A Call to Action: Najaf, Iraq (ViTW/MfNC)

[Aidoneus]

Wednesday, August 11, 2004
A Call to Action: Najaf, Iraq

One of the arguments put forth by progressives who are planning on voting for Kerry, is that he is supposedly more suceptible to pressure. Meaning, that if there is a movement against war, and against the occupation, supposedly he will listen more than Bush will... in my view this is mistaken, and assumes that the problem is with Bush as an individual, and ignores serious institutional/structural problems that have emerged in US democracy.

Furthermore, so far, Kerry's view on the war on the Iraq is near identical to that of Bush... the only difference is that Kerry says "he will do it right!" (Whatever that is supposed to mean).

But let's give the progressives voting for Kerry the benefit of doubt.

Voices in the Wilderness has issued a call to action around the ongoing US attacks in Najaf, and it includes writing to Kerry to have him call for an end to all US military action in Najaf.

Let's see if Kerry responds, or if he just repeats his newly found mantra of "I will do it right!"

Here is the complete call to action.

----------------------
Najaf and the Shrine of Ali

Our country’s military now declares preparations to

attack the Shrine of Ali in the city of Najaf in Iraq. Our country stands on the precipice of declaring war on Islam. An attack on the Shrine of Ali is an attack on the heart of Islam and must be nonviolently resisted in our country.

The US military is urging civilians to leave Najaf. We take this as a signal that our country is preparing to turn Najaf into a free fire zone, in which all who move, civilian or not, are targeted for attack. A free fire zone and an attack on the Shrine would significantly escalate the violence throughout Iraq, increasing the danger for all Iraqis.

As the fighting and crisis intensifies in Najaf, Voices in the Wilderness calls for nonviolent acts demanding an end to the fighting. Call your Congressional Representative, US Senator and John Kerry’s campaign headquarters in your state to demand that they publicly call for an end to all US military actions in Najaf, against its citizens and at the Imam Ali Mosque. Call candidates for federal office in your state and issue the same demand. If they don’t respond positively, initiate nonviolent direct actions at their offices. Such nonviolent actions can include: an occupation of their office; a daily vigil outside of their office; a fax campaign to their office demanding they issue the statement; or a phone call campaign to their office. Also, write letters to the editor of your local newspapers and hold vigils in your local community. The time to act is now.

Please see VitW's Emergency Action Concerning Najaf Iraq.

Voices in the Wilderness calls upon all US government officials—elected or appointed—to publicly declare their opposition to any attack by US military forces against the Shrine of Ali. We further call upon US military forces to withdraw from the holy city of Najaf and to cease all military operations against the city, its citizens and at the Imam Ali Mosque.

The Shrine of Ali is the holiest of shrines in Shia Islam. It is the burial place for Imam Ali, cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet Mohammed. The shrine is sacred to both Shia and Sunni Muslims. Attacking the Imam Ali Mosque is akin to bombing the burial site of Jesus for people of the Christian faith or the Western Wall for people of the Jewish faith.

An attack on the Mosque would also replicate the history of oppression of Shia under Saddam Hussein. In 1991, Shia rose up against Saddam Hussein, at the urging of the first President Bush. As US warplanes flew overhead, not intervening, Saddam’s helicopters massacred Shia on the ground below. Saddam attacked the Imam Ali Mosque during this time, killing those inside.

As US citizens we must say "no" to this threatened attack on the heart of Islam. We will use all nonviolent means available to us to resist it.

The violent overthrow of the Iraqi government and the subsequent military occupation of Iraq have not lead to freedom, security, and prosperity for the Iraqi people. Neither have they created the conditions in which freedom, security, and prosperity can be sown and nurtured. Quite the opposite: the threat and reality of violence is commonplace. Tens of thousands of Iraqis have been killed or injured. To this threat of violence, add the increased threat of water-borne disease and the weight of a collapsed electrical grid.

The Iraqi people are our sisters and brothers. Our humanity demands that we begin to act as if lives of Iraqis and their faith truly matter to us. As US citizens we must respond without equivocation and act to end this war and occupation.

Please see VitW's Emergency Action Concerning Najaf Iraq.

