Speakers:

• Iraklis Tsavdaridis, Executive Secretary, World Peace Council (WPC) will address Europe and the EU.
• Carolus Wimmer, President, Committee for International Solidarity and Struggle for Peace (COSI Venezuela) on Latin America and the Caribbean.
• Dr. Akel Taqz, President, Palestinian Peace and Solidarity Committee / WPC Regional Coordinator for the Middle East.
• Margaret Kimberley, Member of Coordinating Committee, Black Alliance for Peace / Senior Columnist, Black Agenda Report will speak about Africa.
• Bimal Rathnayake, President, Peace and Solidarity Organization of Sri Lanka (PASOS) / Member of Sri Lanka Parliament on the Asia/Pacific:
• Roger Harris, Member of the Executive Committee, U.S. Peace Council / Member of the Board, Task Force on the Americas will focus on U.S. Foreign Policy.
• And a special guest speaker from Cuba.

The panel will be moderated by Professor Bahman Azad, a member of the executive committee and the Organizational Secretary of the U.S. Peace Council, and an NGO representative of the World Peace Council at the United Nations. Following the speakers comments there will be a Q&A period. The webinar will be bilingual in English and Spanish.

Click Here to Register

The post Close All U.S./NATO Military Bases Around the World! appeared first on United For Peace and Justice.

The U.S. military established AFRICOM in October 2008 ostensibly to counter violent extremist organizations which they claimed find safe havens throughout African countries.  However, the truth is that the U.S. uses military force to impose control of African land, resources and labor to service the needs of U.S. multi-national corporations and the wealthy in the United States.

AFRICOM was established in the months before Barack Obama assumed office as the first Black President of the United States.  At that time a majority of African nations—led by the Pan-Africanist government of Libya—rejected AFRICOM, forcing the new command to instead work out of Europe. But with the U.S. and NATO attack on Libya that led to the destruction of that country and the murder of its leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, corrupt African leaders began to allow AFRICOM forces to operate in their countries and establish military-to-military relations with the United States. Today, those efforts have resulted in AFRICOM relations with 53 out of 54 African countries (Egypt is part of CENTCOM whose area of responsibility includes the Middle East).

The webinar featured [presentations from women about the effects AFRICOM is having on their respective nations, and how they are working with women in their countries to affect change.:

Sylvie Ndongmo, the Africa Region representative of WILPF spoke about Cameroon, Marie-Claire Faray, described current conditions in  the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Christine Odera, Commonwealth Youth Peace Ambassador Network – Kenya Country Coordinator (CYPAN), spoke about Kenya, and Joy Onyesoh, the President of WILPF International addressed conditions in Nigeria.  The US was represented by Margaret Kimberley with the Black Alliance for Peace; writer and author, who spoke about BAP’s Out of Africa.

You can view the webinar here.

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How are you feeling after this nail-biting election? Relieved? exhausted? apprehensive? That’s where we—the peacemakers— come in. Just as grassroots groups around the country are pushing Biden to embrace visionary policies such as a Green New Deal and Medicare for All, we have to push him for a new foreign policy, a feminist foreign policy that replaces militarism with international cooperation and diplomacy. We’re pushing Biden to stop U.S. support for the war in Yemen on day one. And we’re putting forward an exciting 10-point call for the Biden administration to re-envision U.S. policy from a feminist perspective. Add your name to endorse our 10 Challenges for Biden and we will deliver it while he considers his cabinet and policies. 

U.S. relations with the rest of the world must be based on respect, cooperation, and diplomacy—not war. We are challenging President-elect Biden to agree to:

Reduce Military Spending, Invest at Home. Under both Republican and Democratic administrations, we have been allocating over $700 billion dollars to the Pentagon. Instead, we want Biden to significantly cut the Pentagon budget and use that money to invest in what really keeps us safe: universal healthcare, infrastructure, a Green New Deal, education, housing, tax cuts for the lowest incomes, and humanitarian aid. To do this, he must create a transition program for workers to move from military to peace-based jobs.

End Wars, Use Diplomacy, and Respect International Law. Biden must stop U.S. support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen. He must finally get U.S. troops out of Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria. He must rejoin the Iran Nuclear Deal and remove crippling U.S. sanctions against Iran, Venezuela, Cuba, and others.

China is Not Our Enemy. During the 2020 election, Biden and Trump competed with each other on who could do more China-bashing. Now, more than ever, we need cooperation, not another Cold War and that’s why we are calling on Biden to fight COVID, not China!

Stop Supporting Israel’s War on Palestinians. $3.8 billion dollars a year for Israel to maintain a system of apartheid is shameful! A Biden administration must hold Israel accountable for its violations of international law and Palestinian human rights.

