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by Sharon Grimes, W A M M
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Support by U.S. Citizens for Military Intervention Declining
• By a 45 to 32 percent margin respondents believe that the most effective way to reduce the threat of terrorist attacks on the United States is to decrease rather than increase our military presence abroad (August 9-13 poll of 1,500 people by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press.
• 25 percent (only one in four) believe the administration’s claims that the United States and its allies are winning the war on terrorism; 13 percent said the insurgents are winning; and 62 percent said the war was essentially a stalemate (CNN poll conducted August 30-September 2)
• 43 percent said military strikes against countries that are trying to develop nuclear weapons was a very important way to reduce future terrorism. But this number is down by 15 points compared to October 2002 when President Bush was trying to get Congress to approve a resolution authorizing military action against Iraq.
According to the survey, when asked what a very important step would be in reducing terrorism, respondents generally want to reduce U.S. involvement in the Middle East when compared to a survey four years ago.
• 67 percent said reducing dependence on Mideast oil (compared to 53 percent four years ago)
• 52 percent said decreasing defense spending (53 percent four years ago)
• 43 percent said attacking nuclear facilities (58 percent four years ago)
• 41 percent said not getting involved in other countries’ problems (32 percent four years ago)
People were also asked why they thought the United States has lost support around the world.
• More than 66 percent cited the Iraq war
• 58 percent said it was because of America’s wealth and power
• 49 percent said because of the U.S.-led war on terror
• 46 percent said because of U.S. support for Israel
Source: http://www.antiwar.com/lobe/?articleid=9666 or Inter Press Service, 9/7/2006
Failed War Spurs Massive Call for Rumsfeld’s Resignation
Calls for the resignation of Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld are increasing. Tens of thousands of individuals signed online petitions demanding his resignation. House Democrats are demanded a September vote on a no-confidence resolution. Retired Lt. Gen. Paul van Riper became the eighth retired general to call for Rumsfeld’s resignation. The other generals are Paul Eaton, John Riggs, Charles H. Swannack, Jr., John Batiste. Gregory Newbold, Anthony Zinni, and Wesley Clark. The union representing more than 200,000 civilian defense workers issued a no-confidence vote in March.
WAMM Receives A.J. Muste Grant
The A. J. Muste Memorial Institute recently granted WAMM $500 from its Counter-Recruitment Fund to help launch a new program. “We Speak the Same Language: NO WAR!” Funds will be used to translate materials about the realities of military recruitment and military service for immigrant families and their children whose primary language is not English.
Wind Power Project for White Earth Gets Big Boost
The White Earth Reservation Tribal Council will receive $990,000 in federal funding from the Department of Energy to increase its community’s use of renewable energy and to develop strategies for future wind power projects. The northern Minnesota White Earth Tribal Nation will use the wind power for its own community and is also exploring the possibility of selling the electricity on the power grid. The project is expected to start this fall with completion by 2009. (Fresh Energy e-mail, 8/30/06) |
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© 2006 Women Against Military Madness. All rights reserved.
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Complete October 2006 Index - click here
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