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Israeli Women Condemn the Wall
On August 13, 2003, the Israeli women of Bat Shalom of the Jerusalem Link wrote an open letter to the Palestinian people in which they denounced the Israeli government’s project to build a 25-foot wall on Palestinian land. The women asserted that the wall will be used “to maintain the occupation and not to facilitate coexistence. The suffering it has already inflicted is proof of that, and the perpetuation of suffering and oppression will inevitably undermine security for Israelis and Palestinians alike.”
Democrats Seek Rumsfeld’s Termination
In November, more than two dozen Democrats from the House of Representatives introduced a resolution that urged George W. Bush to fire Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. The resolution states that Rumsfeld has misled the public, sent troops to war “without adequate planning and sufficient equipment,” and made insensitive statements regarding the war and U.S. casualties (Reuters).
Lynch Accuses Administration of Propaganda
Private Jessica Lynch spoke out against her portrayal in the media and by the Administration as a war hero. “They used me to symbolize all this stuff. It’s wrong. I don’t know why they filmed [my rescue] or why they say these things” (The Observer, London).
Tens of Thousands Protest
In November, progressives took to the streets in London, Miami, and at Fort Benning, Georgia, protesting George W. Bush’s state visit to Great Britain, the Free Trade Area of the Americas, and the School of the Americas, respectively. Protesters worked to draw connections between “the invisible hand of the market and the iron fist of the military.”
Soldiers Abandon War
The Star Tribune and Amy Goodman reported that 30 soldiers on leave from the Iraq war have decided not to return.
Cartoonist Against the War
Aaron McGruder in his comic strip, “The Boondocks,” continues to be a source of good news as he comments on current events without really commenting. In the Twin Cities, “The Boondocks” is carried by the Star Tribune, but not the Pioneer Press.
Americans Turning from War
According to Charles E. Carlson in “The Great Turning,” first published March 18, 2003, Americans are not only turning away from war but also from those who make war. Signs? On February 21, 2003, the Los Angeles City Council passed a resolution for peace by a 9-4 vote. Former Marine and newscaster Dan Rather stated that the real reason for devouring Iraq was oil and water. Former President Jimmy Carter said that the war in Iraq met none of the standards for a “just war,” and that the war had been planned three years earlier. ABC’s Nightline (March 5, 2003) described the Project for the New American Century, initiated in 1997, which called for the elimination of Saddam Hussein. Ted Koppel said the push to eliminate Hussein was linked to a willingness to use force to protect vital American interests in the Gulf.
On-line Peace University Opens
Transcend Peace University, the world’s first truly global on-line peace university—designed for government and NGO practitioners, policy makers, and students at any level working in the fields of peace, conflict transformation, development, and global issues—will open for classes in February, 2004, in Cluj, Romania. Among the courses offered will be “nonviolence in global conflicts;” “peace journalism;” “peace, music, literature, and the arts;” “peace and tourism;” and “reconciliation after violence.” Cost per course is Euros 500. FFI: www.transcend.org/tpu, tpu@transcend.org, or tel: +40-724-380511.
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