Stop Arming the Middle East, No Weapons to Human Rights Violators. Rather than isolating Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman after the gruesome murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Trump continued weapons sales to the Saudis and has now set up a weapons deal with the United Arab Emirates, in exchange for them normalizing relations with Israel. Biden must block Trump’s deal with the UAE, stop arming the Middle East, and end the U.S. practice of selling or giving weapons to countries — such as Israel, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the Philippines — that violate human rights.

Work for a Nuclear-Free World. A peaceful country is a country that abides by its obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). We are calling on Biden to remove missile defense systems from Europe and end NATO expansion. And we want to see the U.S. join the UN’s Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

Close Overseas Military Bases. Did you know that the U.S. has nearly 800 military bases in more than 70 countries and territories abroad? The U.S. needs to begin the process of closing those bases and using the U.S. military to protect the nation, not seek new enemies overseas.

Grow a Green Local Peace Economy.  The U.S.needs a feminist peace economy that respects people and the planet, and is based on giving and sharing that’s local and relational. Biden must begin his term in office by supporting the Green New Deal and developing a feminist foreign policy.

End the Corporate Influence of Weapons Manufacturers. Weapons manufacturers donated millions of dollars to both candidates’ campaigns — a down payment to ensure they will continue to see their profits rise. A president for peace can begin to address this endless cycle by denying cabinet positions for any former CEOs or lobbyists from weapons companies and rejecting policy recommendations from think tanks funded by weapons manufacturers.

Stop Militarizing the Border and the Police. After Obama’s reign as Deporter-in-Chief and Trump’s policy of family separation, it is more important than ever that we stop these attacks on migrants and refugees. Likewise, we must end racist U.S. policing, as well as the transfers of military-grade weaponry and surveillance equipment to local police departments.

Joe Biden promised us during his campaign that he would return our country to “normal.” But does “normal” mean kowtowing to weapons manufacturers, retaining bloated Pentagon budgets, continuing support for Israeli apartheid, imposing neoliberal policies on Latin America, creating a new conflict with China?

No. We have to redefine “normal” as a country that stops arming human rights abusers, develops a just and principled foreign policy towards Palestine/Israel, acts like a good neighbor to Latin America, stops the new cold war with China, slashes Pentagon spending, and more.

So let’s start the transition to a just foreign policy before Biden gets to the White House. Join us today in supporting the 10 challenges that would make Biden a President for Peace, and would bring a feminist vision of the world into the White House.

Add your name now!

The post What do you think of these 10 Challenges for Biden? appeared first on United For Peace and Justice.

November 11 is Armistice Day, marking the 1918 armistice that ended the First World War, on the “eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month.” Horrified by the industrial slaughter of millions of soldiers and civilians, the people of the U.S. and the world initiated campaigns to outlaw war once and for all.  In 1928 the U.S. Secretary of State and the French Foreign Minister were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for co-sponsoring the Kellogg-Briand Pact, which declared war-making illegal and called upon nations to settle their differences by peaceful means. The United Nations Charter, signed by many nations in 1945 after the end of World War II, included similar language, “to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind…”

Tragically, however, the last century has been marked by war after war, and growing militarism. Those of us in the U.S. who are concerned about global militarism need look no further than at our own military industrial complex, as President Dwight Eisenhower warned.

The U.S. maintains no fewer than 800 military bases around the globe, in a full-court press to “defend our national security interests.”  These are not the interests of everyday working people, who must pay the tab for the ever growing military budget, and whose sons and daughters are forced to fight wars in faraway lands. No. These are the interests of the now infamous One Percent, who are grotesquely enriched by the exploitation of other nations’ natural resources, labor and markets, as well as by their investments in the misnamed “defense industry.”

As Martin Luther King bravely declared in his Beyond Vietnam speech, “…I knew that I could never again raise my voice against the violence of the oppressed in the ghettos without having first spoken clearly to the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today: my own government.”

Operating alongside the overgrown U.S. military are less visible forces.  U.S. intelligence agencies like the CIA have morphed into covert armies that work to undermine and topple governments that are out of favor with the U.S. ruling class.  Economic warfare – aka “sanctions” – are employed to make economies “scream,” bringing death and misery to thousands.

To make matters worse, the Obama/Biden administration launched a One Trillion Dollar, 30-year program to “modernize” the “nuclear triad” – air, land and sea-based nuclear weapons systems.  The Trump administration has systematically withdrawn from crucial nuclear disarmament treaties, leading the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists to move their Doomsday Clock to 100 seconds from midnight.  The danger of nuclear war is greater than ever – all the more so because of the U.S./NATO encirclement of Russia and the huge U.S. military buildup in the Pacific, threatening a major war with China.

