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<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial;" lang="EN">Dear Friends,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font color="black" face="Arial" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">March, 2008
ushered in the sixth year of war
and occu<st1:personname w:st="on">pati</st1:personname>on “without
end” on <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Iraq</st1:country-region></st1:place>.
In an act of arrogance and impunity, Congress in a bipartisan vote
approved
another <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><font color="black" face="Arial" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; color: black; font-weight: bold;">$162
billion</span></font></b><font color="black" face="Arial"><span
style="font-family: Arial; color: black;"> in funding for the wars on <st1:country-region
w:st="on">Iraq</st1:country-region>
and <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Afghanistan</st1:country-region></st1:place>.
Stepped up threats against <st1:country-region w:st="on">Iran</st1:country-region>
and the increased likelihood of a <st1:country-region w:st="on">U.S.</st1:country-region>
troop “surge” into <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Afghanistan</st1:country-region></st1:place>
point to an imperative for action and an independent voice from the
peace and
justice movement. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font color="black" face="Arial" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">In light of
these developments, grass
roots forces from around the country gathered together at the end of
June for
the National Assembly to End the Iraq War and Occu<st1:personname
w:st="on">pati</st1:personname>on
in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Cleveland</st1:city>, <st1:state
w:st="on">Ohio</st1:state></st1:place>. At the conference an action
plan for
the months ahead was discussed and approved in a democratic vote. As
part of
this plan, over 95% voted in favor of supporting pre-election protests
being
organized in cities and localities around the country on October 11,
2008. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial;">It was on October 11,
2002 that Congress approved the <b><span style="font-weight: bold;">“<st1:country-region
w:st="on">Iraq</st1:country-region>
War Resolution”</span></b> granting the Bush administration
authorization
to invade <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Iraq</st1:country-region></st1:place>.
The weeks ahead promise to be filled with debate as the election
campaigns gear
up. Instead of being spectators who watch the media pundits put their
spin on
the political pronouncements of the candidates, the October 11 protests
present
us with an opportunity to be engaged in injecting our agenda, the
antiwar
agenda, into the intensifying debate. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial;">Please join us in an
initial planning meeting as we prepare
a <st1:city w:st="on">Boston</st1:city> protest demanding the
immediate and
unconditional withdrawal of all occu<st1:personname w:st="on">pati</st1:personname>on
forces from <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Iraq</st1:country-region></st1:place>
and the closing of all military bases. All are invited. Looking forward
to
seeing you there.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="1"><span
style="font-size: 8pt; font-family: Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><font face="Arial" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold;">Saturday,
August 9, 3:00 PM<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><font face="Arial" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold;">Encuentro
5 <o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><st1:street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on"><b><font
face="Arial" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold;">33
Harrison Avenue</span></font></b></st1:address></st1:street><b><font
face="Arial"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold;">, 5<sup>th</sup>
Floor<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><st1:city w:st="on"><b><font face="Arial" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold;">Boston</span></font></b></st1:city><b><font
face="Arial"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold;"> (in
<st1:place w:st="on">Chinatown</st1:place>)</span></font></b><font
face="Arial"><span style="font-family: Arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="1"><span
style="font-size: 8pt; font-family: Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial;">In Peace and Solidarity,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="1"><span
style="font-size: 6pt; font-family: Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><st1:personname w:st="on"><font face="Arial"
size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial;">Marilyn
Levin</span></font></st1:personname><font face="Arial"><span
style="font-family: Arial;">
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font color="black" face="Arial" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">*Arlington/Lexington
United for Justice
with Peace, <st1:place w:st="on">New England</st1:place>
United </span></font><font face="Arial"><span
style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="1"><span
style="font-size: 6pt; font-family: Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial;">Liam Madden<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial;">*IVAW – <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Boston</st1:city></st1:place>
Chapter<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="1"><span
style="font-size: 6pt; font-family: Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><st1:personname w:st="on"><font face="Arial"
size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial;">Suren
Moodliar</span></font></st1:personname><font face="Arial"><span
style="font-family: Arial;">
<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial;">Mass Global Action<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="1"><span
style="font-size: 6pt; font-family: Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><st1:personname w:st="on"><font face="Arial"
size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial;">Ann Glick</span></font></st1:personname><font
face="Arial"><span style="font-family: Arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial;">*<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city
w:st="on">Newton</st1:city></st1:place>
Dialogues for Peace <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="1"><span
style="font-size: 6pt; font-family: Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial;">Nate Goldshlag<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial;">Smedley D. <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Butler</st1:city></st1:place>
Brigade, Chapter 9 Veterans for Peace<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="1"><span
style="font-size: 6pt; font-family: Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial;">Angela Kelly<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial;">*Mass Peace Action<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="1"><span
style="font-size: 6pt; font-family: Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><st1:personname w:st="on"><font face="Arial"
size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial;">Paul
Shannon</span></font></st1:personname><font face="Arial"><span
style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial;">American Friends Service
Committee<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="1"><span
style="font-size: 6pt; font-family: Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><st1:personname w:st="on"><font face="Arial"
size="3"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial;">John Harris</span></font></st1:personname><font
face="Arial"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial;">Greater <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Boston</st1:city></st1:place>
Stop the Wars Coalition<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="1"><span
style="font-size: 6pt; font-family: Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="3"><span
style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial;">* Organization for
identification purposes only<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><font face="Arial" size="2"><span
style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;"><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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