A National Conference to Bring the Troops Home Now!

Submitted by marilynlboston on Thu, 07/15/2010 - 8:20pm.

A National Conference to Bring the Troops Home Now!

July 23–25, 2010

Crowne Plaza Hotel, Albany, New York

In these troubled times, Washington’s wars and occupations rage, resulting in an ever increasing number of dead and wounded and the destruction of countries posing no threat to the U.S. Trillions are spent on seemingly endless conflicts in pursuit of profits and global domination, while trillions more are lost by working people in loss of jobs, homes, pensions, health care, and cuts to social programs and public services. The U.S. goes to war to plunder the world’s fossil fuel resources, the unrestrained use of which threatens the future of our planet.

We must demand the immediate and total withdrawal of U.S. military forces, mercenaries and contractors from Afghanistan and Iraq, and the end to drone attacks on Pakistan, Afghanistan, and other countries and call for self-determination for the people of all countries. Moreover, we recognize that the Middle East cauldron today also encompasses Iran, Yemen, Palestine, and Israel, while countries in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa are targeted for intervention by a militarized U.S. foreign policy.

The urgency of the current world situation DEMANDS UNITY OF ACTION and purpose to generate the broad social movement we must create to not only end wars and occupations, but to fundamentally change the aggressive policies that inevitably lead our country to militarism, racism, and war. Our cry must be “Money for Human Needs; Not for Wars, Occupations, and Bail-Outs.”

Come to a conference where peace, social justice and environmental activists will come together to discuss the major concerns we face and to hammer out an ambitious program of action. The time is long overdue for such a gathering.

SCHEDULE

Friday evening, July 23: Panel discussion on “Strategies & Tactics in the Struggle to End the Empire’s Wars and Occupations”; Presentation of Action Proposal

Saturday, July 24: Keynote Speakers; Workshops; Lunch panel on Government Repression, Defense of Political Prisoners, and Guantanamo Detainees; Plenary Discussion of Action Proposal, Amendments & Resolutions

Saturday evening, July 24: Public Forum with speakers & cultural performances

Sunday, July 25: Plenary Discussion and Vote on Action Proposal; Workshops

CO-SPONSORS

After Downing Street, Arab American Union Members Council, Bailout the People Movement, BAYAN, Black Agenda Report, Campaign for Peace and Democracy, Campus Antiwar Network, Citizen Soldier, Code Pink, Fellowship of Reconciliation, Grandmothers Against the War, Granny Peace Brigade, International Action Center, Iraq Veterans Against the War, Military Families Speak Out, May 1st Workers and Immigrant Rights Coalition, National Assembly to End U.S. Wars and Occupations, National Lawyers Guild, Office of the Americas, Peace Action, Peace of the Action, Progressive Democrats of America, Project Salam, September Eleventh Families for Peaceful Tomorrows, Students for a Democratic Society, U.S. Labor Against the War, Veterans for Peace, Voices for Creative Nonviolence, Voters For Peace, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, World Can’t Wait

CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

NOAM CHOMSKY, Internationally renowned political activist, author, and critic of U.S. foreign and domestic policies, MIT Professor Emeritus of Linguistics

DONNA DEWITT, President, South Carolina AFL-CIO; Co-Chair, South Carolina Progressive Network; Steering Committee, U.S. Labor Against the War; Administrative Body, National Assembly to End the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars and Occupations

Additional Speakers: Joel Kovel, Dahlia Wasfi, Leila Zand, Cheri Honkala, Medea Benjamin, Pardiss Kebriaei, Kathy Kelly, Michael Ferner, Kevin Martin, Michael McPhearson, Nada Khader, Larry Holmes, Shamshad Ahmad, Michael Eisenscher, David Swanson, Glen Ford, Blanca Missé, Pam Africa, Cindy Sheehan, Fahima Vorgetts, Blase Bonpane, Kathy Black, Debra Sweet, Theresa Gutierrez, Lynda Cruz, Noura Erakat, Ann Wright (partial list)

PANEL ON POLITICAL REPRESSION, GUANTANAMO,

MUSLIM POLITICAL PRISONERS

Hear statements from political prisoners Attorney Lynne Stewart, Mumia Abu-Jamal, Imam Aref and speakers from Project Salam, the Muslim Solidarity Committee, and the Center for Constitutional Rights

WORKSHOPS

Afghanistan/Pakistan: Strategy behind US Intervention

Social Impact of Occupation on Afghanistan/Pakistan

Human Costs of Targeting Iraq

Israel/Palestine: Two-States Possible/Desirable?

Resistance to Israeli Apartheid: BDS, Gaza

Iran Under Threat From U.S./Israel

Bring Our War $$ Home: Resolution/Referendum Campaigns

US Foreign Policy, Economic Crisis, & Labor

Solidarity with Workers in Countries Targeted by US

Poor People’s Movements: Racism, Exploitation, Militarism

Honduras: End US Support for Coup Government

Climate, War & Planetary Survival

Haiti: Truth of US Occupation

Colombia: No US Military Bases

Building Bridges Peace & Justice Movements

Nonviolent Resistance

Spiritual Approaches to Creating Peace

Health is a Human Right

Faith Community & the Antiwar Movement

US Military Expansion into Africa

Organizing Veterans & Military Families

Counter-Recruitment in High Schools

Rise of Right Wing Populism/Tea Party: Do We Need A Right-Left Coalition?

Student Organizing: Budget Cuts & Wars

Immigration Reform & Militarization of Mexican Border

Women Against War

Muslim Voices Protest Preemptive Prosecution/Prison

Closing Guantanamo

War, Militarization, Assault on Civil Liberties & Communities of Color

Electoral and Legislative Strategy and Tactics

Effects of Uranium Munitions &Environmental Costs

Managed News

UNITED ANTIWAR CONFERENCE (UNAC)

For further information and to register, go to our website:

http://www.nationalpeaceconference.org

Or write UNAC, P.O. Box 21675, Cleveland, OH 44121; phone 518-227-6947

7/14/10

United for Justice with Peace is a coalition of peace and justice organizations and community peace groups in the Greater Boston region. The UJP Coalition, formed after September 11th, seeks global peace through social and economic justice.

Help us continue to do this critical work! Make a donation to UJP today.

info@justicewithpeace.org

617-383-4857

www.justicewithpeace.org

Upcoming Events:


Occupy the T	Mon Feb 13	3:00pm	Copley Square	Boston
Senators Kerry & Brown: Don't Break Our Hearts!	Tue Feb 14	11:45am	Downstairs from Sen. John Kerry's office	Boston
Occupy Peace Summit	Fri Feb 24	6:00pm	Friends Center	Philadelphia, PA
Remember Fukushima: Walk for a New Spring	Fri Mar 2	9:00am	Seabrook, NH to Plymouth, MA to Vernon, VT	Seabrook, NH to Plymouth, MA to Vernon, VT
Occupy AIPAC!	Fri Mar 2	9:00am		Washington, DC
Remember Fukushima!	Tue Mar 6	6:00pm	Cambridge Friends Meeting Center	Cambridge
Challenging the Pivot: The U.S., China, & Alternatives to Asia-Pacific Militarization	Tue Mar 13	7:30pm	Episcopal Divinity School	Cambridge
Massachusetts Jobs with Justice 20th Anniversary Dinner	Thu Mar 15	6:00pm	Suffolk Downs	East Boston