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IVAW Statement on Recent Terror Attacks

published by IVAW National on 11/18/15 5:16pm
Posted to: 
Staff

 IVAW Statement on Recent Attacks in Lebanon, Afghanistan, France, Iraq, & Nigeria  

Our hearts and thoughts go out to the victims and families who have suffered from the acts of brutality committed in Beirut, Paris, Baghdad, Zabul and now multiple cities in Nigeria over the last number of days.   We condemn these terrorist attacks in Lebanon, Afghanistan, France, Iraq and Nigeria. We mourn with the victims and send our deepest condolences to their families. No one’s life should end in this way; no family should suffer the anguish and loss that these people are suffering.   For these attacks to stop, we must address their root causes and take responsibility for U.S. participation in the destabilization of countries that span the Middle East, North and Western Africa, and South and Central Asia. The deliberate destabilization of once functional states in the region, and the current bombardment of Yemen by U.S. ally Saudi Arabia, has created the perfect environment for groups like ISIS and Boko Haram to grow and thrive. We must see the rise of terrorism and the attacks in Paris for what they are, blowback for western intervention in the Middle East and elsewhere around the globe.   We, as current and former military members, understand that who the U.S. military kills is never certain and differentiating combatants from civilians is not a priority. Hundreds of thousands of innocent people have been killed and thousands of others are being stalked and killed by drones in at least seven countries, creating an environment filled with constant terror. Russia joining the bombardment of Syria and Iraq, the recent announcement of more troops to be deployed around the globe, and the extension of troop withdrawal in Afghanistan will only exacerbate an increasingly volatile situation until the “all out war” that France’s President Hollande called for is upon us. The end result of all of this can only be destruction, terror and lost lives, not only from predominately Muslim countries, but everywhere terror and war will inevitably reach.   We know from experience that declaring war on terrorism is a futile gesture that engages the world in a downward spiral of destruction. A full land war in Syria plays into the goals of terrorist groups and will undoubtedly destroy more innocent lives. Meanwhile, western countries will be no safer than before, in fact, increased blowback resulting from these actions will remain an ever present threat for years to come. An escalation of warfare will also violate civil liberties by establishing a securitization regime in France as an extension of the already existing “security measures” in the U.S., England and elsewhere   We call on the US and its NATO allies to: 1)    Exercise restraint and exhaust all avenues of diplomacy; 2)    Take full responsibility and hold themselves accountable for the illegality of the Iraq war and the continuance of the Afghanistan war, their colonial exploits, and their extra military actions which gave rise to the instability of various regions as we see today; 3)    De-escalate from the perpetual violence, and reduce militarization both at home and abroad; and 4)    Accept responsibility for the resettlement of all refugees, who are victimized by the so-called “War on Terror,” and resist scapegoating those with the least power in this tragic string of events.   Repeating the disastrous choices made by our nation after September 11th will result in nothing short of squandering the future of millions. This cycle of violence and exploitation has to end now.

AP Interview with Joshua Shepherd and Matt Howard

Joshua Shepherd and Matt Howard of Iraq Veterans Against the War speak to the Associated Press about Scott Olsen at #OccupyOakland.

Keith Shannon on Countdown with Keith Olberman

Keith Shannon, the roommate of injured Occupy Oakland protester Scott Olsen and a fellow Iraq War veteran, shares what happened Tuesday night when the Oakland Police Department fired upon the crowd with rubber bullets, bean...

“I Risked My Life To Come Home To This?”

By Ryan Harvey (October 27, 2011) Scott Olsen served two tours in Iraq with the United States Marine Corps before coming home to a country lacking in jobs but thriving with high-level corruption. He “thought the banks pretty...

Amnesty International Urges Restraint as Police Clamp Down on Occupy Wall Street Protests

(New York) – Amnesty International urged authorities to ensure that police show restraint in their response to Occupy Wall Street protests, following critical injuries suffered by a man in Oakland, Ca. in clashes between...

Press Release: Marine Veteran Critically Injured at Occupy Oakland March

PRESS RELEASE For Immediate Release Contact: Dottie Guy, Bay Area Chapter President (415) 290-5447, dottie.guy@gmail.com Jose Vasquez, Executive Director (917) 587-3334, jose@ivaw.org Keith Shannon, Deployed with Scott to...
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Take Action: Iraq vet critically injured by police at Occupy Oakland

Scott Olsen, a Marine veteran who did two tours in Iraq, was hit by a police projectile during last night's brutal police crackdown of Occupy Oakland.  He is in serious but stable condition at an Oakland hospital. WARNING:...

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