Spy for the US Military Exposed: Spent Last Two Years Spying on Activists

Brian Wilson lost both of his legs in an attempt to prevent U.S. arms from reaching Nicaragua's CIA-endorsed Contras. He will be speaking at a benefit for Iraq veterans against the war at 7 PM [Thursday] July 23, at the First Unitarian Church in Portland, 1211 SW Main. Donations are requested, but noone will be turned away. This is a fundraiser to help send a delegation that I am part of to Venezuela in September. For more information please visit our website:  http://www.pdxvenezuela.org | Related Coverage

REACTION and SERIOUS CONCERNS regarding UFPJ Action Alert of 7/9/09 asking that people join the “United 4 Iran ” Global Day of Action on July 25: Is UFPJ confident that the leaders and proponents of this action are not being financed by the National Endowment for Democracy and other “pro-democracy” fronts awash with some of the $400 million that the U.S. Congress has provided to the NED, the CIA, the USAID (U.S. Agency for International Development) and others for the explicit purpose of subversion, acts of sabotage, financing, equipping and training upper echelon Iranian-Americans who are ready to serve the U.S. foreign policy objectives of infiltrating and penetrating the security spheres of the Iranian nation…? Thierry Meyssan claims to know how the CIA did it.

Anti-war activists and organizations are invited to a planning meeting for an October demonstration against the Afghan War:

2:00 p.m., Sunday, August 2, 2009
Douglas Truth Library (23rd and Yesler)

Youngbloods, Elders and Friends: Cynthia McKinney, Charles Barron and 200 other Americans broke the Israeli blockade of Gaza today when the first American "'Viva Palestina" convoy entered Gaza with 50 trucks and cars filled with relief supplies for the 1.5 million Palestinians who have been blockaded and bombarded by Israel for over two years. Several weeks ago McKinney and 20 other activists were illegally seized in international waters and held in an Israeli prison when they tried to bring relief supplies to Gaza by boat. Upon her release from prison Cynthia joined Charles Barron and the other Viva Palestina activists who were being refused entry into Gaza by Egyptian authorities.

Are we watching passively while Barack Obama carries out the same policies as George W. Bush? When an American bombing raid this May killed over two hundred civilians in a village in Afghanistan, it was met with a deafening silence. When Obama’s promised “withdrawal” from Iraq leaves 130,000 troops there for at least two more years and 50,000 permanently, it’s hailed as an end to the occupation. And who is demanding to know just what the mission really is when 30,000 more troops are sent to Afghanistan? Episode One: For Those Who Would Judge Me

Are we watching passively while Barack Obama carries out the same policies as George W. Bush?

When an American bombing raid this May killed over two hundred civilians in a village in Afghanistan, it was met with a deafening silence. When Obama’s promised “withdrawal” from Iraq leaves 130,000 troops there for at least two more years and 50,000 permanently, it’s hailed as an end to the occupation.

Philadelphia, PA – Three military veteran organizations are calling on the Obama Administration to release photographs depicting abuse of detainees in U.S. custody. Veterans For Peace, Iraq Veterans Against the War and Veterans for Common Sense wrote a joint letter to President Obama describing how releasing the pictures is crucial to U.S. national security, upholding international law and safe guarding democracy at home. The organizations published the joint letter and asked veterans to co-sign before it is sent to the President.

Like the original Transformers movie of 2007, Transformers 2 is unapologetic about its role as a recruiting tool (as discussed in this commentary from CAMS (Coalition for Alternatives to Militarism in Our Schools) and in this critique from the Newswire:

“This weekend I saw the new Michael Bay film. The only thing that deserves prominence in TRANSFORMERS 2 is the careful valorization of military disobedience. . . . Militarism is a terrible phenomenon which is reinforced in all of the social institutions. Media and culture can turn to create slaves faithful of the military values. Is that not what happened in Nazi Germany?” Full story: TRANSFORMERS 2 by Fabio de Oliveira Ribeiro

America, a peaceful country, is fighting a just cause but with a fresh, new approach! On June 4, 2009, President Barack Obama spoke about this fresh, new approach.

Did anyone mention how the U.S. and Western corporate media in general contributed images and narratives of Muslim “terrorists” and Muslim “extremists” intended to lead Americans and the world to see Islam, the religion and its practitioners as hostile to Americans and Westerners? Did anyone mention that is practice of dehumanizing the victims of power is violence in itself?

RELATED: Some thoughts on the left, from the left II Benton Harbor believes in fighting back

Nationally renowned anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan spoke at the Regent Theater in Arlington, MA on June 29, 2009. Veterans for Peace musicians Pat Scanlon and friends opened the event, singing some spirited peace songs. WATCH THE VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9OJTHZahoE

Specialist Trevor Loope, 23, of Austin TX, served 15 months in Afghan combat with the 3d Brigade of the 10th Mountain Division. Upon returning to Ft. Drum in 2007 he was unable to obtain adequate treatment for mental health issues. This caused him to leave the base in search of effective treatment. Dr. David Ogren, a clinical psychologist from Houston, TX with fifteen years experience treating victims of mental trauma, spent hours examining and testing Specialist Trevor Loope. Dr. Ogren’s report concludes that Trevor suffers "from a severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and a Severe Depression."

Trevor Loope might be be facing a court-martial proceeding on July 1. Or maybe the proceeding will be delayed. Or maybe (we hope) the charges against him will be dropped and he will be a favorable, non-punitive administrative separation –in effect acknowledging his PTSD and severe depression, and the failure of the military to provide the treatment that he requested upon his return from his combat tour in Afghanistan

Watch the Interview: We support Trevor Loope -Interviews after sanity board 6-18-09

Additional Information: Press Conference: Spc. Trevor Loope appears before sanity board at Ft. Drum 6-18-09 | Sanity Board for Soldier at Ft Drum is Challenged by GI Rights Group | Tompkins County Against War & Occupation

Shortly before midnight on Sunday, June 28th, a demonstration will begin at Vandenberg Air Force Base to protest the U.S. launch of a Minuteman III nuclear missile. The target of the rocket is the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site, Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands, South Pacific.

