All Out for March Anti-War
Actions
• Strengthen Organized Resistance to War and Reaction
• More than 100,000 Sign Anti-War Petition
• March 18-19 Actions Across the Country
• Three Years of War and Resistance
• Books Not Bombs!
• From Iraq to New Orleans - Stop the War on the Poor!
• Global Call For Nonviolent Civil Resistance to End the
U.S.-Led Occupation
Occupiers Out of Iraq Now
• Who Benefits?
• Who's Behind the Kidnappings?
• Iraq's Going According to Plan?
All Out for March Anti-War Actions
Strengthen Organized Resistance to War and Reaction
Hundreds of anti-war actions are being organized across the country during the week of March 13-19. They include rallies, marches, vigils, teach-ins, film screenings, cultural performances and much more. This year is marked by local actions along with a regional action in the South, where veterans, military families and Katrina survivors will march from Mobile, Alabama to New Orleans, Louisiana.
The many actions represent an important opportunity to strengthen the organized resistance to war and the U.S. path of repression and terrorism against the peoples. This includes strengthening the ties among the various forces and reaching out to new collectives and groups. It means insuring the spirit of resistance is stamped on all the various actions, chants, flags, drumming, civil disobedience and other means. It means planning together to carry forward organizing among the youth to oppose military recruitment and support those refusing to serve.
The March actions are also an opportunity to salute the growing resistance of the Iraqi people and stand with them and the world's people in demanding an end to the war now. Join the actions and expose the Bush lies to the world that Americans support the war. Join the call to Bring all U.S. troops home now and end all U.S. aggression and interference!
[TOP]
More than 100,000 Sign Anti-War Petition
Devoted anti-war activists, peacemakers and organizers from all over the world secured their goal of 100,000 signatures on the Women Say No to War petition. As of March 8, International Women's Day, there were 103,000 signatories, representing women from the majority of countries worldwide and numerous organizations fighting against war and for the rights of women, children and all humanity.
CodePink, which initiated the petition, reports that, "Every single signature counted. We thank you from our hearts From the masses of pink postcards arriving from Boscobel, Wisconsin to the signatures mailed all the way from Greece and Japan, each name was represented today at more than 100 actions around the globe. Our voice was loud and clear as we delivered the Women's Call for Peace to U.S. government offices around the world."
In Washington, DC on March 8, hundreds of women in pink, led by an Iraqi women's delegation, gathered at the Iraqi Embassy and marched to the White House to turn in the petitions. The Iraqi women spoke passionately of their demand to end the occupation. While Congress was considering the Bush administration's request for $70 billion more for war, American and Iraqi women were walking arm in arm, chanting "Money for health care and education, not for war and occupation."
[TOP]
March 18-19 Actions Across the Country
Hundreds of actions of various kinds are being organized March 18-19 representing the stand of Americans and peoples the world over against U.S. aggression and to end the war on Iraq and Afghanistan. Below is a sampling of some of the various marches, meetings, vigils, and rallies taking place.
Mountain Home, Arkansas: Peace RallySunday, March 19, 2006 10:00am. CST Fellowship at the Unitarian Universalist Church followed by peaceful demonstrations against the war in Iraq.
Louisville, Kentucky: Third Anniversary of the Iraq WarSaturday, March 18, 2006, 12 noon - 3:00pm. 2,300 + Empty Shirts Rally. Each shirt represents one fallen U.S. soldier in Iraq War. Poignant and impressive.
Parkersburg, West Virginia: Third MemorialSunday, March 19, 2006, 1:00pm. Meeting on Market St, downtown. Speakers, march to cross the Belpre Bridge over into Ohio to join protesters there.
Maplewood, New Jersey: March in MaplewoodSunday, March 19, 2006, 12 noon. March and rally through Maplewood Town Center starting at noon to mark the third anniversary of the war.
Boston, Massachusetts: March Against War, Racism, Sexism and PovertySaturday, March 18, 2006, 11:00am. Dozens of community organizations are coming together against the war abroad and attacks on rights at home.
Redford, Michigan: Candlelight Vigil for PeaceSaturday, March 18, 2006, 6:30pm. Please join members of Trinity Church of the Brethren as we bear in memory the lives lost and suffering endured by Americans, Iraqis and other people of many nations since the beginning of the war in Iraq three years ago.