Use the following website addresses to find your Congressional Representative, US Senator or local campaign office for John Kerry:

www.house.gov

www.senate.gov

www.johnkerry.com

from today's post at http://muslimsfornadercamejo.blogspot.com/
(agh--there's the N-word! the fires of hell may descend upon this thread!)

[seventhson]

1. Thanks for posting this

Fires of Hell descending now, 3, 2, 1....


seriously - I feel so powerless to deal with these kinds of issues.

We can't stop the war itself, how are we to stop a firefight near a Holy Site? Or in a Holy site?

But I do appreciate hearing about this effort.

Must Stop Bush! Then maybe make peace.

Nader is NOT the way to stop Bush.

[aneerkoinos]

3. DUers

Most wellcome initiative.

Do it, or loose it!

[aquart]

2. Kerry can't respond.

Pressure Congress, fine. They deserve it. But Kerry will be shooting himself in the heart if he does what you insist.

I absolutely love progressives. Progressives voted for Nader and gave us Bush. What do you plan to do this time?

NO MATTER WHO GETS IN THERE WILL BE IRAQI BLOODSHED. Bush doomed them. But only an IDIOT would hamstring Kerry before he gets in and finds out what can be done.

Me, I favor a total pullout because I place a higher value on American lives. So sorry. Iraqis are going to die. I would rather we were not the ones killing them anymore. But the shakeout will be bloody. If you want some comfort, the shakeout would have been bloody if Saddam had died of old age, too. We just hurried it along.

Kerry may feel that more Iraqis will die if we leave quickly than if we don't. I don't know. I don't know what he's going to find the day he takes office. I DO KNOW that if he takes the position that he will pull out the troops the day he gets in, the murderous attacks on our troops, and our homicidal responses will step up even more. Why do you think things are getting so intense over there now? The insurgents (the more or less freedom fighters) are trying to overthrow two governments: ours and theirs.

Try, if you can, not to help Bush to another term.

[aneerkoinos]

4. Sure

New twist of the guttless "electability" lie?

So, what will you tell your grandchildren when they ask you what you did to stop Kerry's war against Islam?

[democratreformed]

5. RIGHT NOW, it is not "Kerry's war against Islam".

RIGHT NOW, John Kerry can do absolutely NOTHING with the exception of speaking out. I agree that we can ask that he speak out. But, please do NOT call this "Kerry's war against Islam".

[aneerkoinos]

7. Right now it isn't

The point was that people should do their damnest so that it will never be.

[seventhson]

11. But you seem to endorse electing Bush or Nader to get your wish

that is just not cool, man or dudette, or whatever...

[seventhson]

6. Kerry is not the President yet. This is BUSH's war against Islam

I understand the sentiment - but I do not agree with it.

We can only effectively hope to stop this war if we stop Bush in November.

The way to do that is to unite behind the only person who can beat him right now.

Once Bush is done THEN we can try to stop this war. Trying before hand is great! But saying it is Kerry's war is just false.

Kerry, just like any other American, deserves blame for this war - and certainly more than most for his vote. But those who tear Kerry down toi help Bush will bear MORE blame if he loses this election.

Is this YOUR war against Islam and an effort to help Bush?

[aneerkoinos]

8. I disagree

We sure as hell cannot stop this war by electing some other guy to continue it, giving just vague promises to do a better job.

The war itself will be the ruin of the warmongers, and in the horrible situation we are now, the only thing that makes sense is to let the mighty fall by their own unduing. The old maxim goes: when your enemy is in process of self-destruction, don't interfere.

Remember Nixon's second term. The Watergate that would take down both Cheney and Bush has allready begun, in fact there are loads of them. By electing Kerry you will save them and the whole fucking system that is falling under their feet, and saving the corrupt system is exactly the purpose of Kerry.

[seventhson]

10. Bullshit Nader meme

the democratic system is what we are fighting for. If we abandon that we abandon all hope.

I opposed Kerry in the primaries, but whether I think Kerry is the best leader or not for our side - he IS the leader - the General - and we have to defeat the larger enemy now in this election.

