Syria and Russia denied any chemical weapons attack has occurred. Both the United Nations Charter and the Chemical Weapons Convention provide means for international investigation and sanction of the use of prohibited weapons. Syria and Russia have declared that they would provide access for investigators from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to the area where the alleged attack occurred. A rush to judgment on these grave allegations is not only unnecessary, but extremely dangerous.

Unilateral use of military force in these circumstances by the United States, which has not been attacked and is not in imminent danger of attack, is unlawful. Strikes by the U.S. and its allies against Syria’s government and military could result in a wider war that brings the nuclear-armed militaries of Russia and the United States into direct conflict. The danger that hostilities could spiral out of control is even greater than it was when the U.S. struck Syria a year ago. U.S. forces in Syria in recent months have fought engagements resulting in the deaths of Russian nationals, likely military contractors. Any extensive campaign against Syria’s bases and military places Russia’s forces in the region at risk. Russian military officials have warned several times in recent weeks that their military may join in defending against any punitive strikes.

There must be an independent investigation of the chemical attack through the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, and immediate, urgent diplomatic efforts to end the war in Syria. Call your Senators and Congressional Representatives at 202-224-3121 and tell them that military action only increases the dangers and intensifies the humanitarian catastrophe in the region. Demand that Congress invoke its war powers to block any strikes, and endorse calls for an investigation of the allegations of chemical weapons use, consistent with U.S. treaty obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention and the United Nations Charter.

Finally, join us in protests against the endless U.S. wars and war spending scheduled for this weekend, April 14-15, across the country. Find an action near you at the links below. Whether or not the U.S. already has launched strikes against Syria by this weekend, it will be crucial to come out against a wider war, and for peace. 

https://www.springaction2018.org/list-of-actions.html

http://demilitarize.org/gdams-2018/ (scroll down for actions in the United States).

Call your Senators and Congressional Representatives at 202-224-3121

Background: the April 2018 allegations of a chemical weapons use in Syria, U.S. threats of punitive actions, and the dangers of a wider war.

 Since World War I, use of chemical weapons has been viewed almost universally as monstrous, and as a violation of treaty-based and customary standards of international humanitarian law.  If they were used in Syria by any party, that action should be condemned, and all states should cooperate in identifying the perpetrators and in pursuing their apprehension and prosecution by all legal means.  There is no provision of international law, however, that allows countries to determine for themselves who they believe the guilty parties to be, and to punish them by acts of war against the territory of a sovereign state. International treaties outlawing chemical weapons and prohibiting their use provide no special exception for such ad hoc use of military force.  To the contrary, the Chemical Weapons Convention, the most comprehensive instrument concerning chemical weapons, ratified by the United States (1997), Russia (1997) and Syria (2013), provides for investigation of alleged violations by specialist bodies constituted by the Convention and recourse to the United Nations to authorize any use of force.

Token punitive strikes have neither a legal or practical rationale.  If a government is desperate enough to use chemical weapons, it is unlikely to be deterred by a missile strike that has little effect on its broader war aims. Using military force that is likely to result in the deaths of human beings to distract from a leader’s domestic political problems or to cater to particular constituencies is immoral, while at the same time entailing some risk of triggering a broader conflict. A larger strike or aerial campaign designed to seriously damage Syria’s military capabilities would almost certainly risk killing Russian and Iranian military personnel present at Syrian bases. In this regard, it should be noted that Russian officials on several occasions have warned Russia’s armed forces in the region would join in defending against punitive strikes against Syria’s government and armed forces.

These events are occurring amidst a civil war, with outside forces ranging from neighboring states to nuclear-armed great powers aiding an array of warring groups. Russia and the United States, both nuclear-armed, each have troops on Syrian soil and aircraft flying combat missions against targets inside Syria’s borders. Even if the principle is accepted that the world community has a responsibility to protect people from the violence of their own governments, any such action must be crafted to reduce, rather than increase, the level of violence and chaos. Unilateral military strikes by a country already backing factions in a complex civil war are far more likely to intensify an already grave humanitarian crisis, and also could lead to a cycle of confrontation amongst heavily-armed militaries that easily could spiral out of control. In this dangerous context, it is especially important that transparent, credible procedures be followed for investigation of the allegations of chemical weapons use and a determination of the responsible party or parties, as well as for actions to prevent further use and to punish those culpable.

