Senator Paul Wellstone voted against the Iraq war resolution. For that vote and for all his other good work he will be missed. "Greens thanked the minority of Representatives and Senators who voted nay, including Senators Robert Byrd (D.-WV), Edward Kennedy (D.-MA), Paul Wellstone (D.-MN), and Lincoln Chafee (R.-RI). Rep. Barbara Lee (D.-CA) fearlessly led antiwar dissenters in the House, including Dennis Kucinich (D.-OH), Cynthia McKinney (D.-GA), and Jim Leach (R.-IA)." Tom --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subj: [Iowa-wk] Iowa Green Party News & Views-PLEASE FORWARD Date: 02-10-14 09:08:42 EDT From: [log in to unmask] (Robert j Schultes) Sender: [log in to unmask] To: [log in to unmask] Volume 1, Number 15 October 13, 2002 Editor: Bob Schultes A Newsletter By & For Greens Deadline for next issue: October 18, 2002 CONTENTS 1. Tim Harthan, Green Party candidate for U.S. Senate responds to Senator Harkin and Rep. Ganske votes for war with Iraq 2. 350 march to show opposition to war resolution 3. "No further reason to vote for Democrats and Republicans who voted to hand power to declare war on Iraq to Bush," say Greens 4. Iowa at war with Iraq 1. TIM HARTHAN, GREEN PARTY CANDIDATE FOR U.S. SENATE RESPONDS TO SENATOR HARKIN AND REPRESENTATIVE GANSKE VOTES FOR WAR WITH IRAQ Iowan's now have a true choice between parties. I along with the Green Party have continually opposed the growing possibility of war. My two opponents have shown their true colors by adopting a resolution that is dedicated to the interests of the fossil fuels and arms contractors' industries. The Democrats and Republicans are merely two factions of a single party that believe in the establishment of the U.S. as a global empire. Our leaders believe in the globalization of the world which will benefit the wealthy elite while hurting ordinary workers in the U.S. and around the world. I oppose this war and all the atrocities it will bring from all sides. Are we prepared to watch our young people die in another attempt by our leaders to force their will on other cultures and societies? I say no and urge our president to rethink his cowboy antics. Tim Harthan Green Party candidate for The U.S. Senate 2002 7th St. Emmetsburg, Iowa 50536 Home 712-852-2684 Cell 712-363-4103 Email [log in to unmask] Web site www.timharthan.com www.robinson-hart.org 2. 350 MARCH TO SHOW OPPOSITION TO WAR RESOLUTION 350 Iowa City-area citizens from a variety of religious and social organizations, joined forces on Wednesday evening at the Iowa City Pentacrest and College Green Park to protest the upcoming war resolution. High school and college students, children and elders, professors and community leaders, church groups and members of Christian, Jewish, and Muslim faiths put aside the "small stuff" to stand together in protest of war. "What was so exciting about this rally was the diversity of people that attended," says Diane Kenney Handler, a rally organizer. "I hope we can continue to grow and expand from this group--those of you who attended, consider yourselves warriors of peace,and share your message with family, friends,and community members." "Keep up the momentum, friends!" says Carol DeProsse of Citizens Opposed to War with Iraq. "This is just the beginning. Let us continue to build on last night's rally and the tireless work of the many Iowa peace organizations. Contact your elected officials. We can make a difference." Local activist Karen Kubby, Green Party member, Bruce Nestor of the National Lawyers Guild, and Matt Blizek, head of Campus Greens and student Vice-President, and others spoke at last night's rally. Joe Brisben led the group in antiwar songs and literature and petitions were distributed. "I urge everyone to use their talents to create a better society," says Ms. Kenney Handler. "It CAN be done!" The New York Times featured the Iowa City rally in an article today with a picture of Matt Blizek. 2."NO FURTHER REASON TO VOTE FOR DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS WHO VOTED TO HAND POWER TO DECLARE WAR ON IRAQ TO BUSH," SAY GREENS A dark day for democracy: Congress undermines its own constitutional authority to declare war, drops plans for an independent investigation of September 11 WASHINGTON, DC -- Candidates of the Green Party of the United States reacted angrily to Congress's bipartisan approval yesterday of the resolution to surrender its constitutionally mandated authority to declare war to President Bush. "Most leading Democrats, going against the majority of their own party, joined Republicans in handing Bush his blank check for an invasion of Iraq," said Rahul Mahajan, Green candidate for governor of Texas. "They have acted together as faithful factions of a single War Party, dedicated to the interests of the fossil fuel and arms contractor lobbies and to the establishment of the United States as a global empire. This decision may benefit elites, but it hurts ordinary working people in the United States and Iraq. Those who voted against the resolution should be applauded, but there can be no further reason for anyone to vote for the Democrats who supported this resolution." Greens also criticized Congress for dropping plans for an independent investigation of the September 11 attacks, after negotiations in the House Intelligence Committee fell apart. Democratic Congress members who voted for the war resolution include 'liberal' Senators John Kerry (MA), Dianne Feinstein (CA), Dick Gephardt (MO), and Hillary Clinton (NY), even after news this week that C.I.A. officials had called Saddam Hussein unlikely to launch any kind of attack, but warned that Saddam would become "much less constrained" if the U.S. invades. Greens found especially chilling Sen. Clinton's statement today that she is willing to cede to President Bush and future presidents the power to wage war at their own discretion. "With Thursday's House and Senate votes, we saw a stake driven through the