Good News for Nuclear Disarmament

This is all very alarming, as it should be.  But there is good news too.  On October 24, 2020, Honduras became the 50th nation to ratify the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. In what leading campaigners are describing as “a new chapter for nuclear disarmament,” the Treaty will now come into force on January 22, two days after the inauguration of the next U.S. president. The treaty declares that the countries ratifying it must “never under any circumstance develop, test, produce, manufacture or otherwise acquire, possess or stockpile nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices.”

The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) – an umbrella organization and campaign for dozens of groups across the world – said that the coming into force, was “just the beginning. Once the treaty is in force, all States’ parties will need to implement all of their positive obligations under the treaty and abide by its prohibitions.

Neither the U.S. nor any of the nine nuclear-armed nations are signatories to the Treaty. The Trump administration, apparently fearful of an international consensus to abolish nuclear weapons, is actually pressuring nations to withdraw their signatures.

“States that haven’t joined the treaty will feel its power too,” according to ICAN. “We can expect companies to stop producing nuclear weapons and financial institutions to stop investing in nuclear weapon-producing companies.”

There could perhaps be no better news to share on this Armistice Day.  Surely, the abolition of nuclear weapons will go hand-in-hand with the eventual abolition of war. And the abolition of war will go hand-in-hand with ending the domination of weaker nations by predator nations.  Those of us in who live in the “belly of the beast” have a tremendous responsibility – and great opportunities as well – to work with the peoples of the world to bring about a peaceful, sustainable world.

Veterans Take the Lead in Reclaiming ‘Armistice Day’

Because November 11 is also celebrated as Veterans Day, it is appropriate that veterans have taken the lead in reclaiming Armistice Day.  Veterans For Peace has issued a strong statement, and many VFP chapters are organizing Armistice Day events, mostly online this year.

“Veterans For Peace is calling on everyone to stand up for peace this Armistice Day. More than ever, the world faces a critical moment. Tensions are heightened around the world and the U.S. is engaged militarily in multiple countries, without an end in sight.  Here at home we have seen the increasing militarization of our police forces and brutal crackdowns on dissent and people’s uprisings against state power. We must press our government to end reckless military interventions that endanger the entire world. We must build a culture of peace.”

On Armistice Day we celebrate the overwhelming desire of people around the globe for a nuclear-free world and a peaceful, sustainable future.  We make a solemn commitment to work harder than ever to bring an end to nuclear weapons and war, before they are allowed to bring an end to us.

War, what is it good for?  Absolutely nothing!  Say it again!

Gerry Condon is a Vietnam-era veteran and war resister, and the recent past president of Veterans For Peace.  He serves on the Coordinating Committee of UFPJ.

The post Celebrate Armistice Day – Wage Peace with Renewed Energy! appeared first on United For Peace and Justice.

Host Contact Info: Greta, greta@worldbeyondwar.org

Women’s International League for Peace & Freedom-US Section, Black Alliance for Peace, & World BEYOND War invite you to attend this free webinar on the United States African Command (AFRICOM) and Human Rights in Africa, on Friday, Dec. 4 at 11am PT, 2pm ET.

The webinar will feature first-hand reports from WILPF women describing what effects AFRICOM is having on their respective nations: Joy Onyesoh, the President of WILPF International will speak about Nigeria, Sylvie Ndongmo, the Africa Region representative of WILPF will speak about Cameroon, Marie-Claire Faray, currently living in the UK will speak about the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Christine Odera, Commonwealth Youth Peace Ambassador Network – Kenya Country Coordinator (CYPAN), will speak about Kenya. Other featured speakers include writer and author Margaret Kimberley, representing the Black Alliance for Peace, and their initiative: Out of Africa: Shut Down AFRICOM, and investigative journalist Amanda Sperber who has reported widely on Somalia.

Click here for more information and to register.

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The report examines how to: 1) Support full military withdrawal from Afghanistan, 2) Ramp up bilateral and multilateral diplomatic efforts, 3) Support long-term Afghan-led solutions, and 4) Oppose continued militarized counterterrorism in Afghanistan.

Read FCNL’s “Peace in Afghanistan: Ending the War Responsibly.”

The post Ending the United States’ Longest War appeared first on United For Peace and Justice.

March 15-17, 2020; Washington DC

Deadline for registration: March 1, 2020

70 Years Too Long!

The Korean War (1950-53) never ended. It was merely suspended by an armistice agreement between North Korea and the United States. While the Korean War no longer consists of active fighting, hostilities between the two parties have remained high, resulting in the extreme militarization of the Korean Peninsula.

