Once again the American people have been summoned to wage war against a dangerous “terrorist” adversary –this time it’s the Islamic State (ISIL). Again, we are told this enemy is uniquely evil and that U.S. military force is the only solution. And while the Obama Administration promises to avoid ground combat, the calls for more troops grow more insistent with each passing day, with disturbing evidence of “mission creep.”
U.S.military power as a means of stopping “terrorism” in the Muslim world has not and never will succeed. Over the past thirteen years, we have observed two major US wars in which early euphoria gave way to chaos, corruption and greater violence in the places the United States claimed to be “liberating.”
We recognize that the Islamic State (ISIL) is a dangerous entity, which needs to be stopped. But this cannot be a U.S. directed project, nor can we afford to repeat the mistakes of the past. We cannot bomb an ideology, or heal sectarian conflicts with the barrel of a gun. The narcotic effect of air strikes, which spare the lives of US soldiers, while killing others, takes the story off the front pages. Invisible to the public,the bombing inevitably causes widespread suffering among innocent people, multiplying enemies and provoking further ‘terrorism.”
More constructive alternatives to military intervention include:
- accelerating humanitarian assistance for displaced people,
- halting the flow of US arms to the region,
- pressuring allies to halt the financing and the flow of weapons and IS personnel through their territories,
- prioritizing diplomatic intervention under United Nations auspices,
- insisting on a renewed peace process for Syria that includes all parties,
- involving Iran and other regional actors in the negotiations over Iraq’s future, which include the diversity of groups within that country.
While none of these options is fool-proof, an American war is a proven failure.
This is a critical time to speak-up before the US becomesfully engaged in a new war that could embroil us in conflict for decades. Remind the public and our elected officials that diplomacy and humanitarian assistance ARE more effective than American military intervention.
During the next two weeks United for Peace and Justice together with other peace and justice groups around the country will be making our opposition visible . Please join this effort:
*Call your Congressional and Senate offices and ask where that elected official stands on the new conflict with ISIL? Send a clear message that you are opposed to the bombing, as well as the addition of more “boots on the ground.” Urge them to vote against any authorization for the use of force against ISIL. (Please report replies to rustiandgael@unitedforpeace.org)
Find contact info for your representatives here: http://capwiz.com/fconl/directory/congdir.tt
*Organize a delegation to meet with your representatives or a staff member. If nobody is available to meet with you, arrange a vigil outside their office and call the local media.
* Organize a community meeting, which can address some of the questions and genuine concerns that people have about the expansion of ISIL and the role of the United States
*Write a letter to the editor of a local paper raising your objections to the present course. Be sure to include information about how much this new war is costing. Link here for a useful article on the cost of fighting ISIL: http://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2014/10/07/fighting-islamic-state-how-much-will-cost/xub6sT2eWP1k67t1HWBsFL/story.html
Please let us know of actions you are taking, so that we can share this information with folks around the country. rustiandgael@unitedforpeace.org
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SAVE THE DATE: The 2015 Global Day of Action on Military Spending, April 13, 2015. UFPJ is supporting this annual, growing international day of action. Mark your calendar and watch this space for information and ideas about what you can do in your community.
