1. Troops out of the Middle East, which includes drones, permanent bases, contractors and torture/detention facilities. 2.Reparations for the peoples of these war torn regions and a fully funded VA system to reintegrate our soldiers healthfully into our society.
Two Victories in one day:
1. House Committee Recognizes the Armenian Genocide and
2. Congress Member Dennis Kucinich introduces his End Afghan War Resolution. Full House debate for March 11.
Armenian Geocide Resolution passes House Committee by ONE vote.
The Turkish government could not stop the House Foreign Affairs Committee from passing House Resolution 252. The measure calls on the President to ensure that the foreign policy of the United States reflects appropriate understanding and sensitivity concerning issues related to human rights, ethnic cleansing, and genocide documented in the United States record relating to the Armenian Genocide. Immediately, Turkey recalled their Ambassador and threatened the U.S. that if they pass this, there will be “high consequences”. This is the threat Turkey has used over the years. The U.S. needs their bases to land goods, arms, vehicles to be used in Iraq and Afghanistan. Will the Turkish government shut them down? We will let you know when to take further action. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has to set this for a floor vote, click here to tell Speaker Pelosi to “Set a hearing on the Armenian Genocide bill HR 252 as soon as possible. The time is now !” Thank you all for taking action.
Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) today introduced H. Con Res. 248 a privileged resolution with 16 original cosponsors that will require the House of Representatives to debate whether to continue the war in Afghanistan. A rule is expected to provide for three hours of debate which will occur on Wednesday March 11, 2010.
Speaking about his resolution on the House floor today, Kucinich said, “There is a new way to fight war in Afghanistan. U.S. Commanders are publicly telling the Taliban when we are coming and where we are going to wage war. This while Karzai tries to cut a deal with the Taliban!
“Meanwhile a large offensive is being mounted–an assault on Kandahar. The U.S. is going to have 100,000 troops ready for a big battle by autumn and logistical problems abound. Here is a quote from the February 20th National Journal, “So, despite the immense effort to push out supplies, the front-line fighters sometimes don’t even have the minimum they need. ‘We had guys out there at outposts in my area of operations starving because we couldn’t get resupply in to them,’” said one Major.
“What is this all about? To strengthen corrupt central government officials building villas in Dubai? I am introducing a privileged resolution to get us out of Afghanistan and I urge your support,” Kucinich added.
Original cosponsors include Representatives John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI); Ron Paul (R-TX); José Serrano (D-NY); Bob Filner (D-CA); Lynn Woolsey (D-CA); Walter Jones, Jr. (R-NC); Danny Davis (D-IL); Barbara Lee (D-CA); Michael Capuano (D-MA); Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ); Tammy Baldwin (D-WI); Timothy Johnson (R-IL); Yvette Clarke (D-NY); Eric Massa (D-NY); Alan Grayson (D-FL); and Chellie Pingree (D-ME).
Another report from Dawn.com on the US using UnPiloted Aircraft (DRONES) to kill suspected individuals on the ground in Pakistan, a country where we have not ever declared war upon, in direct violation of the UN Charter. Below this story, please read Professor Marjorie Cohn’s statement on the US use of Drones and how it is illegal and falls under “crimes against the UN Charter and the Geneva Conventions”. You be the judge.
Death by Assassination, the US Drone Policy at work in Pakistan
The attack was the fourth US bombing raid since Sunday in North Waziristan district, and hit a stronghold of the Al-Qaeda-linked Haqqani network, known for staging attacks on US and Nato troops fighting in Afghanistan.
“The US drone fired two missiles; one hit a compound and another, a vehicle. Four militants were killed in these attacks,” a senior security official told AFP from the northwest city of Peshawar. An intelligence official in Miranshah, the main town in North Waziristan, confirmed that four militants were killed, adding: “Three of the militants were Afghan militants attached with the Haqqani network.” The strike hit the Dandey Darpa Khel area about five kilometres from Miranshah, which is close to the border with Afghanistan.
North Waziristan, also a stronghold of Taliban and other Al-Qaeda-linked groups, has seen a surge in drone strikes in the past two months. On Wednesday, a US missile strike killed four insurgents just a few kilometres from the border with the Afghan province of Khost.
Professor Marjorie Cohn outlines the illegal use of Drones by the United States
….Many countries use drones for surveillance, but only the United States and Israel have used them for strikes. Scott Shane wrote in the New York Times, “For the first time in history, a civilian intelligence agency is using robots to carry out a military mission, selecting people for targeted killings in a country where the United States is not officially at war.”
The use of these drones in Pakistan violates both the UN Charter and the Geneva Conventions, which prohibit willful killing. Targeted or political assassinations—sometimes called extrajudicial executions—are carried out by order of, or with the acquiescence of, a government, outside any judicial framework. As a 1998 report from the UN Special Rapporteur noted, “extrajudicial executions can never be justified under any circumstances, not even in time of war.” Willful killing is a grave breach of the Geneva Conventions, punishable as a war crime under the U.S. War Crimes Act. Extrajudicial executions also violate a longstanding U.S. policy. In the 1970s, after the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence disclosed that the CIA had been involved in several murders or attempted murders of foreign leaders, President Gerald Ford issued an executive order banning assassinations. Although there have been exceptions to this policy, every succeeding president until George W. Bush reaffirmed that order.
