Stop the U.S. Bombing of Syria!
Stop the U.S. Bombing of Syria!
U.S. Out of Syria and the Middle East
Now!
(See list of actions at the bottom of this
statement. Join an action or organize your own and let us
know about your action by emailing: UNACpeace@gmail.com)
On Thursday,
April 6, the Trump administration launched 60 Cruise
Tomahawk missiles from its offshore Mediterranean warships
at Syria's al-Sshayrat military airfield near Homs,
Syria’s third largest city. The U.S. strikes obliterated
substantial portions of Syria's military capacity there.
Trump's action came a day after Democrat Hillary Clinton
urged the U.S. bombing of Syria.
Neither Trump nor any other U.S. government agency presented a shed of proof that the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad used sarin nerve gas in its bombing of ISIS, Al Qaida or any other “rebel” groups in Syria's Idlib province. President Assad denied using sarin gas while “Russia’s defense ministry” according to the UK-basedGuardian, has stated that the chemicals were release when a Syria bombed a “rebel” arm storage facility.
Bomb first! Ask questions later!
Trump and his now bi-partisan "Bomb
first! Ask questions later" cohorts have ignited what could
become a catastrophic escalation in the region that poses
the threat of nuclear war. Immediately before the U.S.
missile attack, the Trump administration convened a
bi-partisan group of 25 Democrats and 25 Republicans for a
congressional briefing session. While there was no
indication of opposition to the Trump attack, a few, citing
the U.S. Constitution, later expressed the need for
congressional debate and approval before waging
war.
Employing the Obama administration's "red line"
threat of war in 2013 Trump stated, “These heinous actions
by the Bashar al-Assad regime are a consequence of the past
administration’s weakness and irresolution. President
Obama said in 2012 that he would establish a ‘red line’
against the use of chemical weapons and then did nothing."
No doubt Trump was fully aware that Obama's "nothing"
included the continued arming, organizing, financing and
training of terrorist and associated U.S.-backed groups in
Syria aimed at al-Assad removal.
Corporate media beats the war drums
The corporate media near unanimously beat the war drums to fever pitch and then hailed the bombing without the slightest inclination to investigate, not to mention demand, any facts to substantiate their reflex support for Trump's monstrous deed. Indeed, and as always, when pretexts followed by war are employed to justify imperialist actions the corporate media paved the way with tragic photos of stricken and suffering children, all accompanied by unsubstantiated assertions that the Syrian government was responsible.
Few, if any, of the kept press proved capable of reporting that the 2013 sarin gas attacks in Syria, according to the research of Pulitzer Prize journalist Seymour Hersh and others, were the work not of the Syrian government but the so-called rebels in Syria, including ISIS. The latter took the Obama's "red line" thesis seriously and likely proceeded to make it happen. But Obama's effort to bring on yet another U.S. war of intervention and plunder was fortunately thwarted by world opinion and massive antiwar sentiment in the U.S. At that time, skepticism among U.S. allies regarding another U.S. land war in the region proved sufficient to halt the Obama administration’s drive to war. Yesterday, that proved sufficient, but not today.
With Syria's U.S.-backed "coalition" including NATO and Gulf State monarchy- abetted forces compelled to retreat from most of the two-thirds of Syria that they previously occupied and terrorized, a bi-partisan consensus has now emerged in Washington that Obama's "regime change" orientation cannot be dismissed.
U.S. war aims changed
Yesterday's bombing, according to this scenario, can be
effectively used at a future bargaining table to better
ensure U.S. influence in a contemplated reconstructed Syria.
U.S. imperialism's "fight" against ISIS terrorism can
now take a back seat to Assad's downfall down the line.
The need for a united and massive U.S. antiwar movement
in the streets of cities across the country has never been
greater. Trump's dangerous and murderous escalation, despite
his "assurance" that it is measured and "proportional," will
prove to be the beginning of renewed and intensified
U.S. imperialist war in Syria and the region and not
theend.
We are witness to a major shift in U.S.
policy wherein Democrats and Republicans alike, cannot brook
a defeat in a war that they have fueled and promoted for
almost seven years. Today’s crisis-ridden world economy
ruled by the one percent is compelled to pursue and
intensify its wars against working people at home and
abroad.
The days ahead will prove to be a critical measure of our capacity to unite and stay the hand of the world's most dangerous super power.
See protests in
cities across the country and around the world - Find one
near you or organize one. Here are just a few.
Anchorage, AK April 7 - 6pm -
222 W. 7th Ave.
Baltimore April 7 - 8pm -
Mckeldin Square
Boston April 7 - 5pm - Boston
Common
Boston April 8 - 1pm - Park &
Tremont
Chicago April 7 - 5pm - Trump
Int'l Hotel & Tower
Cleveland April 7 - 6pm -
Cleveland Public Square
Denver April 7 - 5pm - State
Capitol
Detroit April 7 - 5pm - Campus
Martius Park
Fort Lauderdale, FL April 8 -
4pm - Federal Courthouse
Houston April 7 - 5pm -
Westheimer & Post Oak
Jacksonville, FL April 7 - 6pm
- Hemming Park
London, England April 7 - 5pm
- Downing Street
Los Angeles April 7 - 5pm -
Pershing Square
Minneapolis April 8 - 3pm -
Hiawatha & Lake Sts.
Minneapolis April 11 - 4:30pm
- 1200 Washington Ave. So.
Newark, NJ April 7 - 5pm - MLK
Monument
New Haven, CT April 8 - 4pm -
Church & Chapel Sts.
New Orleans April 11 - 5pm -
Canal & N. Rampart
New York City April 7 - 6:30
pm - Union Square
Ottawa, ON April 8 - 1:30pm -
U.S. Embassy
Philadelphia April 7 - 4:30 to
6:30 pm - City Hall
Richmond, VA April 7 - 5pm -
700 W. Broad St.
Salt Lake City April 9 - 4:00
to 6:00 - Federal Bldg.
San Francisco / Bay
Area April 7 - 5pm - Powell & Market
Tucson, AZ April 7 - 4pm -
Federal Building
Vancouver, BC - April 7 - 4pm
to 7pm - U.S. Consulate
Vancouver, BC - April 8 - 3:30
pm - Vancouver Art Gallery
Washington DC - April 7 - 12
noon - Pentagon Metro
Station