I do NOT see Kerry as the treasonous scum that the BFEE sludgepile has wreaked on us.

I see him as a better man. A better warrior for our side. An imperfect one, sure, but NOT the saviour of the corporate fascists andy more than any other American.

Nader is no alternative. He is a fascist supporting scum.

Revolution is not a viable option and democracvy would surely perish if that were tried.

So we go with our best option: Kerry.

THEN we - after winning the white house - work to reform it.

Under Bush and his BFEE we never will be able to.

You are helpinmg the enemy with this talk WAY more than Kerry will ever do.

[aneerkoinos]

15. not

Not Nader meme, that's something in your head, not mine.

Not revolution, but the system imploding one way or another. The question is, where are the progressives and supporters while that happens, will they implode with Kerry or can they present a credible alternative to fascism?

Bush is not yet the real fight, much worse will come when the Depression starts and the Peak Oil really hits. The real question is, do you wan't to go down with Kerry and DLC when that happens, or be ready for the real fight?

[seventhson]

16. You need to elaborate - But YES - I will go down with the Dems

if the Dems embrace fascism they are no longer Dems.

But you need to elaborate your vision and your critique.

Do you advocate MORE suffering so that things can bottom out?

THAT is the Nader bullshit meme that I am hearing.

If not -- tell me what it is.

I can engage in this deabte and welcome it.

But Kerry is our gladiator in the political arena. If we don't root for him we will be slaughtered by the fascists. If he wins and turns against us (or betrays us) then he too must go down politically (and peacefully).

I see no alternative that is humane and realisic.

[aneerkoinos]

18. Not advocating

Just telling what's starting to happen during the next years regardles of who is in the office, and advicing to get ready for things to come.

What it is? It's not difficult to see, just watch the news without rose-coloured shades, the seeds are all there. The housing bubble bursting, stocks going down in a flush, foreign capital flows to US drying up while twin deficits growing, dollar becoming funny munny... systemic meltdown, mass unemployment and homelessness, worse than the Great Depression. And if that was not enough, Peak Oil on top, check it up if you haven't.

And no, sadly there's no gladiator, now there are only clowns in the arena, Kerry, Bush, Nader all of them are just clowns.

What happened in Germany in the 30's Depression, where people had lost their hope and trust in the system? Moderate and "realistic" left self- destructed by hating communists even more than fascists and encing up compromising with Hitler. The situation is not identical, but I fear something similar is going to happen there, so better let the proto-fascists take the initial blame than the democratic forces.

[seventhson]

19. Your history is off. Both the communists and social democrats were

allied against Hitler andf boith were destroyed by the Bush-like patriot acts oif Nazi Germany after the Reichstag Fire.

Read "Der Fuhrer" or History of National Socialism" both by Konrad Heiden.

The left was destroyed by a vicious propaganda campaign and well-corporate-financed (including financing by the Bush family) Nazi effort to disemnbowel resistance.

The parallels are there but that will NOT happen here without a total revolt (which is truly possible). America does NOT have the kind of racist and antisemitic "aryan" majority that Germany had.

Additionally, while Bush et al may do all it can to rob the entire treasury and future earnings of Americans and burn down democracy , they CANNOT succeed. Americans are a resilient people who will strive through it.

But ONLY if Kerry and more Dems are elected.

Where I work (the inner city) it is already a holocaustal ghetto. Nobody can afford heating oil let alone gas and life isn't worth a plug nickel.

But your predictions fall flat because there IS a HUGE difference between dems and rebublicans - between Bush/Cheney and Kerry/Edwards.

Yes the war may grind down brutally and savagely (unlike as many of us hoped if Kucinich were nominated, or even Dean) under Kerry and STILL be a horrid quagmire. But it will NOT be as bloody and awful and horrific under Kerry as we know it continues to be under Bush.

Yes we support ending the war NOW - but we also know that ending the war must be won as a policy in November. It WILL be I believe. Then HOW we pull out becomes the issue for debate.

You are simply wrong. There IS a difference.

[aneerkoinos]

24. answer

"The parallels are there but that will NOT happen here without a total revolt (which is truly possible). America does NOT have the kind of racist and antisemitic "aryan" majority that Germany had."