heart of the U.S. Constitution," said Steve Greenfield, Green candidate for Congress in New York's 22nd District, "as Congress relinquished its power to declare war to the executive branch. And we're about to see the parallel violation of the U.N. charter and international laws against invasion, including the 'preemptive' incursion that Bush's warlords are planning." "The world is aghast," said Gregg Stevens, Green Party candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Rhode Island, "and so are a lot of American citizens. So are we. The Green Party stands with all Americans who saw through Bush's misinformation, exaggerations, and cheap appeals to patriotism, and who urged Congress to vote no. We urge everyone outraged by Thursday's vote to continue speaking out, to protest civilly and en masse against the impending war." Greens thanked the minority of Representatives and Senators who voted nay, including Senators Robert Byrd (D.-WV), Edward Kennedy (D.-MA), Paul Wellstone (D.-MN), and Lincoln Chafee (R.-RI). Rep. Barbara Lee (D.-CA) fearlessly led antiwar dissenters in the House, including Dennis Kucinich (D.-OH), Cynthia McKinney (D.-GA), and Jim Leach (R.-IA). "These Congress members are at odds with their own party leadership," said Holly Hart, Green candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Iowa, who noted that the Green Party of the United States issued a statement on September 19 opposing an invasion. "The Green Party is now the leading party of peace and adherence to U.S. constitutional and international law." "We know it will be children of the poor, black and brown, who will die in this war so rich white men who escaped military service when they were young can assert U.S. dominance throughout the world," said Donna J. Warren, California Green Candidate for Lieutenant Governor. "We must send a message on November 5th. Vote the candidates of the Green Party into office, stop the war, and throw the warmongers out. The Green Party of the United States http://www.gp.org National office: 1314 18th Street, NW Washington, DC 20036 202-296-7755, 866-41GREEN 4.IOWA AT WAR WITH IRAQ! 132nd Fighter Wing, Iowa Air National Guard Returns to Illegal War While the debate rages over whether or not the United States should or should not attack Iraq, with or without United Nations approval, with or without the consent of Congress and as parties, parliaments, conferences and religious bodies around the world all publish statements and papers (almost exclusively condemnatory) about Mr. Bush's clamor for war, the Iowa Air National Guard quietly prepares to return to the skies of Iraq. Since the supposed end of the Gulf War in 1991, American and British war planes have daily violated the airspace of Iraq and, since 1998, these planes have dropped bombs or fired missiles on Iraqi targets at least once every week, killing hundreds of Iraqis. The Iowa Air National Guard's 132nd Fighter Wing has been, with other Guard units from around the country, an active participant in this war, participating in regular 30 day rotations. In August of 1999, it was reported that the 132nd's F-16s fired on and destroyed a mosque, injuring three people. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld continues to tell the lie perpetrated by his predecessors of the past two administrations, that these flights over what he calls "no fly" zones are mandated by the United Nations and that they are supported by a "coalition." No UN resolutions mention these zones or limit Iraq's sovereignty over its airspace and most nations, including, to name a few, France, Italy, China, the Vatican, and Russia, reject and condemn these flights and attacks of the British and Americans as provocative and illegal. The Iowa Guard will be based, as it has been before, at Incirlik Air Base in Turkey. While the protection of Iraqi's Kurdish minority is a reported objective of the "no fly" zone enforcement, Incirlik is also a base of Turkish operations against the Kurds, those living in Iraq as well as those in Turkey. US and British flights to "protect" the Kurds are reported by Guard members to be routed so as not to conflict with Turkish F-16 missions to bomb Kurdish villages in Iraq. (Washington Post, 10/25/00) Who is the Aggressor? Secretary Rumsfeld complains that Iraqi air defenses are getting more "aggressive," daring to track intruding aircraft and sometimes even firing at them "the idea that our planes go out and get shot at with impunity bothers me." In August of 2001, Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral Craig Quigley similarly protested that Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein "is trying his darnedest to bring down a coalition aircraft.... they are being fired on nearly every day." How much of a threat, one may wonder, is the Iraqi military which, trying its "darnedest" to shoot down enemy aircraft over years of aggression, cannot shoot down a single plane over its own territory? A Call to Resist! The Iowa Committee to End War Crimes Against Iraq has responded to previous involvement of Iowa's Guard in the war with Iraq by nonviolent direct action at the 132nd Fighter Wing base on the North end of the Des Moines International Airport. In this most crucial time many believe that protest and civil disobedience is a commensurate response to the gathering madness and we invite such to join us at the air base, 11o'clock Saturday , October 26, to act to stop the war. The ion at the base will include a legal vigil to which all are welcome. There will be nonviolence training required for those contemplating action that will likely result in arrest. Please call me, 515-255-8114, for more information Brian Terrell Executive Director, Catholic Peace Ministry 4211 Grand Ave., Des Moines, IA 50312 (515) 255-8114 or (641) 785-2321 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For SC email list T-and-C, send: GET TERMS-AND-CONDITIONS.CURRENT to [log in to unmask]