Panel discussion with Seth Manzel (organizer of Coffee Strong G.I. coffeehouse outside Ft. Lewis and member of Iraq Veterans Against the War) and Emma Kaplan (National Youth & Student Coordinator of The World Can’t Wait and speaker with the We Are Not Your Soldiers Tour).

The legacy of Hiroshima and Nagasaki continues. We must end the culture of violence and militarism, from handgun to H-Bomb, that continues to define our society, its priorities, its options, and and enables its imperial assumptions and will. We must resist Lockheed Martin, the world largest weapons corporation and the U.S.'s chief nuclear weapons contractor. We must save our children, our communities, and our war-ravaged economy, from the violence of handguns, militarism, and nuclear weapons. Join us in the coming weeks as we connect, act, remember, and resist.
PHOTO from protest outside Lockheed Martin's headquarters in King of Prussia, by Melissa K. Elliott.

Not one democrat in U.S. House from Oregon & Washington voted against war supplemental.

Democrats in Oregon & Washington obviously are devoted to failed wars, are opposed to exit strategies, dearly love the current unreformed IMF, which ruins debtor nations, & support the totally unrelated & ridiculously inept cash-for-clunkers program. And of course these congresspeeps will dig deeply into their own pockets to come up with $100,000,000,000 for the war supplemental mishmash approved today. How much more in September, jerks!

90 people walked raising awareness "drop by drop"

June 10, 2009 — The rains came... and so did the walkers! After gathering in the parking lot at Bakers Square and registering, we had a short rally and about ninety walkers set off on the three miles to Alliant Techsystems. The rain was relatively heavy, but our spirits were high and we received many friendly honks and waves. We had a big WAMM Walk Against Weapons sign leading and many individuals wore Walk Against Weapons signs on their backs or around their necks; it was quite an impressive sight... in the rain.

Woman Against Military Madness and AlliantACTION organized the fundraising walk for WAMM from Bakers Square, around the Eden Prairie Shopping Center, to ATK's corporate headquarters. Thousands of suburbanites witnessed this year's WALK AGAINST WEAPONS. Read More & Photos | WAMM Online

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates’ keynote address at the University of Washington met resistance, as students and community members objected to his record as a war criminal.

Students and activists protested the appearance of Robert Gates at The University of Washington's graduation ceremony. Gates, who served as C.I.A. director under Papa Bush, has served as Defense Secretary under Baby Bush and Obama. Gates was awarded an honorary UW Doctor of Laws degree for authorizing torture delivering the commencement speech. Read More & Pics | VIDEO

Related: UW Custodians Continue to Fight On-Campus Abuse

On June 6th, the 42nd anniversary of Israel's seizure of Gaza, a protest was held at the UN Plaza (7th and Market) at noon, in solidarity with the people of Gaza. Organized by the ANSWER Coalition, organization and individuals came to show support and to demand an to end the siege of Gaza.

"Shemiron limps into the room to meet us. Her right leg, from the knee down, is covered up by a stiff prosthetic leg. Her face is in a constant grimace of pain. Her eyes are the saddest eyes I have ever looked into and when I do, I feel myself falling into her grief and pain. Tears line her eyes like crystal eyeliner…" Excerpt from our blog: April 11, 2009

On May 28th in San Francisco, World Can't Wait, National Lawyers Guild, Code Pink, the Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists, and National Accountability Network gathered at the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to demand that Judge Bybee be disbarred and prosecuted for codifying specific torture tactics and for giving high Bush administration officials immunity protections from both civil and criminal suit.

For several months, the Rochester City School District has been considering changing it's policy to not send student information to military recruiters unless parents explicitly consent to it being sent out. The board has discussed the issue at several meetings, with no clear consensus - although virtually every speaker from the community has opposed changing the policy (reportback #1, reportback #2).

Activists have been heavily organizing to keep the current policy that protects students. On Wednesday, they organized a Teach-in build skills and hone strategies for protecting privacy. They followed that up by showing up in force at Thursday's school board meeting to oppose changes to the current policy, joining an even larger force of community opposition to teacher lay-offs. Mary Adams gives a reportback on the board's discussion of the policy change.

The Obama administration continues trying to block the release of some additional photos of detainee abuse. The excuse? They say exposing the photos could incite anti-American violence in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. They seem to forget that we're already seeing anti-American violence in those countries. And they seem to forget why.

BEVERLY HILLS, May 27, 2009 – A wide range of groups turned out to protest Obama’s visit to Southern California this Wednesday at a Democratic Party fund raiser. Protests began around 3:00 pm with a contingent of primarily anti-war protesters, who are disappointed with the contradiction between what Obama said on the campaign trail and what he is saying and doing now as commander in chief.

Full report: Hundreds Protest Outside Obama Fundraiser in Beverly Hills by A || Anti-War Protestors Welcome Obama || VIDEO: Anti-war protest at Obama Event

Many of us in the activist community are familiar with Code Pink's pink-themed antiwar protests. yesterday, May 26, a delegation of 66 (presumably US based) activists led by Code Pink entered Gaza by the Egyptian border after problems with the Egyptian border security.

Egypt is assisting Isra-Hell in their seige of Occupied Gaza. This is why the Egyptian authorities tried to turn away Code Pink's "aid and embarassment" convoy. A second delegation of 70 more activists will attempt to get through the blockade on Saturday.

Full Story from Palestine as reported by Saed Bannoura of the International Middle East Media Center (IMEMC)