Ladon Sanders: Young Americans are pawns in the Great Chessgame of Empire

ACTION ALERT: Three US Soldiers Killed,
Biden Promises to Strike Back
Massachusetts Peace Action

(January 29, 2024) — On January 28th, a drone strike killed 3 U.S. service members in near the Syrian border with Jordan and Iraq and wounded at least 34 others.

This result was unfortunately predictable. It’s part of a regional escalation that risks dragging the US into a wider war in the Middle East.

President Biden, didn’t listen to warnings. Now the president is vowing to retaliate and hawks in Washington DC are demanding attacks on Iran. Will we bomb our way to peace in the Middle East this time? Unlikely.

The deaths of these service members are undoubtedly connected to Israel’s war on Gaza and the US government’s unwillingness to push for a ceasefire.

We don’t need another war in the Middle East.

THE LETTER: Worried about
Another War in the Middle East

What was the US doing building a foreign base up against the border with Syria, Jordan and Iraq? That one base was a provocation to three different nations — another example of the Pentagon’s foreign military presence serving as a target for local anger.

President Biden proves again and again that military provocation only increases the risks of retaliation and escalation. The solution to local attacks on foreign US presence around the world is not endless resort to retaliation. Let’s try de-escalation for a change.

I am writing to you to express my concern over the unconstitutional attacks on Yemen and the risk of a new war in the Middle East. A drone strike killed 3 U.S. service members in near the Syrian border with Jordan and Iraq and wounded at least 34 others. This result was unfortunately predictable. It’s part of a regional escalation that risks dragging the US into a wider war in the Middle East.

President Biden, didn’t listen to warnings. Now he is vowing to retaliate and some irresponsible voices in Washington DC are demanding attacks on Iran.

I don’t think we can bomb our way to peace in the Middle East. It’s never worked before. I’m afraid that further escalations could lead the US into another forever war.

The deaths of these service members are undoubtedly connected to Israel’s war on Gaza and the US government’s unwillingness to push for a ceasefire. Attacks on US forces in the Middle East (troops that should be safe at home by the way) have skyrocketed in the last 4 months.

But, during the brief 6-day ceasefire in late November, the attacks stopped.

EAW Comment:
What was the US doing building a foreign base smack up against the border with Syria, Jordan and Iraq? That base was a provocation to three different tinderbox nations — another example of the Pentagon’s intrusive foreign military presence serving as an attractive target for local anger.

President Biden proves again and again that repeated military provocations only increase the risks of retaliation and escalation. The solution to local attacks on foreign US bases around the world is not endless resorts to retaliation—an aberrant behavior that could ultimately lead to a suicidal global confrontation. Let’s try de-escalation for a change.