Fascists never won majority, they were able to seize the power because the majority was indifferent.

"Additionally, while Bush et al may do all it can to rob the entire treasury and future earnings of Americans and burn down democracy , they CANNOT succeed. Americans are a resilient people who will strive through it.
But ONLY if Kerry and more Dems are elected."


Chest beating is not an argument. Sorry, but I don't see any logical connections between these sentences.


"But your predictions fall flat because there IS a HUGE difference between dems and rebublicans - between Bush/Cheney and Kerry/Edwards."


What do these differences have to do with my predictions, whose causations go way back and have litte if anything to do with partisan differences? Are you really trying to say that Depression & Peak Oil won't happen because Dems are so different that even the laws of economy and physics don't apply any more?


"But it will NOT be as bloody and awful and horrific under Kerry as we know it continues to be under Bush."

Why? How do you know how much less bloody and awful and horrific will the war be because of Kerry? What is the acceptable level of blood, awfulness and horrific?


"You are simply wrong. There IS a difference."

You haven't been able to show single argument where I am wrong, in fact I do hope someone could. I'm not saying there are no differences between Kerry and Bush, I'm saying it's politically stupid and dangerous for left to legitimise Bush' policies with Kerry modifications to them.

[seventhson]

26. We agree on THIS point

You say:

THAT I agree with. However, that is not what we are doing by electing Kerry. We are DELEGITIMIZING Bush (not that he was ever really legit)!

In any event - these issues are matters of opinion. Your spin is reallyt very much the Nader meme - that Kerry is just Bush lite and for true change you must reject Kerry.

DUHHH! Of course that is wrong-headed (because it helps Bush).

But neither if us can WIN an argument based on opinion.

I believe you are helping Bush with your talk and that is more dangerous than what you claim or seem to be promoting.

As for Iraq - Kerry will have a mandfate to withdraw and not to keep this an aggressive brutal psychotic war driven by drooling fascist lunatics. How could it NOT be less bloody?

As for your predictions: physics has nothing to do with it, really: Econimics are driven by those (corpor-fascists) in power. Progressives in power will reallocate resources instead of allowing them to be monopolized. NOW, I will admit that if Kerry were to follow the same insane economic and energy policies of the Bushes, then your scenario would play out. But he's not going to follow those policies. He is going to change them - and hence I believe that the total national/global depression you see coming is much less likely.

But I agree we are in dangerous times economically and as a society. I think we are already in deep crises of apocalyptic proportions. It is already horrific.

But the pacifist warrior in me says we have to stay the course and win this battle before we ever have a hope of seeing the new progressive dawn.


Finally: Hitler won a VAST majority of the National vote in elections. The Nazi party did NOT have a majority in the Reichstag (the equivalent of the US Congress/Legiuslature)so they burned it down and outlawed the communist and disbanded the social democratic parties which gave them the majority of the legislature when allied with other ultranational and fringe groups who were not Nazis.

The election numbers are right there in the books I cited.

The Nazis won a HUGE majority of the popular vote in National elections. But they won it only AFTER the 9-11 style Reichstag attack blamed on foreign terrorists but actually was MIHOP by Hitler and his Ivy League Bushie friends.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

9. Oh, Oh, PLEEEZE, don't ask Kerry to show some courage!

Or, do the right thing!! It's better that he act like a repuke and that we hope that he's faking it! You dare to ask us to write a letter to him condemning the aggression in Najaf? Why, he might actually read it, and suddenly remember what he stood for in 1972.

Thanks for the post, I will write to my candidate and demand that he speak out. I guess that shows that I have some hope that he has some ethics left, and that he was nominated to represent Democrats.

[Aidoneus]

12. Yes, basic decency *is* far too much to expect right now

but, as the terroristic dreamer that I am..

[Beam Me Up]

13. Right now we, all of us who oppose PNAC, need to have ONE FOCUS!

I am highly suspicious of groups who want to DIVIDE that focus!