All U.S. military action against Syria’s government and military should cease immediately. All parties in the region, and especially the United States and Russia, which each hold vetoes in the Security Council, should take all necessary measures to facilitate a speedy and thorough investigation of the alleged attack, and to assure that those responsible are held to account. This incident only underscores the danger of this ongoing war and its terrible human toll. All the warring parties and the states that support them must renew a determined pursuit of the war’s end, and of a wider peace.

The post No wider war in Syria! Call Congress today. Join protests for peace around the country this weekend. appeared first on United For Peace and Justice.

UFPJ is pleased to join our peace movement partners in supporting a joint petition to Congress to block war funding.

The petition urges Congress to “enact legislation to block the use of any U.S. taxpayer funds for continuing warfare, directly or by proxy, in Syria.”

We also call on our elected representatives to avert a nuclear confrontation by improving diplomatic relations with Russia.

Tell Congress, “While defunding endless and disastrous wars as well as cutting wasteful military expenditures, you can provide funds for urgent human and environmental needs”, by signing this petition and make a call directly to Congress using this link.

Thank you for taking action.

Click here to read UFPJ’s recent call “Stop US Military Action In Syria”

If you support UFPJ’s never-ending work for peace and justice, please make a contribution today, to help us carry-on and expand the success of our campaigns

And if you haven’t already, please sign the UFPJ Peace Pledge petition against Trumps $54 billion military budget increase!

Tell Democrats and Republicans in Congress that we value and support a system that supports public needs, not endless war and corporate profiteers.

The post PETITION: Block War Funding in Syria– Improve Diplomacy With Russia appeared first on United For Peace and Justice.

Act now, to host an action in your community to resist the Trump Administration’s illegal and dangerous military aggression in war-torn Syria.

We’re asking you to post the details of your own event to our map, to inform and unite anti-war activists around the country.

Please be sure to follow all of the instructions as you post, save, and publish your event to Action Network. If you do not fill out the forms completely, you will not be able to save and publish your event. You must also be sure to enter your first and last name when signing up for an Action Network account. If you are already signed up but have not entered your name, please do so by editing your profile. If you do not click “Save and Publish” your post will be stored as a draft and will not be visible to the public.

Here are a couple of help pages, if you’re having trouble:

• Signing up for an Action Network account
• Step-by-step guide for local event hosts for event campaigns
• If you still can’t seem to save and publish your event, submit a help request to Action Network

And as always, you can reach UFPJ by responding to this email.

Thank you for taking action!

The post Host or Attend a Rapid Response Action to Protest US Military Action in Syria appeared first on United For Peace and Justice.

Both the United Nations Charter and the Chemical Weapons Convention provide means for international investigation and sanction of the use of prohibited weapons.  Unilateral use of military force in these circumstances by the United States, which has not been attacked and is not in imminent danger of attack, is unlawful.

Call the White House  202-456-1111 and your Senators and Congressional Representatives 202-224-3121 and tell them that military action only increases the dangers and intensifies the humanitarian catastrophe in the region.

Activate your community. Protest, vigil or march to Say No to War! Let Trump know that bombing is not the answer.

There should be no further strikes against the Syrian military or government. U.S. forces in Syria should be withdrawn. There must be an independent investigation of the chemical attack through the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, and immediate, urgent diplomatic efforts to end the war in Syria.

This attack, dangerous as it is in itself, has broader implications. It underscores how impulsive Donald Trump is, and how willing to make decisions on matters of life and death very quickly, on the basis of sparse evidence. More worrisome still, it shows us that there are no elements, either in the broader government or in the military, that appear willing or able to restrain him. It is urgent that the people of the United States act to prevent a wider war.

Two days ago, major newspapers reported that a chemical attack had occurred in a village in Syria, killing and injuring many civilians. Despite the fact that there has been no investigation by any international agency that might confirm a chemical weapons attack occurred or who is responsible, the U.S. military now has launched a direct attack on Syria’s military.

Since World War I, use of chemical weapons has been viewed almost universally as monstrous, and as a violation of treaty-based and customary standards of international humanitarian law.  If they were used in Syria by any party, that action should be condemned, and all states should cooperate in identifying the perpetrators and in pursuing their apprehension and prosecution by all legal means.  There is no provision of international law, however, that allows countries to determine for themselves who they believe the guilty parties to be, and to punish them by acts of war against the territory of a sovereign state. International treaties outlawing chemical weapons and prohibiting their use provide no special exception for such ad hoc use of military force.  

To the contrary, the Chemical Weapons Convention, the most comprehensive instrument concerning chemical weapons, provides for investigation of alleged violations by specialist bodies constituted by the Convention and recourse to the United Nations to authorize any use of force.

