of media visibility and effectiveness during the Iraq War runup protests, was actually hated by the old activists.
Young people prefer louder more confrontational actions (drumming, shouting, blocking streets, standung firm aganist police violence (plus and a wonderful, even if out-of-tune, anarchist marching band). This leads older people to, oddly enough, accuse them of supporting "violence". This seems especially odd, because one of them engaged in, and all supported the most decidedly "violent" ploughshares-type vandalism actions at military and military manufacturing facilities in the past. But when one breaks the window of a powerful bank for which the war machine serves, it is condemned as "violence". Is it becasue the athiestic anarchist didn't pray and recieve holy communion from one of the Berrigans before engaging in his vandalism protest action? Sorry about the sarcasm, but I'm really confused here.
Yes, there are some young peace activists. And some of them have pretty good ideas for taking the word out to the street, but there is a contingent that are doing exactly the same mistakes that some of us old farts could have helped them avoid. The generational break in the anti-war movement is very unfortunate and one of the reasons that it has been so ineffective.
Most of the big anti-war rallies under Bush were before Cindy Sheehan became a Peace-mom (this is not to diss Cindy, I have stood with her and the Crawford PeaceCamp people, Code Pink and Ray McGovern, et cetera, and have great admiration and respect for them). When you look out over a crowd of half a million people and notice that 7/8 of the people that have hair, have grey hair, it's very discouraging for those of us who would like to hand off this responsibility to the young, who are, of course, the ones that will have to deal with the long-term effects.
And then to have some Revolutionaries-for-a-day BlackBloc poseurs with their "different tactics" start smashing windows and throwing things at the cops, gets a reaction from the cops that savages the peaceful and basically, violates all of our rights to protest. These same twits put up websites in advance advocating a "Battle in Seattle" or other catchy nonsense and that brings out the riot gear.
Little clue to the Revolutionaries: If you really are planning to start the revolution at some auspicious date, like a big demo, don't telegraph your punches. It tips the cops off and they have to respond.
If you are trying to provoke a larger fight by provoking the cops to beat on peaceful protestors, who you figure will be radicalized and fight back, 1, you are sorely mistaken and 2, you are careless scum, no better than the thugs that used to be in the WhiteHouse.
That approach got a lot of people hurt, it caused the curtailing of everyone's freedom of speech and discouraged some of the meeker peaceniks from coming out, eventually caused us to stop building these big demos.
G20Pitts is a perfect example. "Anarchist" wannabes posted very militant exhortations to go to Pittsburgh and start the Revolution. The Cops responded (as they had to) with massive deployment in riot gear. Since they couldn't tell who was a real threat and who wasn't, they assumed everyone was a potential threat and acted accordingly (this is the same problem as counter-insurgency, you can't distinguish between friend and foe, so they all get treated like potential enemies).
And then, the Left was all whining about the "Police State" and "Police Brutality".
So, yes, by all means, young people are encouraged to get active and involved, but think about what you are doing and how it will effect the rest of the people that are out there working toward the same goal.
And one other thing. The largest contingent of young people at most of these events are the Vets. And they make up all of the growth in the movement that we saw from the rallies before Shock&Awe through the last big one in 2007. In fact, veterans of wars going back to the Second World War are a large part of the Anti-War community. It's not just bad manners to dump on these people but also bad tactics. Many of these people believed that they were doing service to the country. It wasn't until they had gotten out there that their eyes opened. They've come back with a clear understanding of what a horrorshow we are visiting on the poor brown people that our wars slaughter and the wrongness of war in the first place. They speak with authority on the subject and they get the attention of people who write off the Peaceniks as cowards, et cetera. They also act as a shield with the Media (if there is any coverage at all, which usually, there isn't). It's hard for a FUX Noise or Rush Limpbaugh to villainize a peace protestor in full battle rattle, causes them (and their audiences) a cognitive dissonance, makes it hard for them to spin.
I'm with you Stone!
I am with you Stone!
George W. called them the "Axis of Evil": Iraq, Iran, and North Korea. Iran called us "The Great Satan". I never believed in the former, but am beginning to believe in the latter. Talking about government and foreign policy, of course, not about every individual US citizen.
The true "axis of evil" in the world is always the result of the mistaken ego perception of separation, of each individual being separate, alone, and in competition for survival, rather than being an individuated part of the whole of humanity.
I believe this world is for learning simply this.
It is still alien for many to see this but little by little we can show the way. It's simply love, and what better way is there?
Love is the real force that conquers evil.
Must this devolve to armed revolution? We who are vets were trained in the use of arms. Must we do it here - in our home sreets?
