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Sharon Grimes, W A M M
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Alaskan Oil Drilling Loses Momentum
In December, an amendment that would have allowed oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) was removed from an unrelated defense appropriations bill. ANWR was established more than 40 years ago to preserve an area large enough to be biologically self-sufficient. Oil companies have been lobbying heavily for 20 years to open ANWR to oil drilling, which would lead to a network of roads, pipelines, sewage plants, drilling pads, and housing for thousands of workers.
Anti-Torture Amendment Passes
In December, the Bush administration finally gave up its opposition to the Anti-Torture Amendment sponsored by Senator John McCain. The legislation prohibits torture and harsh treatment of foreign terrorism suspects held in U.S. detention centers around the world.
Racist Billboards Stopped
The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) and the Arab American Institute (AAI) were among those leading efforts to stop a billboard ad campaign. They said the billboards “contain extremely negative and racist images of Arabs and Arab cultural symbols, misleadingly utilize false stereotypes and racist rhetoric to push an anti-immigrant agenda.” Lamar Advertising, which was hired for the ad campaign by the Coalition for a Secure Driver's License, said, “When we realized the tone of the campaign, we were no longer interested in representing the company.”
New Jersey Suspends Death Penalty
The New Jersey legislature passed a bill that suspends the death penalty while a commission studies the costs of imposing the death penalty, whether it is fairly imposed, and whether alternatives would ensure public safety and address the needs of victims' families. The governor said he would sign the bill. New Jersey would become the third state to suspend executions, and the first to do so through legislation.
Venezuelan Solidarity
A solidarity conference on Venezuela is being organized by faith communities, Bolivarian Circles, academics, labor leaders, and Latin America activists to create a network dedicated to supporting the Venezuelan people and their democratically elected leaders. The conference will be held in Washington, D.C., March 4-6.
First Female CO
Army National Guard Specialist Katherine Jashinski, 22, became the first woman conscientious objector (CO) to the war in Iraq. In her November statement she said: “The thing that I revere most in this world is life, and I will never take another person's life. …I have a deeply held belief that people must solve all conflicts through peaceful diplomacy and without the use of violence.” She joined the Texas National Guard when she was 19 and went on active duty in January 2005.
More Soldiers Request CO Status
The number of soldiers requesting CO status is increasing. In 2004, about 110 filed, about four times the number in 2000. Half of the CO requests were approved, which qualifies them for an honorable discharge. Some who were denied CO status went back to war, some refused to serve and have been court martialed, and some have fled.
Axis of Peace
The Axis of Peace Conference was held in Brussels, Belgium, in November to discuss issues such as the Iraq war, neocolonialism, the United Nations' role, the nature of terrorism, intervention by democratic nations, economic sovereignty, and conflict resolution. More than 140 politicians, lobbyists, analysts, and intellectuals from 30 countries met to “debate the causes of conflict and ways to avoid it.” Former UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros Ghali, Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa, and former Lebanese Prime Minister Salim el-Hoss attended.
Less & Less Support for War
According to a December poll, although most people (57 percent) oppose an immediate pullout from Iraq, the number is down from a year ago when 71 percent said they wanted troops to stay until Iraq is stable. Immediate withdrawal was favored by 36 percent in December's poll. Only one in ten say they want to stay in Iraq to fight terrorism, and 3 percent want to stay to protect U.S. national security. The number of those who say the war was a mistake is up from 34 percent two years ago to 49 percent in December.
Goal: Curb Global Warming
At the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Montreal, Canada, in December, the world's industrialized nations-despite resistance from the United States and Australia-agreed to move ahead with more ambitious goals for reducing global warming. This means the countries are committed to fighting global warming beyond 2012, the Kyoto Protocol's first deadline. Industrialized countries will work with major developing countries to reduce emissions while at the same time improving their economies.
Violence Against Women Act Extended
An extension of the Violence Against Women Act was granted on January 5. The legislation, which had expired in September, originally passed in 1994 and was renewed in 2000. The five-year extension increases funding by 20 percent to about $3.9 billion to help prevent domestic violence through early intervention, funding women's shelters, and law enforcement training. New provisions include health care, early intervention, and outreach to Native American women. |
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© 2006 Women Against Military Madness. All rights reserved.
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Complete February 2006 Index - click here
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