Indianapolis, Indiana: Peace RallySaturday, March 18, 2006, 1:00pm. Hoosiers for Peace Rally will mark the third year of an unjust war. Hoosiers will have an opportunity to contact their representatives, listen to distinguished speakers, hear inspirational music, and network with others who are against the war and interested in promoting peace. The rally will be family friendly and the focus will be on how families are affected by war - loosing their loved ones - and a plea to representatives to reset budget priorities with the needs of the family in mind. The theme is Honor the Dead, Heal the Wounded, End the War.
Minneapolis, Minnesota: Part of Global Protests Against the WarSaturday, March 18, 2006, 1:00pm. Protest and march.
Prescott, Arizona: March 18 Rally for PeaceSaturday, March 18, 2006, 6:00pm. Prescott March 18th Rally for Peace at the Courthouse square (Veteran's Memorial on Montezuma St.) Prescott AZ 86305.
Portland, Oregon: March and Rally on the Third Anniversary of the Invasion of IraqSunday, March 19, 2006, 1:30pm. Peace rally and march opposing war on Iraq, calls for bringing the troops home and funding human services. Over 130 organizations mobilize for March 19 at Waterfront Park.
[TOP]
Three Years of War and Resistance
Even the soldiers think the war should end now. A stunning new Zogby poll shows that 72 percent of U.S. troops serving in Iraq think the United States should exit the country within a year.
The third anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq is fast approaching, and people all over the country are gearing up to say no to war and call for all the troops to come home now. Over 200 events are already listed on our calendar - and we know this is just a fraction of what's being organized. If you haven't listed your event yet, please do so now -- no activity is too small or too large to include.
Walkin' to New Orleans: Veterans' and Survivors' March for Peace and JusticeVeterans and military families are uniting their call for peace with hurricane survivors' call for justice, with a five-day march and caravan from Mobile to New Orleans. This historical event highlights the connections between the economic and human cost of war in the Middle East and the failure of our government to respond to human needs at home, especially the needs of poor people and people of color. It is being organized by UFPJ member groups Veterans for Peace, Iraq Veterans Against the War, Vietnam Veterans Against the War, Military Families Speak Out, Gold Star Families for Peace, and hurricane survivors' organizations (Save Ourselves, the People's Hurricane Relief Fund, Common Ground Collective, Bayou Liberty Relief, the Mississippi Immigrant Rights Alliance, C3, and others).
Peregrinación por la Paz: Latino Peace March from Tijuana to San FranciscoOn March 12 four outspoken Latino opponents of the Iraq war will lead a 241-mile march for peace from Tijuana, Mexico, to San Francisco. Latinos make up nearly 15 percent of the U.S. population and 11 percent of the U.S. military, with many serving in combat or hazardous duty occupations. This march is aimed at making visible and strengthening the growing opposition to the Iraq War within the Latino community. The march is being led by Fernando Suarez del Solar, who lost his son in Iraq; Pablo Paredes, who resisted being sent to Iraq; Camilo Mejia, an Iraq war veteran jailed for nine months for his opposition to the war; and Aidan Delgado, a conscientious objector to the war after being stationed at the Abu Ghraib prison. The organizers seek people to plan local events in the cities they are passing through as well as organizational support for the march.
Wednesday, March 15: National Day of Media ActionKicking off the March 15-22 week of activities against the war, media activists and anti-war organizers are working together to challenge media outlets to tell the truth about the war and report on the anti-war movement. Working with MediaChannel, UFPJ is encouraging a full range of events: calls to journalists and talk show hosts; letters to the editors; delegations to meet with editorial boards and producers at newspapers, radio and stations TV; mid-day and/or early evening protests in front of local media outlets; vigils, forums and speak-outs to discuss the role of the media and to plan for actions. Activists from all over the country and the world have already written to support the day of media protest and ask how they can help. The answer is simple - become an organizer and media activist!
Thursday, March 16: Young People's Resistance to Three Years of WarAs the third anniversary of the invasion of Iraq approaches, the war's impact on youth and students is increasingly alarming. The vast majority of U.S. troops killed in Iraq have been youth of college age. Military recruiters have escalated their aggressive and deceptive campaigns in our schools, preying upon young people as the Pentagon struggles to enlist enough youth to fight a war based on lies. The war's soaring cost (nearly $400 billion!) has forced massive budget cuts, leaving young people with under-funded schools, diminishing social services and fewer alternatives to the military. But young people all over the country are organizing and fighting back! On March 16, the National Youth and Student Peace Coalition, a member group of UFPJ, is joining with our allies across the movement to call for a national day of youth and student-led cultural resistance against three years of needless war.