MichaelC
Probably.
I believe in non-violence but I am not a pacifist and sometimes you have no choice. An example: If someone broke into my home and threatened my family it would be evident that non violence would not work. We maybe coming to the time where we may have to threaten violence and quit being a doormat for the most evil people in the world. To me, it is very honorable to be a brave, soldier against evil when your country is REALLY threatened by evil, and that is true patriotism, but the Military, Industrial, Media, Congressional complex has in the true Orwellian sense taken brave, patriotic soldiers and used them for their deceitful, nefarious deeds of protecting the corportocracy. Patrick Henry's admonition to " give me liberty or give me death " is the puissant saying of the true patriot.
"We maybe coming to the time where we may have to threaten violence" Respectfully disagree. When does violence ever succeed?
"and quit being a doormat for the most evil people in the world" which we can do without violence. We have to find a way to stop ennabling or cooperating with policies of war. We can be firm and resolute without engaging in the violent behavior we abhor.
" To me, it is very honorable to be a brave, soldier against evil when your country is REALLY threatened by evil, and that is true patriotism, " Which is what our counterparts say re their perception of the GWOT.
It surely is time for leaders in peace to show the way.
"Strength through peace"
When does violence ever succeed?
Where has violence not suceeded? It has a splendid record of success - most recently the successes of the US in Iraq and Israel in Palestine. The only question is; on whose behalf was the success?
That would depend on your definition of success.
Not necessarily, it depends on how/if the usa can survive if it's not the dominant power any longer. (see the other article about the potential end of the us dollar as the reserve currency of the world) If your corporations go broke, there might not be any need to go to an armed revolution, as long as they don't protest too much about losing all their money...
SHAME SHAME SHAME -- the country that calls itself the paragon of "democracy" and "free speech" -- chains and jails and muzzles Americans for exercising free speech in the TRUEST possible way and for the RIGHT reasons:
to END its WARMongering, WARMAKING statehood!
SHAME !
Afganistan spelled s the end of Soviet Russia, hopefully it is also the end of Imperial America
"The only means of strengthening one's intellect is to make up one's mind about nothing, to let the mind be a thoroughfare for all thoughts." - John Keats
Life in a Capitalist Dictatorship.
It's sort of like communism in Soviet Russia but with glitzy commercials and smiling dictators. Oh yeah, and no job security and health care too.
Cindy Sheehan is the best we have in the USA. I wish Moore, Oprah and Colbert would stick her on the front pages and keep her there. I hate to say it but Cindy Sheehan may be our last hope.
What about Dennis Kucinich?
How about Cindy Sheehan as V.P. or at least in his cabinet?
Robert Gibbs: "No part of the conversation involved leaving Afghanistan. That's not something that's ever been entertained."
That speaks volumes. Leaving isn't something that has ever been entertained, i.e., wined and dined, given a seat at Washington's infamous table. I'm not a strategerist like the geniuses seated at The Table, but if leaving is something that's never been considered, then I assume this logic will repeat indefinitely as more money and lives are consumed by the Looong War. Could we get Mr. Gibbs to let us know if this permawar also applies to Pakistan? Because I understand that more and more people in Pakistan also don't like our war and will have to be "entertained." Maybe the drunken fools in Washington should cancel the cocktail parties - out of the appearance of decency if we can't have it in fact - until our wars can be concluded. That way your Table won't look so debauched.
ok, one more time. terrorism is a stadegy, not a group of people. It cannot be fought by greater terroism. this only produces more seriously people who we call terrorists. this is only a bigtime senseless hatfield vs. mccoys wh/spells endless death.
I always thought that the hatfields vs. mccoys were the definition of insanity. I felt the same way about sparta vs athens. Now, still even under obama we remain engangd in these insanities.
END the OCCUPATIONS! NO ESCALATION! STOP THE WAR, STOP THE BOMBS, BRING OUR PEOPLE HOME, NOW!!!!!
Health care without a public option is like anti-war without the 'anti'.
Obama is not doing squat to confront this ruling-elite corporate financial Empire, which controls our country by hiding behind its two-party, 'Vichy' sham of democracy, and its equally 'Vichy' corporatist media.
Hannah Arendt presciently warned from her experience with the Nazi Empire that all Empires ar the same, "Empire abroad (always) entails tyranny at home".
Obama, as the latest faux emperor for this criminal corporatist Empire is fully continuing the militarist "Empire abroad", and clearly extending "tyranny at home".
How could the principled left progressives ever have believed and become excited about this guileful con-man for the Empire?