These events are occurring amidst a civil war, with outside forces ranging from neighboring states to nuclear-armed great powers aiding an array of warring groups. Russia and the United States, both nuclear-armed, each have troops on Syrian soil and aircraft flying combat missions against targets inside Syria’s borders. Even if the principle is accepted that the world community has a responsibility to protect people from the violence of their own governments, any such action must be crafted to reduce, rather than increase, the level of violence and chaos. Unilateral military strikes by a country already backing factions in a complex civil war are far more likely to intensify an already grave humanitarian crisis, and also could lead to a cycle of confrontation amongst heavily-armed militaries that easily could spiral out of control. In this dangerous context, it is especially important that transparent, credible procedures be followed for investigation of the allegations of chemical weapons use and a determination of the responsible party or parties, as well as for actions to prevent further use and to punish those culpable.

All U.S. military action against Syria’s government and military should cease immediately. All parties in the region, and especially the United States and Russia, which each hold vetoes in the Security Council, should take all necessary measures to facilitate a speedy and thorough investigation of the alleged attack, and to assure that those responsible are held to account. This incident only underscores the danger of this ongoing war and its terrible human toll. All the warring parties and the states that support them must renew a determined pursuit of the war’s end, and of a wider peace.

Call the White House 202-456-1111 and your Senators and Congressional Representatives 202-224-3121 and tell them that military action only increases the dangers and intensifies the humanitarian catastrophe in the region.

The post Stop US Military Action In Syria. Call the White House & Congress appeared first on United For Peace and Justice.

I want to let you know about the exciting new “Peace Pledge” campaign that United for Peace and Justice is launching.  The pledge is a commitment to take action for peace and justice up to and beyond the 2016 U.S. elections and it’s ready for you to sign right now.

As the mother of a young adult daughter, I fear for the future – for my own child and for all young people who are inheriting a legacy of war and chaos that I fear is spinning out of control.

This election cycle, with its abysmal political dialogue, is one of the most troubling I have witnessed. The world and indeed our planet are facing a deep and challenging emergency, with perpetual wars, 65 million refugees of war and violence, the growing climate crisis, economic inequality and continuing social and racial injustice.

I know that I want to do all I can for peace, for the planet and for people.

I hope that you will join me by signing the UFPJ Peace Pledge!

For peace and planet,

Thea Paneth

Thea Paneth at the People’s History Teach-In at MIT. Thea is an active Coordinating Committee member of United for Peace and Justice and a member of Arlington United for Justice with Peace, a community peace group that she helped to organize in March of 2002.

The post Election Worries? PEACE PLEDGE to Keep War Out of the White House! appeared first on United For Peace and Justice.

Let’s start out the fall with a new commitment to follow more closely the carnage in Syria. Is it a civil war? Is it a proxy war between the nuclear powers ? Is it also a proxy war between Middle Eastern governments? Can ISIS be reined in? Should Assad go? Or stay? What is the USA doing as an actor in the situation? We as anti-war activists should be constantly questioning that. What about congressional moves to demand a new AUMF? Is that wise?

What would diplomacy look like in such a complex set of wars? What are solutions that the US Peace Movement could be pushing? For one, we should be extending the good efforts against arms sales to Saudi Arabia — always promoting the goal of a Weapons-of-Mass-Destruction Free Zone in the Middle East (and why stop there?).

We in the Peace Movement have a deep belief that the American invasion of Iraq started this whole change of events. Syrian Immigrants (as well as those from North Africa) are changing the population map of both the Middle East and Europe. Why is the US taking in so few of those who are fleeing? What is our responsibility as advocates for peace to those who flee from war and violence?

What do the American people know of all this? Once again our mass media has let us all down. What kind of educational campaign can we launch to quicken the sensibilities of the good folk of the United States?

What about the belief in America as a moral force in the world? So many opportunities for America to shine get lost as our treasure goes to “solving” problems with military might. Instead of the greed and corruption fomented by corporations — particularly in the military-industrial area — American ingenuity and trillion dollar investment could dig in with creative answers to climate change. We could lead the world in public education that serves every child in our very diverse democracy. The biggest challenge of all is to address the burgeoning gaps between rich and poor both in this country and across the globe because until that changes, perpetual wars continue. Let’s keep dreaming of a peaceful world and acting to make it so.

Sponsors: UFPJ, PDA, Code Pink

Moderator: Jackie Cabasso, UFPJ

Phyllis Bennis is a Fellow of the Institute for Policy Studies, where she directs the New Internationalism project working to change US policy in the broader Middle East. She was a co-founder of both the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation and United for Peace and Justice coalitions, and continues work with both the US and global anti-war movements. Her most recent books include Understanding the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict, and Understanding ISIS & the New Global War on Terror: A Primer.