Monday, March 20: A Global Call for Nonviolent Resistance to End the U.S.-Led Occupation of IraqNobel Laureates, Cindy Sheehan, Eduardo Galeano, Harold Pinter, Ernesto Cardenal and many others from around the world have called on people to engage in acts of nonviolent resistance to the war on Monday, March 20, and several dates later in the year. Events being planned for the third anniversary of the war include a march on the Pentagon and direct action at a Connecticut military recruitment center.
If you're not already part of a peace and justice group in your community, now's a great time to join one. Visit our online directory of UFPJ member groups to find an organization in your area. And visit our website for additional resources and event ideas for the third anniversary of the war.
Thanks for all your support - together we will bring this war to an end!
[TOP]
Books Not Bombs!
As the third anniversary of the invasion of Iraq approaches, the war's impact on our generation is increasingly alarming:
. The vast majority of U.S. troops killed in Iraq have been college-age youth (18-25).
. Military recruiters have escalated their aggressive and deceptive campaigns in our schools, preying upon young people as the Pentagon struggles to enlist enough youth to fight a war based on lies.
. The war's soaring cost (nearly $400 billion) has forced massive budget cuts, leaving young people with under-funded schools, diminishing social services and fewer alternatives to the military.
. The president has now announced he plans to make this a "long war" with no end in sight, burdening our generation with ongoing violence and growing national debt.
But young people all over the country are organizing and fighting back!
On March 16, as part of the United for Peace & Justice week of anti-war resistance (Mar. 15-22), the National Youth and Student Peace Coalition (NYSPC) is joining with our allies across the movement to call for a national day of youth and student-led cultural resistance against three years of needless war.
We are calling for creative grassroots actions across the country to demand an end to this occupation, as it becomes more deadly, costly and disastrous each day. Outraged by the war's soaring costs to our communities, and the war machine's endless grip on our economy, we will organize opposition to war and militarism by amplifying the youth movement's call for Books Not Bombs! Young people everywhere will organize locally to demand that our leaders stop funding this illegal occupation, which is robbing us of resources we need for schools, services and real alternatives to military enlistment.
What You Can DoRaise Your Voice!
On March 16, as part of a week of national resistance to the war, we are urging young people to organize open-mic nights, anti-war concerts and other creative forums where our generation can raise our voices against the Bush administration's reckless policies of greed and destruction.
By organizing unified local efforts across the country, we can build the youth movement's power to speak out against the impact of endless militarism on our generation.
. It is our peers losing their lives for Bush's lies.
. It is our schools that have been -invaded by aggressive military recruiters.
. And it is our opportunities for education and job training that are being slashed to fund war.
Now it is our generation that must rise up to speak out against endless war!
So start organizing an open-mic night, anti-war concert, teach-in, speak out or other event in your area - or do something completely different! The important thing is that this day of resistance brings forward the unique voices, demands and creative ideas of our generation. And this means we need to hear from you to make this day a national success! So check out www.NYSPC.net to get in touch and access a bunch of organizing tools. You can use our website to:
. Register and publicize your local Books Not Bombs event.
. Endorse the Books Not Bombs National Day of Resistance.
. Learn about/connect with other Books Not Bombs events around the country and in your area.
. Download organizing resources, media tips, petitions, postcards and more.
. Find other youth-led peace and justice groups, counter-recruitment links, and more.
. Help us build a massive and powerful National Day of Resistance!
[TOP]
From Iraq to New Orleans - Stop the War on the Poor!
Bring the Troops Home Now! No New War on Iran!
The weekend of March 18-19 marks the beginning of the third year of the brutal war and occupation of Iraq. More than 100,000 Iraqi people and more than 2000 U.S. soldiers have died in a war based on lies and greed. The country of Iraq has been plunged into chaos and violence, the direct result of a brutal occupation.
Meanwhile, the Bush -administration, both parties in Congress, and the corporate media are clamoring for a new war against the people of Iran. The London Telegraph already reports the Pentagon is placing forces and equipment for an imminent strike at 20 Iranian targets, most near heavily populated areas. These strikes could kill 10,000 people.
Politicians from both mainstream parties repeat the same "weapons of mass destruction" lies used against Iraq, now trying to justify an attack against Iran.
Only a massive grassroots movement against the empire can end the illegal occupation of Iraq and prevent U.S. strikes against Iran.