I protested and worked to prevent the attack on Iraq and the deaths of hundreds of Americans and thousands of Iraqis. The PNAC/neoconservatives went ahead with their agenda after having 1) stolen the Presidency; 2) allowed or caused a "catalyzing event" and all that has followed from that and 3) very likely tampered with the election of 2000. It is very clear to me that the cabal that is in power now are ANTI DEMOCRATIC and have as THEIR SINGLE MINDED GOAL the overthrow of the Constitution of the United States.

We, the American people, are in a crisis situation unlike anything we have ever seen. People in very high places have compromised our national security. These people need to be removed from office by any peaceful means available to us. At this point we absolutely steadfastly MUST stand behind John Kerry and the Democratic Party and push with them to remove from power those forces which are threatening our nation from within. Even with ALL OF US pushing together with one focus there continues to exist the very real possibility that the neoconservatives will create yet further chaos in the body politic and utterly change our society forever.

However that may be, that is not yet. Right this moment we have the option of going forwarded with the principles set in place by the Constitution. We MUST proceed along these lines, and we must do it as one voice. If we prevail, then we can begin to ask the real questions -- what can we do NOW to pull back from this precipice the neoconservatives have brought us to.

Anyone who tries to divide our focus and effort AT THIS POINT, however well meaning they may be, is working against us. WE can oppose Najaf VOCALLY and should; but lets not drag Kerry into this.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

14. Why should we have to "drag" Kerry into doing the right thing?

He's supposed to represent us.

"Anyone who tries to divide our focus and effort AT THIS POINT, however well meaning they may be, is working against us. WE can oppose Najaf VOCALLY and should; but lets not drag Kerry into this."

Why can't he oppose Najaf "VOCALLY"? Is he that far above the common herd that dare not dirty his robes by joining the serfs?

[seventhson]

20. Like IWR Kerry, in order to win, will do what he thinks is politically ...

expedient.

He is not going to go out and be accused of undermining the troops by opposing a military operation inder the command of our currently selected commander in chief.


WE ley Bush steal the last election. WE Americans let him get away with this war. WE should be rising up in the streets against it (and damn I wish Kerry were leading us in the streets)

BUT Kerry cannot afford (and neither can we) to feed the propaganda machine when he is powerless, unless he gets elected, to stop the madness.

He would be pissing in the wind, I think, because Americans - the majority at least - WANT a moderate approach.

I hate it too. But that is who the dems nominated.

and in order to win to sdtop the war he probably should NOT get in the middle of this pissing contest (morally it may be right for him to say something -- but I do not think he believes in it nor do I think he believes it would do a lick of good - but would actually HURT the propspect for Peace in Iraq)

YOU rise up and shout it out! I will too.

And hopefully Kerry, in January, will do something about it.

[aneerkoinos]

17. Crisis situation

What a sad sad post. "With Kerry or against us"? Tell me, who is the "us"?

If you think this is bad, boy, I got some news for you. Don't loose your marbles yet, everybody will be needed.

The media tries to convince the people that the fight is between Bush and Kerry, and the poor suckers believe. The fight is for democracy, the fight is in the Congress, and DLC can't take it, they are even not trying.

So, Fuck Kerry, take the House and Senate, impeach Cheney and Bush (don't tell me there's no grounds) and put them behind the bars, and then you can put the Speaker or whomever in the office. It's that easy. Only problem, it takes cold analysis and guts.

[geek tragedy]

22. Wow, a Naderite admits that he's rooting for Bush.

More confirmation that the "Bush and Kerry are just the same" is nothing more than a right-wing, anti-American talking point.

[aneerkoinos]

25. Your Post, Sir,

Shows Strength of Conviction in your Peculiar Delusions and the Apropriate Amount of Bile to Defend those Delusions, but as the Post is Devoid of any Intellectual Meaning, it cannot be answered Intelligently.


Good day to you, Sir.

[geek tragedy]

29. There can be no intelligent defense

for a purported progressive to express his desire for Bush to defeat Kerry while regurgitating the Naderite meme that Kerry and Bush are equally bad.

[geek tragedy]

21. More unserious catcalls from the peanut gallery.

Kerry can't oppose or undercut Bush when it comes to specific military decisions involving American troops. Especially if his stated concern is not the well being of the troops.