The post [AUDIO] “The Many Wars of Syria” Briefing with Phyllis Bennis appeared first on United For Peace and Justice.

UFPJ supports the following call-to-action as part of the Peace and Planet network. Please make a generous donation to UFPJ today so that we can continue our work for peace and strengthening our network at this difficult time.

Post your local Dec. 1oth action on our calendar, here.

We are all the victims of state and non-state terrorism. Ending such calamities as the Paris and Beirut massacres requires a struggle against the forces of destruction emanating from the Middle East and from the imperial wars of the US, NATO and allied states.

The U.S. and its allies are fighting wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Pakistan, Ukraine and Somalia. Worse, in Syria and Ukraine and Eastern Europe, the two major nuclear weapons states, the U.S. and Russia, are fighting on opposite sides of the conflicts. There, U.S. nuclear-armed allies, Britain, France and Israel, are also involved. An accidental or intentional military incident, could send the world spiraling into a disastrous nuclear confrontation. The bombing attacks on neutral hospitals remind us that in the chaos of war such mistakes are all too common.

US allies Turkey, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states have fueled the wars in Syria and Iraq with foreign fighters, weapons, funding and porous borders. Without this massive and fundamental support ISIS and the other jihadist fundamentalists could not carry on.

To add to the potential conflicts, the U.S. and China, another nuclear-armed nation, are facing off against each other in the seas bordering China and other Asian nations. Here again potentially dangerous military incidents could trigger war as China responds to the U.S. bases, military alliances and military “exercises” to reinforce its regional dominance, with disputed claims to 80% of the South China Sea and rival military exercises.

The Obama administration has recently announced that U.S. troops will remain in Afghanistan, are being reintroduced into Iraq and will be introduced into Syria, thus further escalating the conflicts. The recent introduction of Russian forces into Syria, invited by and supporting Assad, challenges Obama’s goal of regime change, but further contributes to the violence the people of Syria have to face.

Many Middle Eastern and European states now face a crisis of accepting millions of refugees, most of whose flights can be traced to the devastation of their communities by the region’s wars. The vast majority of these refugees come from countries like Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Libya.

December 10^th is International Human Rights Day. The human rights of the refugees and those who still remain in areas of violent conflict are daily being violated.

How can we celebrate Human Rights in the midst of such suffering and violence?

How can we celebrate Human Rights when the world is under threat of far greater catastrophe?

All of these wars have been preventable. All have peaceful, diplomatic alternatives.

The Human Right to Peace Must Be Honored. Families, villagers, citizens have the right not to be violated by war. Our only planet itself has the Right to Peace. The enormous and irreplaceable resources spent on war are far better spent to address desperate human needs.

Let those countries that created the crises rapidly accept and provide for refugees.

Let us demand the Human Right to Peace.

For December 10, International Human Rights Day we call all our friends who cherish peace to join us, to engage in creative peaceful, militant actions in towns and cities throughout the world calling for ceasefires, an end to these wars, peaceful, inclusive negotiations.

We call on the International Peace Movement to:

• Mobilize public meetings
• Create vigils, rallies and demonstrations
• Generate church sermons
• Engage in nonviolent Civil Disobedience
• Contact Members of Congress, Parliaments, Foreign Ministers and Heads of Governments
• Call our brothers and sisters in the other mass movements to join us

With these messages to our governments:

• Pursue diplomacy and negotiations to end the wars in Syria, including the governments of Iran, Russia and Syria.
• Remove all foreign troops from and pursue diplomacy and negotiations to end the wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, Pakistan, Ukraine and Somalia, including the relevant governments.
• Honor the commitment not to move NATO a centimeter closer to Russia from Western Europe.
• Remove all NATO troops from the Russian borders.
• Retire the Cold War NATO Alliance
• Accept and abide by the human rights of the millions of refugees created in these wars.
• Support peaceful negotiations among nations bordering the South China Sea (East Sea) based on the UN Charter and the Law of the Sea.

For more information about Peace & Planet see: www.peaceandplanet.org

The post CALL FOR DEC. 10 HUMAN RIGHTS DAY/SYRIA ACTIONS appeared first on United For Peace and Justice.

Join PDAmerica, PDAction, and United for Peace and Justice(UFPJ) for a fantastic call with special guest Phyllis Bennis.

