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by Sharon Grimes, W A M M
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ANew Jersey Abolishes Death Penalty
In December, New Jersey became the first state to abolish the death penalty since the Supreme Court reinstated it in 1976. A state commission determined that the death penalty is not an effective deterrent to crime and that the punishment is “inconsistent with evolving standards of decency.” The penalty is being replaced with life in prison without parole. Governor Jim Corzine said the law is necessary because “government cannot provide a fool-proof death penalty that precludes the possibility of executing the innocent.” (CNN.com, 12/17/07)
Virginia Tech Shooting Spurs Tougher Gun Law
Virginia’s governor has proposed mandatory background checks for anyone who tries to buy a gun at a gun show. Currently, people can buy firearms from unlicensed dealers without a background check, but must have a background check for purchases from licensed dealers. Governor Timothy Kaine said the legislation would help prevent incidents like the shootings at Virginia Tech. The classroom where the shootings took place will soon house the new Center for Peace Studies and Violence Prevention. (Star Tribune, 1/9/08 and 12/21/07)
New Scrutiny for Uranium Weapons
The UN First Committee passed a resolution urging countries to reconsider the use of weapons with uranium. On a 122 to 6 vote (with 35 abstentions), they passed Effects of the Use of Armaments and Ammunitions Containing Depleted Uranium (DU). ICBUW (International Coalition to Ban Uranium Weapons) coordinator Doug Weir said, “States around the world are no longer content to accept the claims by the users of these weapon systems that exposure to uranium dust is not linked to ill health.” Voting against: United States, United Kingdom, France, Netherlands, Czech Republic, and Israel. (ICBUW, 11/1/07, www.bandepleteduranium.org/en/a/144.html)
Holy Alliance
Combatants for Peace, a group of former Israeli soldiers and former Palestinian militants, has been established in Jerusalem. They meet regularly, give talks to young Israelis and Palestinians, and argue that violence will never solve the Middle East conflict. One of those who helped organize the group was a combat soldier in the Israeli military who served most of his time in the occupied Palestinian territories. (Guardian Weekly, 11/9/07)
Can We Say “Empire”?
More than 200 people attended a December forum, cosponsored by WAMM and other peace groups, with three of the candidates for the Third Congressional District. Topics included a timeline for withdrawal from Iraq, saber rattling with Iran, the role of U.S. imperialism in fomenting terrorism, and Israel’s treatment of Palestinians. One of the questions suggested by the planning committee had to do with the role of the U.S. as a superpower. The forum moderator changed the wording of the question to include the words “American empire.”
Let’s Toast to That!
Although nothing is guaranteed, war with Iran seems less likely than it did early in 2007, according to AlterNet’s “Let’s Toast to 10 Good Things about 2007.” In December the National Intelligence Estimate showed that the Bush administration knew Iran had shelved its nuclear weapons program in 2003 and was “unjustifiably inflating” claims of an Iranian threat. Also worthy of a toast is the decrease in tensions with North Korea. Six-party talks led to an agreement in March 2007 in which North Korea agreed to close its nuclear facility and provide a list of its nuclear program in exchange for fuel and normalization talks with the United States and Japan. (http://www.alternet.org/story/72156, 1/1/08)
Freed from Guantánamo
Omar Deghayes, a prisoner at Guantánamo Bay for six years, was finally released on December 18, 2007. He grew up in England, studied law, and traveled to Malaysia, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. When fighting broke out in Afghanistan, he fled with his wife and son to Pakistan and planned to return to England. He was arrested and held at Guantánamo, where he was abused and pepper sprayed, causing him to lose the sight in one eye. His mother and brother protested at the gates of the prison last year with members of Code Pink, who worked for his release. More than 300 prisoners are still in Guantánamo, and Code Pink planned to mark January 11 as the International Day to Shut Down Guantánamo with dozens of demonstrations across the country. (Code Pink, 1/8/08)
ort Protest a Success
Antiwar activists in Olympia, Washington, slowed down and blocked the unloading of military equipment for 10 days in November. They set up barricades and sat down to block roads to keep Stryker vehicles and other military equipment from leaving the Port of Olympia for transport back to Fort Lewis from Iraq. The Port Militarization Resistance (PMR) group was formed in May 2006 to try to block outgoing equipment bound for Iraq. Their goal is to “end our community’s participation in the illegal occupation of Iraq by stopping the military’s use of the Port of Olympia.” They have urged their city council to take a stand against the war. During November actions a Fort Lewis soldier transporting military vehicles walked out of the port saying he was against the war and refused to transport the equipment. The group feels that it’s unlikely the military will use Olympia again for military shipments during the Iraq War. (CounterPunch, 11/15/07, http://www.omjp.org/ Port2007.html)
Soldier Inspired by Port Protest
According to Peter Bohmer of PMR, Lt. Ehren Watada, who was the first commissioned officer to refuse deployment to Iraq, was in part inspired by the port protests. Watada said the Iraq War was illegal, and that it was his duty to refuse orders to deploy. He was charged with violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. In November a federal court issued a preliminary injunction against a second court martial for Watada. His first court martial ended after a military judge threw out a pretrial stipulation agreement and ruled a mistrial. The military was going to hold a second court martial, and the defense argued that this would amount to being tried twice for the same crime. (Center for Media and Democracy, 11/26/07, http://www.prwatch.org/node/6740) |
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© 2008 Women Against Military Madness. All rights reserved.
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Complete February 2008 Index - click here
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