[act-ma] [UJP] Getting things straight on Iraq: Raed Jarrar and Terry Rockefeller

Wed Jan 11 05:32:08 PST 2012

UJP: Getting things straight on Iraq: Raed Jarrar and Terry Rockefeller

GETTING THINGS STRAIGHT ON IRAQ: RAED JARRAR AND TERRY ROCKEFELLER
============================================================

A Peace Movement Briefing with Raed Jarrar and Terry Rockefeller

Saturday, January 14 - 1 to 4 pm

First Parish, 3 Church St (Helverson Parlor), Cambridge

UJP's quarterly strategy session will feature a briefing on just what is
happening in Iraq and its implications for peace activists. The briefing will be
provided by Raed Jarrar and Terry Rockefeller.

Raed Jarrar is an Iraqi-Palestinian architect, blogger and political analyst who
was in Iraq during the U.S. invasion in 2003 and has recently returned from
another trip. He is a former AFSC and Peace Action staff person who provided
constant briefings to peace activists throughut the war as well as working with
Congressman Delahunt’s office to develop opposition to the war in Congress.
 He collected his and his family's blog posts into The Iraq War Blog, An Iraqi
Family's Inside View of the First Year of the Occupation, published in 2008.  
Read Raed's blog posts [1].

Terry Rockefeller is a member of Families for Peaceful Tomorrows whose sister
was killed in the attacks of September 11 and a tireless worker for peace and
reconciliation. Terry recently attended the Third Iraqi Civil Society
Solidarity Initiative (ICSSI), an international conference in Erbil, northern
Iraq. Under the theme “Another Iraq is Possible with Peace and Human
Rights,” ICSSI was attended by about 150 Iraqi and 100 representatives of
international civil society (i.e., nonprofit) organizations. At the meeting
participants discussed the challenges that Iraqi people are facing, the issues
on which Iraqi civil society is now working, and the kinds of solidarity needed
among Iraqi NGOs and international organizations to bring about democratic
change, social justice, human rights, freedom, and dignity for all Iraqis.  
The specific issues addressed include a search for how to address pollution and
the grave health affects due to war damages; discussions of privatization of
oil resources; ongoing obstacles to having a free civil society; and Iraqis'
thoughts on withdrawal of U.S. troops and the need to monitor practices of
private security contractors

Listen to Terry Rockefeller’s interview with Callie Crossley [2] on WGBH,
September 7, 2011 and read the Declaration of the Erbil conference [3].

For over 8 years Iraq has been right at the center of peace movement activities.
We have carried out untold numbers of demonstrations, congressional actions,
educational events and acts of civil disobedience in our relentless campaign to
end the war. United for Justice with Peace (UJP) has been at the forefront of
that campaign in the Greater Boston area. On the day of the invasion in 2003 UJP
carried out a significant civil disobedience action at the JFK building. Often
led by Military Families Speak Out, Iraq Veterans Against the War, and Veterans
for Peace, the peace movement’s protest of the Iraq war was critical in making
the Iraq war THE national issue from 2005 until the financial meltdown in 2008.
And the Iraq issue was clearly the deciding factor that gave the Democratic
Party nomination to Obama over Clinton.

And now, at the very time when one of the key events of the whole Iraq war is
taking place, the peace movement seems to be confused about what is happening.
Some say the war is over. Others say the war continues because there are 16,000
State Department personnel -- including 8,000 armed mercenaries -- still in
iraq. Some say the U.S. still has huge bases throughout Iraq. Others say the
bases have been closed down. Some call the present troop withdrawal a fake.
Others claim it is a victory for the peace movement. There is confusion about
who controls Iraq’s oil, one of the main points of contention throughout the
entire war. And then, of course, there is the issue of what will happen now in
Iraq and what are the most pressing problems the country must deal with.

All those interested in Iraq, whether members of UJP groups or not, are welcome
to participate. 

Raed Jarrar will also present updates on the Iraq war at:

Saturday, January 14, 7pm, Newton - Grace Episcopal Church, 79 Eldredge St.,
Newton Corner.  Sponsored by Newton Dialogues on Peace and War.

Sunday, January 15, 1pm, Boston - Encuentro 5, 33 Harrison Ave, 5th Floor,
Chinatown (T).  Sponsored by Occupy Boston / Free School University.

		 [4]

United for Justice with Peace [5] is a coalition of peace and justice
organizations and community peace groups in the Greater Boston region. The UJP
Coalition, formed after September 11th, seeks global peace through social and
economic justice.

             [6]

Help us continue to do this critical work!   Make a donation to UJP today. [7]

info at justicewithpeace.org [8]

            		617-383-4857

            		www.justicewithpeace.org [9]

Upcoming Events: 

		Getting things straight on Iraq [10]

		Sat Jan 14

		1:00pm

		First Parish Church

		Cambridge

		Singing for Our Lives: People's Music Concert [11]

		Fri Jan 27

		7:30pm

		Lawrence High School Performing Arts Center

		Lawrence

		Massachusetts Peace Action Annual Meeting [12]

		Sat Jan 28

		1:00pm

		First Baptist Church

		Newton

		Remember Fukushima: Walk for a New Spring [13]

		Fri Mar 2

		9:00am

		Seabrook, NH to Plymouth, MA to Vernon, VT

		Seabrook, NH to Plymouth, MA to Vernon, VT

		Massachusetts Jobs with Justice 20th Anniversary Dinner [14]

		Thu Mar 15

		6:00pm

		tba

		Retire NATO, Create Jobs & Fund Peace [15]

		Fri May 18

		9:00am

		Chicago, IL

More Peace and Justice Events [16].    How to Submit Events [17] 

-- 
Click here to unsubscribe from this newsletter [18]

[1] http://raedinthemiddle.blogspot.com/
[2]
http://www.wgbh.org/programs/The-Callie-Crossley-Show-855/episodes/Wed-September-7Terry-Rockefeller-Peaceful-Tomorrows-31401
[3]
http://justicewithpeace.org/files/Final%20Declaration%20Erbil%20Conference%20Eng%20DRAFT%2010-11.pdf
[4] http://justicewithpeace.org
[5] http://justicewithpeace.org
[6] http://justicewithpeace.org/donate
[7] http://justicewithpeace.org/donate
[8] info at justicewithpeace.org
[9] http://www.justicewithpeace.org
[10] http://justicewithpeace.org/node/3371
[11] http://justicewithpeace.org/node/3374
[12] http://justicewithpeace.org/node/3290
[13] http://justicewithpeace.org/node/3387
[14] http://justicewithpeace.org/node/3299
[15] http://justicewithpeace.org/node/3251
[16] http://justicewithpeace.org/upcoming-events
[17] http://justicewithpeace.org/posting-events
[18] http://justicewithpeace.org/newsletter/confirm/remove/54b7b5e2b33576t74
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