Endless Wars and Intervention
The United States has waged war around the globe for decades. Beginning with the bombing of Iraq in January 1991, U.S. combat forces have been continuously at war in the Middle East and Southwest Asia. Combat operations peaked with the invasion and occupations of Afghanistan in 2001 and Iraq in 2003, following the 9/11 attacks on targets in the United States which intensified these long-standing conflicts and gave the U.S. government a rationale for expanding their scope, with the “Global War on Terror.” These “endless wars” have included punitive raids, drone strikes, and covert operations from the Middle East to North and East Africa, Pakistan and the Philippines.
Founded in the run-up to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, UFPJ has led mass mobilizations, created and maintained contacts with civil society organizations in nations our government attacks, advocated for legislation to end authorization for use of military force, and worked to maintain a powerful voice for peace. We oppose the destructive policies of successive administrations, both Republican and Democratic, which have pursued similar policies with equally disastrous results. One of the deepest responsibilities we have is to speak up when wrongs are being committed in our names.
You will find information about endless wars below, or you can click on the category tags under the title of each post or use the search function to focus on specific countries and conflicts.
9/11 Pre-Trial Hearings at Guantanamo Enter Unchartered Legal Territory
Actions in the Guantanamo 9/11 Military Commissions, which have since the arraignment of five men accused of planning and supporting the 9/11 terrorist attacks been unable to even begin a trial, appeared to advance toward resolution and then with near lightening speed...
Hearings in the 9/11 Case at Guantanamo Move Closer to Crucial Decisions on Admissibility of Key Government Evidence
From April 21 to May 17, the 9/11 military commission at the Guantanamo Naval Base held its first-ever, five-weeklong set of pre-trial hearings. The accelerated pace of the proceedings is a clear sign that the current judge, Air Force Colonel Matthew McCall (the...
Guantanamo at 22: Continuing Violations of Human Rights and the Growing Challenges and Harms Experienced by Former Detainees
The Detention Facility on the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base marked its 22nd anniversary on January 11th, and while the number of detainees has dwindled to 30 there is a growing awareness of the enormity of the on-going damages and human rights violations the 780 Muslim...
Ukraine War Notwithstanding, the Middle East and its Oil will Always be at the Center of U.S. Foreign Policy
by Michael Eisenscher, National Coordinator Emeritus, U.S. Labor Against the War During the last year-and-a-half, the war in Ukraine has commanded the lion’s share of the attention of the U.S. and international antiwar movement – although that conflict has also...
GTMO UPDATE: Detainee Releases and High-Level Reviews of Guantanamo Policies and Practices
Good news and Guantanamo are two ideas not normally associated with one another, but February 2023 has been a month of important positive developments for the men being held at the Guantanamo detention facility and for eventually ending the failed system of military...
If Biden Doesn’t Close Guantánamo, What President Will? Take Action Today!
By Terry Rockefeller, September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows Since UFPJ’s founding, our member organizations—September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows, Witness Against Torture, CODEPINK, and many others—have worked to close the illegal off-shore detention...
Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine: An Illegal War of Aggression
Statement by Lawyers Committee on Nuclear Policy, UN Office of the International Association of Lawyers Against Nuclear Arms. The Lawyers Committee on Nuclear Policy strongly condemns Russia’s attack on Ukraine. The Russian invasion is in clear violation of...
New Ukraine Crisis resource page: commentary, responses, and background
United for Peace and Justice is a network of organizations, and there is some diversity of views regarding the nature of the current crisis. But all agree in their opposition to the threat or use of force as a means to resolve international conflict. Our new resource...
Time to start stopping the wars: No war in Ukraine, then no war anywhere.
The Ukraine crisis intensifies, with no clear path to resolution. A military confrontation between the United States and Russia, the world's most heavily armed nuclear nations, could spell disaster. It is time for the people of the world to cry Enough! No more war...
Guantánamo: 20 Years of Injustice Must End!
Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL), the most vocal congressional champion of closing Guantánamo, chaired a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee on December 7. Colleen Kelly a co-founder of September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows, one of the founding...
‘Don’t Look Away’—U.S. drones regularly kill civilians throughout the world
No flag is big enough to cover the shame of killing innocent people – Howard Zinn The Ban Killer Drones campaign asked peacemakers to protest drone war on Nov. 29, and PeaceWorks-KC answered the call. Fourteen of us witnessed for peace that day at Whiteman Air Force...
GITMO’s 20th Anniversary Approaches and the Policies of Endless War Persist
Under the George W. Bush Administration at least 780 Muslim men were brought to the prison facilities at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, which was opened on January 11, 2002. Today, as GITMO’s 20th anniversary approaches, 39 men remain. Ten have been charged but are...