June, 04 2009, 09:38am EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Contact Paul Kawika Martin at 951-217-7285, or,email Paul,.,Contact Jon Rainwater at 510-469-3700, or,email Jon,.
U.S. Largest Peace Group Responds to Obama Cairo Speech
Peace Action, the nation's largest peace organization, responded to
President Obama's speech to the Muslim world in Cairo, Egypt. Paul
Kawika Martin, the group's political director, stated:
"Peace Action appreciates the diplomatic power of President Obama's
words emanating from the Muslim country of Egypt. It will be deeds not
words that, in the end, heighten the United States' moral stature and
make Americans safer. Some of these actions include:
WASHINGTON
Peace Action, the nation's largest peace organization, responded to
President Obama's speech to the Muslim world in Cairo, Egypt. Paul
Kawika Martin, the group's political director, stated:
"Peace Action appreciates the diplomatic power of President Obama's
words emanating from the Muslim country of Egypt. It will be deeds not
words that, in the end, heighten the United States' moral stature and
make Americans safer. Some of these actions include:
"In the Afghanistan region, halt all air and Predator drone strikes
that kill, injure and traumatize innocent civilians and drive people to
the Taliban and Al-Qaeda. Provide an exit strategy for U.S. troops to
come home as soon as practicably possible.
"Bring all troops and contractors home from Iraq by next summer without leaving 25, 50 thousand or more troops in the country."
"Become a moral example by not only renouncing torture, but closing the
Guantanamo Detention Facility in Cuba, the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq,
and the military prison at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan.
"Cut U.S bureaucracy to provide more visas to Muslim students and professionals that allow cultural exchanges.
"Increase Iranian diplomacy at all levels including lifting the ban on routine diplomatic contact with Iranian officials.
"And lastly, significantly increase Afghan and Iraqi-led humanitarian
aid, development work and funds to solve the refugee and internally
displaced peoples crisis for Afghans, Pakistanis and Iraqis."
Peace Action is the United States' largest peace and disarmament organization with over 100,000 members and nearly 100 chapters in 34 states, works to achieve the abolition of nuclear weapons, promote government spending priorities that support human needs and encourage real security through international cooperation and human rights.
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Progressives in the U.S. Congress on Sunday urged the Biden administration to resist calls for an attack on Iran following the country's
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The hawkish rhetoric came from both sides of the political aisle in the U.S.—Israel's main ally and weapons supplier.
U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.), one of Congress' most fervent supporters of Israel's war on Gaza, claimed Iran is "the single most destabilizing force in the Middle East" and "must be held accountable for the aggression it has long shown toward Israel not only directly but also indirectly through proxies like Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis."
U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), directing her message at President Joe Biden, was more explicit in demanding an immediate military response from the U.S.
"We must move quickly and launch aggressive retaliatory strikes on Iran," Blackburn wrote on social media.
The number two Republican in the U.S. House, Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.),
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"The House of Representatives stands strongly with Israel, and there must be consequences for this unprovoked attack," Scalise added. "More details on the legislative items to be considered will be forthcoming."
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Iran's launch of hundreds of drones and missiles on Saturday marked its first direct assault on Israel, which has repeatedly engaged in covert attacks inside Iranian territory. On April 1, Israel bombed Iran's consulate in the Syrian capital, killing diplomats and a senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander.
Iran said its retaliatory firing of missiles and drones—most of which were intercepted—was in line with international law. One person, a seven-year-old girl, was seriously injured in the attack.
Israeli officials immediately vowed revenge, a pledge that intensified global calls for restraint to prevent the regional war in the Middle East from spiraling further out of control.
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The Intercept's Ken Klippenstein and Daniel Boguslaw noted Sunday, the conflict "now involves at least 16 different countries," including the U.S., which "flew aircraft and launched air defense missiles from at least eight countries, while Iran and its proxies fired weapons from Iraq, Syria, and Yemen."
U.S. Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.), a vocal supporter of a cease-fire in Gaza, issued a statement Sunday condemning both Israel's attack on Iran's consulate and Tehran's response, which she said "threaten civilian lives and regional war."
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Bush urged the Biden administration to "take immediate steps, including at the U.N. Security Council and G7, to de-escalate and facilitate an immediate, lasting cease-fire in the region."
U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), the lone congressional no vote against the war in Afghanistan, similarly called on the Biden administration to "lead efforts toward de-escalation, diplomacy, and securing a permanent cease-fire in Gaza."
"We must resist the U.S. becoming embroiled in another costly conflict abroad, but rather lead toward peace and security in the region," Lee added.
Axiosreported Sunday that Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directly that the U.S. would not "support any Israeli counterattack against Iran." An unnamed official told the outlet that "when Biden told Netanyahu that the U.S. will not participate in any offensive operations against Iran and will not support such operations, Netanyahu said he understood."
Echoing her progressive colleagues, U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.)
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The protesters remained in the museum overnight on Saturday and ended their action on Sunday.
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