Without a peace agreement, war could break out at any time. And if war erupted on the Korean Peninsula today, it’s estimated that as many as 300,000 people would die in the first few days of conventional fighting. Because of regional treaties and agreements, such a conflict also has the potential to escalate into a much larger regional war with China.

Negotiating a peace agreement would not only end the Korean War, it would be a crucial step toward denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula. It would also improve the humanitarian conditions for millions of North Koreans, who rely on humanitarian aid to survive. And it would be a step toward shifting resources away from endless wars and to more basic human needs.

Come to DC for the National Action to End the Korean War

 Schedule of Events:

Sun, March 15: March and rally at the White House

Mon, March 16: Annual Korea Peace Network Conference

Tue, March 17: Korea peace advocacy on the Hill

Register here. Note: deadline for registration is March 1, 2020.

United for Peace and Justice is a member of the Korea Peace Network, coordinated by Peace Action, a network comprised of peace, social justice, human rights, faith, veterans and Korean-American groups and individuals advocating peace on the Korean peninsula.

The post Subject: End All Endless Wars, Korea Peace Now! appeared first on United For Peace and Justice.

The U.S. maintains over 800 military bases outside its territory, estimated at 95% of all foreign military bases in the world. These bases are viewed by people around the world as a major threat to world peace. Our foreign military bases are instruments of global domination carried out through wars of aggression and occupation. The U.S. has undermined governments, including democracies; killed millions, causing the mass migration of people fleeing violence and destruction; and produced vast environmental damage. The U.S. military and its far-flung operations are the single largest consumers of fossil fuel in the world, recklessly driving climate change.

The idea that we can solve our problems through force also sustains a culture of violence that has led to a society that has more guns than people. Increasingly, weapons designed for the battlefield are playing a part in one-sided political warfare at home, stoked by political rhetoric that portrays millions of ordinary people as “enemies.”

Our government’s actions abroad are shaped to serve the interests of energy multinationals and the military-industrial complex.  It is time to leave the road of endless war and to move towards a foreign policy that furthers global peace, and with it, real security for the American people.

Humanity faces unprecedented ecological challenges to its survival. We can no longer afford to fight among ourselves. We must unite against those who risk the destruction of all to serve the ends of a privileged few.

 Our Demands to the 2020 Presidential Candidates

End the Endless Wars; Don’t Start New Wars

UFPJ calls on all Presidential candidates to commit to end the wars, to cease provocative and unlawful threats of military action, to demilitarize U.S. foreign policy, and to reorient our policies towards diplomacy and humanitarian assistance.

Abolish Nuclear Weapons

UFPJ calls on all Presidential candidates to pledge to lead a global effort to prevent nuclear war by renouncing the option of using nuclear weapons first; ending the sole, unchecked authority of any president to launch a nuclear attack; taking U.S. nuclear weapons off hair-trigger alert; cancelling the U.S. plan to replace its entire arsenal with new or upgraded weapons; and actively pursuing a verifiable agreement among nuclear armed states to eliminate their nuclear arsenals.

Cut the Pentagon Budget, Fund our Communities, and Mitigate the Climate Emergency

UFPJ calls on all Presidential candidates to pledge to reverse spending priorities and to redirect funds currently allocated to nuclear weapons and unwarranted military spending to support safe and resilient cities; to mitigate climate change; to create jobs by rebuilding our nation’s crumbling infrastructure, and to ensure basic human services for all, including education, environmental protection, food security, housing and health care.

Close the 800+ U.S. Military Bases Across the Globe

UFPJ calls on all Presidential candidates to close U.S. foreign bases in order to promote a just, peaceful and sustainable world.

The post United for Peace & Justice Calls for a New Foreign Policy appeared first on United For Peace and Justice.

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Sunday October 21, 2018 at 11am – 4pm 

Meet at The Pentagon City Station

1250 S Hayes St Arlington, VA

OUR DEMANDS ARE SIMPLE: 

The complete end to the wars abroad

Closure of foreign bases

Dramatically slash the Pentagon budget to fund healthy social programs here at home

The “nuclear clock” is at two minutes to midnight, and with the threat of nuclear annihilation becoming an incomprehensible reality, WE MUST MARCH FOR PEACE AND AGAINST THE WAR MACHINE. Learn more and get involved at MarchonPentagon.com 

We will assemble outside on street level at the Pentagon City Station at 11am which is in the 1200 block of South Hayes Street, in Arlington County, VA. At 12:00 p.m we will march on the Pentagon and there will be a rally with speakers and music.

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