Anonymous Comrade submits:

End the Occupation * Investigate the Lies * Bring the Troops Home NOW *

August 6–10 United for Peace and Justice Days of Action

TAKE ACTION ON AUGUST 6-10, 2003, 100 DAYS AFTER BUSH DECLARED THE WAR
ON IRAQ OFFICIALLY OVER

FOLLOW UP: AUGUST 27 GRASSROOTS CONGRESSIONAL ACTION DAY

On May 1, 2003 President Bush, in a televised speech from an aircraft
carrier, announced the end of major combat operations in Iraq. More
than two months later, Iraqi civilians and U.S. G.I.’s are being
killed every single day as our military tries to force an unpopular
occupation on the Iraqi people -– most likely, 6,000 to 8,000 Iraqi
civilians have been killed, as well as over 230 American soldiers.The occupation’s cost has skyrocketed to $3.9 billion per month –-
$46.8 billion per year –- while total funds for reconstructing Iraq are
barely over 10% of that (most of which is Iraq’s money). At home,
budgets for schools and important social services are being slashed.

Meanwhile, a flood of government leaks and media reports confirm that
the anti-war movement was right all along: The Bush administration
lied about the alleged Iraqi threat to scare us into backing their
war.

TAKE ACTION:
ORGANIZE A PROTEST AUGUST 6–10!

On August 6–10, people throughout the world are already planning
peace events to commemorate the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. On
those days, the United States became the only country in world history
to use nuclear weapons, killing hundreds of thousands of innocent
people in Japan. Let’s join those events and their calls for nuclear
disarmament, and create additional events to hold the Bush
Administration accountable for the lies told before the war and the
chaos that grips Iraq right now. That chaos includes the long-term
effects of radioactive uranium, which plagued Hiroshima and Nagasaki
after the 1945 bombings and may be associated with dramatic rises in
cancer and severe birth defects in Iraq.

Please organize an August 6–10 anti-occupation event in your city.
Tell us about it, so that we can publicize your event as part of the
national days of protest. The event doesn’t have to be big: It could
be a rally, a town hall meeting, a vigil, a documentary screening, a
religious gathering, a letter-writing campaign to your local press or
representative, or even a few people holding up signs at a busy street
corner. Or join an already planned anti-nuclear event and work with
event organizers to incorporate the anti-occupation message.

To tell us about your planned protest, please email
andrea@globalexchange.organd list your event at
http://www.unitedforpeace.org/calendar_gxinput.php

We will have stickers available soon that you can use as tools for
your anti-occupation organizing. They are bright yellow with a bold
message: "BUSH LIES -- WHO DIES? End the Occupation of Iraq, Bring the
Troops Home NOW!" We are charging only printing and shipping costs –-
$20 per 500 stickers (the minimum order). To order these stickers,
send us your shipping address along with a check made payable to
"United for Peace and Justice" to UFPJ, P.O. Box 607, Times Square
Station, NY 10108.

FOLLOW UP: PARTICIPATE IN THE AUGUST 27 GRASSROOTS CONGRESSIONAL
ACTION DAY TO HOLD THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR LIES
LEADING UP TO THE WAR

The Bush Administration is desperately trying to contain the brewing
controversy about its false statements regarding Iraqi weapons of mass
destruction. On August 27, while members of Congress are in their home
districts, United for Peace and Justice in collaboration with other
peace groups will coordinate a massive grassroots advocacy/pressure
day to urge our Senators and Representatives to support a genuine
investigation into whether the Bush Administration misled the public
with claims that Iraq was an imminent threat to the U.S. and its
neighbors. We want open, thorough, timely, televised public hearings
and an investigation with a broad mandate. We need the truth.

Both Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA.) and Rep. Ellen Tauscher (D-CA.) have
introduced legislation (H.R. 2625 and H. Res. 307, respectively) that
addresses some of these concerns (details can be found at
http://thomas.loc.gov). Each has supported the other’s bill, although
Tauscher’s is stronger in several regards -– it calls for a House
Select Committee rather than an independent commission, and it calls
for reporting before the 2004 Presidential election. The number of
co-sponsors of these bills has shot up over the last few weeks as UFPJ
and other anti-war coalitions turned up the heat on Congress.

If your group wants to join in efforts to influence your local
Congressperson on Aug. 27, send an email to
congressaction@unitedforpeace.org with your name, organization, phone
number, whether you want to organize or just participate in the
meetings.

UFPJ is developing a grassroots advocacy toolkit for grassroots
activists, including a briefing packet and advocacy tips.

MORE INFORMATION

About the Occupation of Iraq: http://www.occupationwatch.org

About Hiroshima and Nagasaki Commemoration events:
http://www.unitedforpeace.org and
http://www.ananuclear.org/HiroshimaDays2003.html

About Military Families who oppose the war: http://www.mfso.org