World Can’t Wait & Midwest Antiwar Mobilization – 2012-02-04 02:47:18
http://www.worldcantwait.net/index.php/features-mainmenu-220/iran-mainmenu-247/7436-dont-attack-iran
AN APPEAL TO UNITED STATES AND ISRAELI AIR, MISSILE AND DRONE CREWS TO STAND DOWN FROM ORDERS TO ATTACK IRAN
We are at an historic moment when decisions are being made in the United States and Israel on whether and when to attack Iran.
These will be decisions by politicians and individual commanders and air, missile and drone crewmembers charged with the responsibility of raining down munitions in a strike that will likely kill hundreds if not thousands of Iranian people and potentially spread deadly nuclear contamination to millions in Iran and surrounding nations.
Beyond this, an attack on Iran will almost certainly bring retaliation that will result in even more human casualties and will disrupt global oil shipments, with severe human consequences around the world.
An attack against Iran by the United States and Israel will violate morality, international and domestic law and the interests of humanity. Additionally, both Iran and the United States are parties to the Kellogg-Briand Pact which forbids the use of war.
There are those of us signing this appeal who have been members of the United States and other armed forces and understand very well the difficulty of refusing to follow an order to attack. At the same time, each of us as the responsibility to preserve human life and nature in the face of inhuman and illegal orders, a responsibility defined by the Nuremberg Conventions.
We urge all of you who may be called upon to attack Iran from the air, and indeed all military personnel who may be engaged in any kind of attack on Iran, to refuse to do so.
Initial Signatories
* Kathleen Barry, Professor Emerita, author, Unmaking War, Remaking Men
* Judith Bello, Fellowship of Reconciliation
* Medea Benjamin, Co-founder of Code Pink
* Elaine Brower, World Can’t Wait Steering Committee, military mother
* Matthis Chiroux, Iraq war resister, former Army sergeant
* Mike Ferner, Acting Director, Veterans for Peace, Navy Corpsman ’69-’73
* Jim Haber, Coordinator, Nevada Desert Experience, National Committee of the War Resisters League
* George Haeseler, Broome County (NY) Veterans for Peace
* Jane Hirschmann, Organizer of the US Boat to Gaza and the Freedom Waves to Gaza
* Leili Kashani, Advocacy Program Manager, Center for Constitutional Rights
* Tarak Kauff, Veterans for Peace
* Nada Khader, Executive Director of Westchester Peoples Action Coalition
* Joyce Kozloff
* Dennis Loo, Author, Globalization and the Demolition of Society, World Can’t Wait
* Liam Madden, Iraq veteran, former Marine sergeant
* Nancy Mancias, Code Pink
* Ray McGovern, Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity
* Nick Mottern, Director of ConsumersForPeace.org
* Bill Quigley, Loyola University
* Michael Steven Smith, Esq
* Gar Smith, co-founder, Environmentalists Against War, author, Nuclear Roulette
* David Swanson, Author of When the World Outlawed War; War Is A Lie; and Daybreak
* Debra Sweet, Director of World Can’t Wait
* Ann Wright, retired US Army Reserve Colonel and former US diplomat who resigned in opposition to the Iraq war
Call to Protest If the US Attacks Iran or Syria
Received from the Midwest Antiwar Mobilization
CHICAGO (December 22, 2011) — The government has been escalating its threats against both Iran and Syria — and has imposed more and more sanctions, tried to destabilize both of them, and more.
We need to protest this and also prepare for a big demonstration of outrage if the US government or one of its proxies (such as Israel or NATO) openly launches a military attack. We should be ready to come out for an emergency protest. It is the responsibility of Americans to try to stop US aggression against any sovereign nation that has not attacked the US
The US claims to uphold democracy and the rule of law, but in fact international law in the UN Charter and elsewhere condemns such aggression as a crime. Regardless of what excuse the US gives for attacking another people, we must firmly oppose such US slaughter of human beings.
The US has no right to prowl around the world, looking for opportunities to gain control of more countries. We know from long experience of unending US wars that they are only for the benefit of the super-rich who want to expand the US empire and get control over other peoples’ resources, markets, labor power and strategic locations, while blocking their rivals.
The corporate media is constantly used to demonize those the US government targets and to promote hysteria in a buildup to war. Meanwhile, they omit or downplay what the government really wants in its reckless military assaults.
Regardless of what anyone thinks of the heads of other governments or their systems and culture, it is our duty to try to hold back the bloody hands of the US government. This is how we fight for peace and justice — against the world’s greatest terrorist.
If an attack begins in the morning, before noon our time, everyone should assemble that day at 5 p.m. at the Federal Plaza. If the attack comes later, we will protest at 5 p.m. the next day.
Posted in accordance with Title 17, Section 107, US Code, for noncommercial, educational purposes.