Now, hopefully, we can move ahead to the organization of a true third party committed to social(ist) 'democracy' and the public interest --- instead of these corporate EMPIRE whores posing as 'democratic camilians'.
Alan MacDonald
Sanford, Maine
May peace be upon you, Cindy Sheehan.
Obama's second term is also not an option if the War goes on.
Obama's second term?
There is no guarantee he is going to survive his first...
"MichaelC October 5th, 2009 6:28 pm
Must this devolve to armed revolution? We who are vets were trained in the use of arms. Must we do it here - in our home sreets?" I certainly hope not. I enlisted during the "Cuban Missile Crisis", remained thru Viet Nam and retired in 1985. I thought I was doing the right thing. It makes me ashamed to see what is happening with our military now. I really believed we were fighting for "truth, justice and the American way." Now we have teabagging idiots running amock while peace activists arrested. Although a majority of Americans want withdrawal from Afganistan, withdrawal is "off the table!" Although a majority of Americans demand single payer health care, it also is "off the table!" maybe it is time for a New Table! Thank you Cindy and our brave citizens who have the courage to speak to power!
Welcome to AmeriKKKa!!!
many months ago - had a discussion with a Vietnam veteran - and i asked him what he thought of things ..since his days as a soldier...and he , as i understood it, felt betrayed...and seemed to agree when i intoned:
"you were all used, your love of the nation was used against you for the rich people who make and plan the wars".
i just feel so sad for that. it's always the ordinary people who have to suffer..and not just them individually, but their families, their children, friends. future and enlarged -- the country --
not to mention the countries the USA makes war against or provokes into wars with its lying policies claiming "democracy and freedom and justice".
as JOHN PERKINS - Former CIA "economic hitman" put it in his interviews :
"OUR POLICIES have always been designed to render other nations PERMANENTLY subjugated to our will and the will of our chamber of commerce...what americans do not really understand or admit is:
we have been living our lifestyles ..ONLY because it is part of a VERY , VERY vicious system of exploitation that Dehumanizes and Enslaves people EVERYWHERE".
and that includes AMERICANS whose LOVE for their country is USED against them to "render" them "permanently subjugated"
to the "will of the powers" and the "chamber of commerce"...
which of course is Corporatocracy, Big Finance, Big Banks, Big Corporations, MIC, etc... etc.
that General Smedley Butler talked about many decades ago.
Americans are USED against their better natures.
it is so sad. ..because despite their own flaws, just like all other peoples with their flaws - i believe that Americans in general are of the most compassionate, fairminded, kind and generous people
IF
they were not so coerced towards the HUBRIS and self-absorption represented by the "america is greatest" mythos....to their OWN individual and collective ruin and corruption by those that USE them.
it's so sad.
I see no end in sight, for Obama's efforts to win the admiration of enough Americans to keep him afloat. Suppose the "public option" wins after all. Suppose his new education initiative gains ground and finally wins approval and is enacted, etc. Will this obscure what he's doing in Afghaistan? Not a chance. What an immense disappointment Obama is. Even those that didn't vote for him in the first place (I voted, in protest, for McKinney), were hoping for better than this. What a charlatan.
PS can anyone recommend well-known "right wing" websites I could join for spreading info?
Don't bother, they'll delete your comments. They're not interested in truth.
Yes, donnalou, "strength through peace".
Dennis Kucinich advocates a Peace Department.
Why can we not get him elected when he represents everything we value:
Peace (End to war)
Jobs (End to Nafta, WTO)
Respect for Environment (regulations)
Health Care (single-payer)
Invest in Education (free college)
Take the money for war, welfare for the rich, etc. and all of this could be accomplished with money left over.
Who can disagree?
No one can 'legitimately disagree' with your very open and concise observation.
The only problem is the reality of the situation.
If Dennis Kucinich under the banner you speak of could be elected, the Plutocratic Oligarchy would force him to 'join them' (as they have Obama) or would not allow him to live long enough to implement the needed changes. The changes you speak of would render the control of billions of dollars from the 'PO' to the People; and that would be the end of the 'PO'. 'They' cannot allow that to happen. Their very existence depends upon the total control they have had since 1776; and they are experts at 'maintaining'.
If the American people truly want a Democracy (which they have never known) then they must first remove the Plutocratic Oligarchy from its domination of everything.
Then this truly would be the 'land of the free' and 'home of the brave' and a wonderful place to live and be a 'member' of.
"If the USA were another nation the USA would invade the USA to keep the world safe; and they would be justified."
This wouldn't be happening without a "volunteer" army poverty draft. That's one reason you don't see more folks in the streets protesting along with the fact that the antiwar protests were hijacked by political ideologues with their own agenda.