Phyllis Bennis is a fellow of the Institute for Policy Studies, where she focuses on Middle East and US war issues. She works with the US and global peace and Palestine human rights movements. Her most recent book is UNDERSTANDING ISIS & THE NEW GLOBAL WAR ON TERROR.

Our call, Phyllis will be focused on Syria. The discussion covered the refugee crisis in the context of the escalating war — some background on just how dire the refugee situation is, the 8 separate but overlapping wars currently being fought in Syria, and the role of the US in the crisis. We covered what a US policy should look like, what new diplomatic initiatives are underway, and what we can be doing.

Click here to make a donation to UFPJ.

The post AUDIO: National Peace Conference Call on Syria with Phyllis Bennis appeared first on United For Peace and Justice.

Sign and send our letter demanding that Congress end war crimes in Afghanistan.

Our participation in the national Syria working group will continue to generate local and national actions for activists like you to demand a Syrian refugee aid package and tie that aid to ending the Syrian Civil War through diplomacy. We will be working to get mayors and other local officials to welcome refugees and demand diplomatic solutions to the wars that have poured money into the military coffers and left human needs so severely underfunded. Help us do this vital work by contributing to UFPJ.

We cannot let up in the face of the tragic events of the past week. Our protests, our petitions, and our voices led to the nuclear deal with Iran. Together we must stop the war machine. Please donate today so that UFPJ can continue to build a strong network of dedicated peace and justice activists. And thank you so much for all that you do!

Please donate to UFPJ today.

In Solidarity!

Terry Rockefeller, September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows, and

Jackie Cabasso, Western States Legal Foundation

National Co-conveners, on behalf of the UFPJ Coordinating Committee

The post Tragedies and War Crimes Never Ending appeared first on United For Peace and Justice.

One year ago, Jeremy Corbyn’s name was unlikely to ring a bell to even a world-news-thirsty North American. That said this British Member of Parliament has been no stranger to UFPJ and the international movement for peace and justice.

Corbyn has established a name for himself as being one of, if not the most progressive politicians electable in his country. When his party, Labour, suffered major losses in the 2015 elections, Corbyn had no need to worry about losing his seat, which he has safely held for his district of North Isington since 1983.

Recently, Jeremy Corbyn has made headlines for leading major marches and rallies against brutal austerity measures in the United Kingdom, but United for Peace and Justice’s connection with him stems way back to the February 15, 2003 international day of action, when millions said “no” to the US-led war against Iraq. Through his affiliation with leading peace groups in the UK, Corbyn was involved in the organizing of the demonstration which took place on that day in London and he continues to serve as Chair of the Stop the War Coalition in the UK. Corbyn has been a member of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) since 1966 and currently serves as one of its three Vice Chairs. In the mid-2000’s Jeremy Corbyn spoke at a UFPJ National Assembly!

Corbyn is a longtime opponent of the Iraq war, and the US invasion and war in Afghanistan. He is also outspoken about justice in Israel and Palestine and is a member of the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign.

Now, after a long road of unpredictable of occurrences that have led to his spectacular rise in popularity – namely his steadfast and outspoken positions on income inequality, peace, and humanitarian issues – Corbyn has become the most trusted politician in the UK, by people identified as left, far-right, and center.

Just this weekend, Jeremy Corbyn, friend and ally of United for Peace and Justice, was named Leader of the Labor Party and Leader of the Opposition (to David Cameron’s Conservative Party).

In April, while UFPJ was working in collaboration with hundreds of other organizations on the Peace & Planet Mobilization for a Nuclear-Free, Peaceful, Just and Sustainable World, Jeremy Corbyn was at the United Nations, closely following the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty Review Conference.

After the meeting of civil society leaders, (in which several UFPJ affiliates, and our own co-convener, Jackie Cabasso spoke to international governmental and UN representatives about the need for immediate action on nuclear abolition) Corbyn asked Jackie and I, Matt De Vlieger, UFPJ’s Digital Coordinator, if we would like to meet “for tea” to discuss the conference and compare notes on the peace movements joined by the Atlantic Ocean. As we parted ways, he handed us his card and reiterated that we always have direct access and a “standing invitation” to visit him in London. At the time, we had no idea that we were speaking with the future leader of the UK Labour Party.

I conducted a brief video interview with Jeremy Corbyn, which you can view here. As a true movement leader, he took it upon himself to discuss the Syrian refugee crisis, before the topic had become an international media topic of interest.

The post VIDEO: UFPJ Talks Peace Movement Solidarity with Our Friend Jeremy Corbyn appeared first on United For Peace and Justice.