Last month, we solemnly marked the 10 year anniversary of the preventable war with Iraq. Around the world, millions of people protested this war, a war based on lies and fabricated intelligence. An agonizing decade followed. Over 4,000 Americans and 100,000 Iraqis died. The effects of the war continue for Iraqis who lost loved ones, who’ve been displaced by chaos, and who suffer from lack of electricity, clean water and jobs. The effects of the war continue for US soldiers who are injured and suffer from PTSD. And the effects continue for the American people who struggle with a depressed economy, our country’s elected leaders having squandered our wealth on war.
Congress is once again taking steps towards another preventable war, with the shameful complicity of New York Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand. Both New York Senators have signed Senate Resolution 65 that calls on the US to commit diplomatic, military and economic support to war if Israel decides to strike Iran. US military action is legitimized by claims of preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapon “capability.” Such claims are erroneous, given that US Director of National Intelligence James Clapper confirmed last week that Iran has not decided to develop nuclear weapons. The House is pushing for even broader sanctions that threaten to punish innocent people, empower an undemocratic regime, and lead us into war.
US media, with the notable exceptions of independent news shows like Democracy Now!, helped promote the Bush administration’s case for invading Iraq, a country that had nothing to do with the September 11 attacks and that was not developing weapons of mass destruction. Today, we face a similar challenge. By limiting national debate on important issues, such as this latest resolution supporting war on Iran or military intervention in Syria, the media creates a situation that could once again lead to war that the American people oppose. The antiwar voice – the sane voice – must be heard this time.
We must stop the next war before it starts. We opposed the war with Iraq, and we oppose any steps towards a war of aggression against the people of Iran.
-SPC Steering Committee
