May 2, 2008
By Tonya Sneed
Peoria (IL) Peace Network

In protest of a recent air show, the Peoria Area Peace Network flew kites at a local park. We had a gorgeous, sunny day, and Jack, who organized it, says we’ll likely make it an annual event.

I told a reporter from Channel 25 that while “to us, to Americans, the warplanes represent entertainment, to the people of Afghanistan and Iraq, they represent terror.” They aired my comment.

May 1, 2008

Acquittal in Maine: Standing in front of the Penobscot County Courthouse while the jury deliberated their fate are, from left to right: Doug Rawlings, Henry Braun, Jimmy Freeman, Dud Hendrick, Rob Shetterly and Jonathan Kreps. (Photo: Kelly Bellis)> “I think that the public in Maine is so disgusted with the war in Iraq that they demonstrated their disgust with this verdict,” said (District Attorney R. Christopher) Almy, a Democrat. “And, that they are upset with [Sen. Olympia] Snowe and Collins for getting us involved in this debacle.”

“At this point,” Almy said, “we’re going to have to consider the precedent that this verdict sets and we may very well have to consider giving these cases to the U.S. attorney to prosecute because this state court case may preclude successful future prosecutions.

“Also, I would like to say that Snowe and Collins got us involved in this mismanaged war and it may be up to them to persuade the U.S. attorney to take on these cases,” he concluded.

April 29, 2008

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According to an April 29 article on CQ Politics, the House will likely vote on a new Iraq – Afghanistan war supplemental during the week of May 5, with Senator Harry Reid stating that he wants the Senate to vote on the bill prior to Memorial Day.

Details of the supplemental are being closely guarded by the Democratic party leadership. However, the supplemental is based upon President Bush’s request for an additional $108 billion in supplemental funding for the Iraq – Afghanistan war for the current fiscal year (FY 2008, which ends on September 30, 2008). Of this amount, $102 billion will be for the military.

March 21, 2008

March 19, 2008

MEMPHIS—On Wednesday March 19, 2008 seven members of the Mid-South Peace and Justice Center were arrested in the Memphis offices of Senator Bob Corker. Protestors had come to the office for a scheduled meeting in order to present Corker’s staff with 1,000 petition signatures and to ask that the Sentor hold a town hall meeting in Memphis on the Iraq war, which the Senator has not done since taking office. Protestors vowed not to leave the office until a signed letter from the Senator committing to a town hall meeting was recieved.

April 9, 2008

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LAONF-Iraqi Nonviolence Group Website

Stop the bombing over Al Sadr City in Baghdad. Stop the siege to the city. No more weapons

An urgent call from LAONF non violence group in Iraq about the humanitarian situation in Al Sadr City (Baghdad) – 08.04.2008

The continuous bombing of American occupation forces over Al Sadr City in Baghdad, the joint siege imposed by American and Iraqi army over the last 12 days, the spreading of snipers on the roof of buildings, the indiscriminate fire on civilians increased the numbers of victims in Al Sadr City, which is now living hell for its inhabitants.

LAONF non violence group calls for immediate stopping of the bombing from American occupation forces: it is putting in serious danger people’s lives and it is a major threat to peace in Baghdad.

February 28, 2008

Dear Friends,

I began this letter the other day on a bus returning from a two-day trip to D.C. where Maryknoll’s Social Concerns office had set up meetings with various groups to address the Iraqi refugee crisis. This was the third trip to D.C. since my return to the states in early December, part of an ongoing strategizing with Maryknoll colleagues as to how we might make real the desperate situation of Iraqi refugees. We’ve been able to convey concrete concerns and questions to a Congressperson with an entry to Homeland Security, to the Congressional Progressive Caucus, to the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, and others.

On this particular trip I was not traveling alone. I was accompanied by a dear Iraqi friend who was also going to D.C., and it was wonderful to have so many hours to catch up with each other. While on the bus a member of his family in Baghdad called on his cell phone, bringing their reality there close to us. Security has improved we heard due to the fact that the city is divided up with countless checkpoints and barriers. “It is like being in prison” he said.

February 15, 2008

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Congress is now considering President Bush’s request for an additional $102.5 billion in supplemental spending for the Iraq – Afghanistan wars. The central objectives of the antiwar effort must continue to be an end to all funding for the war in Iraq; an end to all military action against Iraq; and the complete and immediate withdrawal of all U.S. military forces from Iraq.

At the same time, it is important to examine the recent voting records of Representatives. An assessment of voting records will assist in developing strategies and tactics to use in lobbying Representatives to bring the Iraq war to an end. These strategies will no doubt include both legal and extralegal (i.e., nonviolent civil disobedience and nonviolent civil resistance) forms of lobbying.

The following assessments should be used as a tool in developing lobbying strategies rather than as the “be all, end all” assessment of Representatives and there are varying degrees of support or opposition to the Iraq war within each grouping that follows.

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