Activists are now preparing for global protests on March 18 and 19, and in the U.S. in Los Angeles, Boston, New York, San Francisco, Denver, Tallahassee, Chicago, Bloomington, Detroit, Buffalo, Cleveland, Philadelphia, and dozens of other cities (see TroopsOutNow.org for updates).
The Troops Out Now Coalition (TONC) will focus U.S. demonstrations at military recruiting stations on those dates, asking local activists to protest recruiting.
It's time to turn up the heat! If we can shut off the supply of new troops, we can help end the occupation of Iraq and prevent new wars. Despite high technology, Washington still needs ground troops to maintain military occupations.
Last year counter-recruiting activists nationally helped prevent the Pentagon from meeting its quotas, despite the fact that the military nearly doubled its recruiters and vastly increased enlistment bonuses and advertising budgets. Washington is desperate for new troops to maintain the occupation of Iraq and for new military adventures, but it is unable to find them.
Shutting down military recruiting is an ongoing campaign. TONC has already been mobilizing activist teams to go to campuses and recruiting stations. We have recently launched a new counter-recruiting website, NoWeWontGo.org, which contains information and resources for counter-recruiting activists.
And on March 18-19, we will highlight nationally the dishonest tactics used by recruiters to lure young people, mostly from poor neighborhoods and communities of color, into the military to be used for Washington's wars.
New York City activists will start off on Saturday, March 18 by protesting at neighborhood recruiting stations. That afternoon, thousands will converge on the Times Square Recruiting Station, shutting down the area.
In addition to opposing military recruiting, we will demand a real future for our young people - jobs with a living wage, health care, and education, not war and militarism.
We will march, knowing that we cannot wait for politicians to stop the war - only the people, mobilizing in the streets, will bring the troops home.
[TOP]
Global Call For Nonviolent Civil Resistance to End the U.S.-Led Occupation
We, the undersigned, invite peacemakers throughout the world to participate in an international campaign of massive, nonviolent civil resistance to stop the U.S.-led occupation of Iraq. These actions could be organized to include both non-violent civil resistance and legal demonstrations.
The killing of tens of thousands of -civilians, the wounding of perhaps 100,000 or more people, the torture and murder of prisoners in U.S. custody - these and other realities of the occupation are evidence of the massive state terrorism being perpetrated against the people of Iraq. At the same time, we mourn the deaths of more than 2,300 soldiers of the "coalition forces," while we denounce the lies (weapons of mass destruction, ties between Saddam Hussein and Al Qaeda) proclaimed in an effort to justify the invasion.
First Date of International Actions: March 18-20, 2006, the third anniversary of the invasion of Iraq. The subsequent days of action are specified below.
The ActionsSome will participate in legal demonstrations while others will stage sit-ins, die-ins, and other nonviolent methods of blocking "business as usual" at government buildings or installations (including military bases and recruiting centers) or at corporate offices of war profiteers in the U.S., Great Britain, and other countries which are taking part in the deadly and unjust military occupation of Iraq. For these governments, "business as usual" is the business of violence, death, and exploitation. It must be stopped by responsible citizens.
Peacemakers in countries whose governments are not at war in Iraq could consider U.S. or British embassies, consulates, military bases, or appropriate corporate offices as sites for legal demonstrations and nonviolent civil resistance. [ ]
The impact of these actions on public opinion, the mass media, and governments would come from their sheer quantity and geographical diversity, on the same day, as well as from the clarity of their message and the disciplined nonviolence of the tactics. As this invitation spreads through the internet and other media, we expect that hundreds of actions could be held in scores of countries around the world, all with the same purpose - to demand an end to the violent military occupation of Iraq.
A Sustained, Growing CampaignThe second International Day of Nonviolent Civil Disobedience to End the Military Pccupation of Iraq will be May 1, May Day, the International Day of the Worker - an occasion for massive demonstrations in all countries where working class struggle is celebrated and kept alive. The impact of the war on the poor and working class of the world will be emphasized.
The third International Day of Nonviolent Civil Disobedience to End the Military Occupation of Iraq will be August 9, 2006, the 61st anniversary of the U.S. nuclear bombing of Nagasaki, Japan - to demand an end to U.S. proliferation of nuclear weapons of mass destruction and an end to the U.S. state terrorism in Iraq.
The fourth International Day of Nonviolent Civil Disobedience to End the Military Occupation of Iraq will be September 11, 2006, the 5th anniversary of the terrorist attack on the U.S. to commemorate and deplore that horrible act of violence and to denounce the terrorist violence which the U.S. government is inflicting on Iraq under the false pretense of the "war on terrorism."