Marjorie Cohn is the immediate past president of the National Lawyers Guild and a professor at Thomas Jefferson School of Law, where she teaches criminal law and procedure, evidence, and international human rights law. She lectures throughout the world on human rights and US foreign policy. Click here to go to her website.
The US carried out the fourth airstrike in five days against the Taliban and al Qaeda in Pakistan’s lawless tribal agency of North Waziristan. Unmanned US strike aircraft, the Predators or Reapers, struck a compound and a vehicle in the village of Danda Darpa Khel just outside of Miramshah, the main town in North Waziristan. Three members of the dangerous Haqqani Network were among the four terrorists killed.
“The US drone fired two missiles; one hit a compound and another, a vehicle,” a Pakistani intelligence official told AFP. ” “Three of the militants were Afghan militants attached with the Haqqani Network,” another security official told AFP.
The target of the strike has been identified as Siraj Haqqani, the military commander of the network, but there is no evidence that he or any other senior Taliban or al Qaeda leaders were killed. “He was targeted as part of a strike, and we think he might have been hit, but I’m waiting for the DNA tests,” a Pakistani official told Newsweek. “We’ve been trying to kill him for a long time, and he’s escaped before.” An unconfirmed report at Daily Times claimed that Mohammed Haqqani, a brother of Siraj, was among those killed in the attack.
END THE CYCLE OF GENOCIDE: SUPPORT CONGRESSIONAL ACTION NOW, SIGN THE PETITION, PLEASE. CALL YOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS. This is a personal matter for me and my family. I am of Armenian descent. My relatives died at the hands of the Turkish soldiers, ordered to massacre and destroy all Armenians and the Armenian civilization. Almost 1/2 of all Armenians died during the Armenian Genocide. For years, the Turkish government has blocked our Congress from voting on this resolution. They play Hard Ball and threaten the U.S. Government with severe repercussions if the Armenian Genocide is recognized. The Turkish Government denies that this happened. Please pass this Post link along to your friends.
Anti-Genocide activists gear up to bring America back to right side on key human rights issue. Chairman Howard Berman Sets Committee Vote for Armenian Genocide Resolution for Thursday, March 4th. Your Signature Is Necessary. Please sign the Petition below the video of ANCA Executive Director, Mr.Aram Hamparian outlining the support needed to pass this out of Committee. Thank You Mr. Hamparian, for all you do for the Armenian Cause.
Helmand, Afghanistan, the biggest battle since the Viet Nam war is about to begin.(See Map of Helmand, click here) In 2007, the British and Coalition forces tried to clear the Taliban out of Sangin Valley, Helmland under Operation Ghartse Gar Now the destruction of Swat Valley, Fallujah, South Warziristan will be repeated.
Many Aghani citizens will be leaving their homes in the winter, abandoning their livestock and fields of produce (and yes, opium fields also) to escape being caught in the middle of a battle that the Coalition (US) forces will use aircraft, Assassination Drones, artillery, helicopter gun ships, and soldiers firing 100,000′s of rounds of ammunition. This beautiful valley floor will be destroyed. Homes and bridges will be destroyed. In the end, what will be achieved? I asked before “Show us Swat Valley NOW (see story, click here). Let us see if the 2.5 Million people “displaced” have come back, and have come back to what? Can the Pakistan Government make life better for the people of Helmand? Did they make life better for the Swat Valley people after the government bombings and attack?
END THE CYCLE OF GENOCIDE: SUPPORT CONGRESSIONAL ACTION NOW, SIGN THE PETITION, PLEASE. CALL YOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS. This is a personal matter for me and my family. I am of Armenian descent. My relatives died at the hands of the Turkish soldiers, ordered to massacre and destroy all Armenians and the Armenian civilization. Almost 1/2 of all Armenians died during the Armenian Genocide. For years, the Turkish government has blocked our Congress from voting on this resolution. They play Hard Ball and threaten the U.S. Government with severe repercussions if the Armenian Genocide is recognized. The Turkish Government denies that this happened. Please pass this Post link along to your friends.
Anti-Genocide activists gear up to bring America back to right side on key human rights issue. Chairman Howard Berman Sets Committee Vote for Armenian Genocide Resolution for Thursday, March 4th. Your Signature Is Necessary. Please sign the Petition below the video of Chairman Ken Hachikian outlining the support needed to pass this out of Committee. Thank You Mr. Hachikian, for all you do for the Armenian Cause.
* * * “March on Washington on March 20, End the War(s)” was first Posted on January 2, 2010. It is being Re-Posted today because we all must participate on March 20. Read all you can and organize locally if you can’t get to Washington on March 20. Come the week before as there will be events of protest leading up to the day of the march. Please pass this Post link along to your friends.
Show your support on March 20. A day for Peace…..
The time has come for your personal action to End the War(s). The date to show how you feel is March 20, 2010. There will be a March on Washington, led by the ANSWER Coalition. Spread the word. There will be a lot of news on this in the upcoming months. Organize your local town for action on March 20. Show the world WE CARE. Take action now. Personally endorse the March 20 March on Washington, click here.
We marched when Bush was President, now let's march when Obama increases troops. Come March 20 to Washington, DC and demand the End to the War(s)
Thank you for signing the Recognition of the Armenian Genocide Petition and passing this link on to your friends.