If he does, the election is over and Bush wins and the Republicans build supermajorities in both houses of Congress. That simple.

So the Self Righteous Martyrs Brigades can fuss and swear all they want, but this is a political decision with enormous consequences.

So, go ahead and excommunicate John Kerry from your Holy Order of True Believers. It's a miniscule price to pay for taking back the White House from the Bush/Delay Junta.

[Aidoneus]

23. I just want to know.

What kind of KoolAid are they feeding you party enforcers? Of course the nice thing about a scapegoat is that you don't actually have to have any basic idea of what you're talking about, just as long as there is somebody to blame (whether it makes sense or not)..

This is ridiculous and obscene in light of what is being spoken of. There is nothing that can be said about this barbaric atrocity compounding itself, and that is the best that "we" can do? This the high product of your great system?! Then fuck it, and you.

(note:--for proper effect, the last 32 sentences are to be read with an increasing level of bitterness and volumn..)

I have more to add, but this'll due for now.

[seventhson]

27. I'm no party enforcer and WAS a severe anti-Kerry partisan in the primary

If you are an American then this is YOUR system too.

I agree with you that rising up to oppose this evil is necessary and called for.

But I do NOT believe that Kerry will do tha`unless he believes it will help him get elected.

It is like triage.

We have to save the patient first with new blood and oxygen before we can heal the wounds.

Kerry is the new life blood. NOTHING he says or does today will make a wit of difference in what happens in NAJAF because the republicans have the majority EVERYWHERE in the US Government. They are what is killing us and the poor people and soldiers in Najaf.

Harping on a personal need for Kerry to stand up and shout for a position that might harm his chances (altho that is certaINLY DEBATABLE - I wish he would do this too, but not if it is going to harm his chances of beating Bush) - is counterproductive.

YES we need to raise hell about it.

But blaming us or Kerry for the problem is just not practical: we MUST defeat the repubs to change things and saying "Fuck Kerry and those who support him" is just helping Bush.

[ShaneGR]

28. Just wanted to point out some clear distortions

Our country’s military now declares preparations to attack the Shrine of Ali in the city of Najaf in Iraq. Our country stands on the precipice of declaring war on Islam. An attack on the Shrine of Ali is an attack on the heart of Islam and must be nonviolently resisted in our country.

Actually, Centcom has already announced that no US soldier, airplane, or helicopter will engage the Shrine of Ali. If that is necessary, the interim Iraqi government will be handling that part of the operation (Announced yesterday). Meaning Iraqis will be fighting Iraqis (Amongst many foreign nationals)

The US military is urging civilians to leave Najaf. We take this as a signal that our country is preparing to turn Najaf into a free fire zone, in which all who move, civilian or not, are targeted for attack. A free fire zone and an attack on the Shrine would significantly escalate the violence throughout Iraq, increasing the danger for all Iraqis.

Standard military operating procedure, as described in the Geneva Conventions under standards of combat requests that any city fallen into direct street to street combat be, when at all possible, evacuated to limit the number of casualties.

As the fighting and crisis intensifies in Najaf, Voices in the Wilderness calls for nonviolent acts demanding an end to the fighting. Call your Congressional Representative, US Senator and John Kerry’s campaign headquarters in your state to demand that they publicly call for an end to all US military actions in Najaf, against its citizens and at the Imam Ali Mosque. Call candidates for federal office in your state and issue the same demand. If they don’t respond positively, initiate nonviolent direct actions at their offices. Such nonviolent actions can include: an occupation of their office; a daily vigil outside of their office; a fax campaign to their office demanding they issue the statement; or a phone call campaign to their office. Also, write letters to the editor of your local newspapers and hold vigils in your local community. The time to act is now.

No problem with that, more power to you.

[seventhson]

30. Thanks for this smart post!

[ProfLefty]

31. Thank You!

For a superbly written straightforward post that is One Hundred Percent accurate and arrives just in time for all of us who are progressive in thought, philosophy and hopefully also action, to stand up, be counted and make our voices heard. This senseless ongoing slaughter of a people and destruction of their culture must stop now.