If necessary, we will continue with the International Days of Nonviolent Civil Disobedience to End the Military Occupation of Iraq. The fifth could be on Dec. 10, 2006, International Human Rights Day.
From: Nobel Peace and Literature Laureates; Cindy Sheehan and other peace and human-rights activists; Religious leaders of various traditions; Prisoners of conscience; Former government ministers; Poets, authors, journalists.
[TOP]
The most important question to ask regarding the bombings of the Golden Mosque in Samarra on the 22nd is: who benefits?
Prior to asking this question, let us note the timing of the bombing.
The last weeks in Iraq have been a PR disaster for the occupiers.
First, the negative publicity of the video of British soldiers beating and abusing young Iraqis has generated a backlash for British occupation forces they've yet to face in Iraq.
Indicative of this, Abdul Jabbar Waheed, the head of the Misan provincial council in southern Iraq, announced his council's decision to lift the immunity British forces have enjoyed, so that the soldiers who beat the young Iraqis can be tried in Iraqi courts. Former U.S. proconsul Paul Bremer had issued an order granting all occupation soldiers and western contractors immunity to Iraqi law when he was head of the CPA but this province has now decided to lift that so the British soldiers can be investigated and tried under Iraqi law.
This deeply meaningful event, if replicated around Iraq, will generate a huge rift between the occupiers and local governments. A rift which, of course, the puppet government in Baghdad will be unable to mend.
The other huge event which drew Iraqis into greater solidarity with one another was more photos and video aired depicting atrocities within Abu Ghraib at the hands of U.S. occupation forces.
The inherent desecration of Islam and shaming of the Iraqi people shown in these images enrages all Iraqis.
In a recent press conference, the aforementioned Waheed urged the Brits to allow members of the provincial committee to visit a local jail to check on detainees; perhaps Waheed is alarmed as to what their condition may be after seeing more photos and videos from Abu Ghraib.
Waheed also warned British forces that if they didn't comply with the demands of the council, all British political, security and reconstruction initiatives will be boycotted.
Basra province has already taken similar steps, and similar machinations are occurring in Kerbala.
Basra and Misan provinces, for example, refused to raise the cost of petrol when the puppet government in Baghdad, following orders from the IMF, decided to recently raise the cost of Iraqi petrol at the pumps several times last December.
The horrific attack which destroyed much of the Golden Mosque generated sectarian outrage which led to attacks on over 50 Sunni mosques. Many Sunni mosques in Baghdad were shot at, burned, or taken over. Three Imans were killed, along with scores of others in widespread violence.
This is what was shown by western corporate media.
As quickly as these horrible events began, they were called to an end and replaced by acts of solidarity between Sunni and Shia across Iraq.
This, however, was not shown by western corporate media.
The Sunnis where the first to go to demonstrations of solidarity with Shia in Samarra, as well as to condemn the mosque bombings.
Demonstrations of solidarity between Sunni and Shia went off over all of Iraq: in Basra, Diwaniyah, Nasiriyah, Kut, and Salah al-Din.
Thousands of Shia marched shouting anti-American slogans through Sadr City, the huge Shia slum area of Baghdad, which is home to nearly half the population of the capital city. Meanwhile, in the primarily Shia city of Kut, south of Baghdad, thousands marched while shouting slogans against America and Israel and burning U.S. and Israeli flags.
Baghdad had huge demonstrations of solidarity, following announcements by several Shia religious leaders not to attack Sunni mosques.
Attacks stopped after these announcements, coupled with those from Sadr.
Shia cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani, shortly after the Golden Mosque was attacked, called for "easing things down and not attacking any Sunni mosques and shrines," as Sunni religious authorities called for a truce and invited everyone to block the way of those trying to generate a sectarian war.
Sistani's office issued this statement: "We call upon believers to express their protest ... through peaceful means. The extent of their sorrow and shock should not drag them into taking actions that serve the enemies who have been working to lead Iraq into sectarian strife."
Shiite religious authority Ayatollah Hussein Ismail al-Sadr warned of the emergence of a sectarian strife "that terrorists want to ignite between the Iraqis" by the bombings and said, "The Iraqi Shiite authority strenuously denied that Sunnis could have done this work."
He also said, "Of course it is not Sunnis who did this work; it is the terrorists who are the enemies of the Shiites and Sunni, Muslims and non Muslims. They are the enemies of all religions; terrorism does not have a religion."
He warned against touching any Sunni Mosque, saying, "our Sunni brothers' mosques must be protected and we must all stand against terrorism and sabotage." He added: "The two shrines are located in the Samarra region, which [is] predominantly Sunni. They have been protecting, using and guarding the mosques for years, it is not them but terrorism that targeted the mosques "
He ruled out the possibility of a civil war while telling a reporter, "I don't believe there will be a civil or religious war in Iraq; thank God that our Sunni and Shiite references are urging everyone to not respond to these terrorist and sabotage acts. We are aware of their attempts as are our people; Sistani had issued many statements [regarding this issue] just as we did."
The other, and more prominent Sadr, Muqtada Al-Sadr, who has already lead two uprisings against occupation forces, held Takfiris (those who regard other Muslims as infidels), Ba'thists, and especially the foreign occupation responsible for the bombing attack on the Golden Mosque in Samarra.
Sadr, who suspended his visit to Lebanon and cancelled his meeting with the president there, promptly returned to Iraq in order to call on the Iraqi parliament to vote on the request for the departure of the occupation forces from Iraq.
"It was not the Sunnis who attacked the shrine of Imam Al-Hadi, God's peace be upon him, but rather the occupation [forces] and Ba'athists God damn them. We should not attack Sunni mosques. I ordered Al-Mahdi Army to protect the Shi'i and Sunni shrines."
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran, urged Iraqi Shia not to seek revenge against Sunni Muslims, saying there were definite plots "to force the Shia to attack the mosques and other properties respected by the Sunni. Any measure to contribute to that direction is helping the enemies of Islam and is forbidden by sharia."
Instead, he blamed the intelligence services of the U.S. and Israel for being behind the bombs at the Golden Mosque.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair stated that those who committed the attack on the Golden Mosque "have only one motive: to create a violent sedition between the Sunnis and the Shiites in order to derail the Iraqi rising democracy from its path."
Well said Mr. Blair, particularly when we keep in mind the fact that less than a year ago in Basra, two undercover British SAS soldiers were detained by Iraqi security forces whilst traveling in a car full of bombs and remote detonators.
Jailed and accused by Muqtada al-Sadr and others of attempting to generate sectarian conflict by planting bombs in mosques, they were broken out of the Iraqi jail by the British military before they could be tried.
[TOP]
Who's Behind the Kidnappings?
In the fog of war, secret graves are filled, munitions are moved and unknown operatives remain unknown.
In recent weeks, news of and from Iraq has been beset by high-profile kidnappings. One such kidnapping in late November was of four members of Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) - a Virginia-based pacifist group - by a previously unheard of armed group - the Swords of Truth/Righteousness. The second high-profile kidnapping was of freelance journalist Jill Carroll on January 7 at the hands of yet another unknown group - the Brigades of Vengeance. Since then, two Germans were also kidnapped in Iraq but received less international media coverage.
Last week's kidnappings of two Iraqi journalists, including a 23-year-old woman working for the independent Sumariya channel, received almost no international coverage. No known armed group claimed responsibility.
Let us focus on the two most high profile of the kidnappings.
Iraqi leaders said they had never heard of either of the armed groups purportedly behind the kidnappings: Association of Muslim Scholars (AMS) spokesman, Muthanna Harith Al-Dhari, said there was little his group could achieve to win Carroll's release "because the kidnappers are unknown."
In addition to what seems like the rise of two new, yet unheard of groups, other similarities are also puzzling.
First and foremost, the kidnappings occurred in Baghdad. The CPT members were traveling unarmed and without bodyguards. Carroll was traveling unarmed and without bodyguards. CPT members had been lauded by many Iraqi organizations - mostly Sunni - because the Christian group had focused on the plight of detainees - mostly Sunni.
Some Western media outlets picked up on the fact that the CPT was aiding mostly Sunni refugees. "The grotesque irony is that few have worked as assiduously on behalf of Iraqi detainees as Christian Peacemaker Teams, the last Western human rights organization to operate in Iraq outside the Green Zone. CPT volunteers were among the first to document reports of abuse at Abu Ghraib." (Salon.com)
The Association of Muslim Scholars had said in a statement "CPT and its activists in Iraq had a record of helping the poor and disadvantaged."
Carroll had been lauded by many Iraqis for her documented work highlighting the plight of detainees - mostly Sunnis - in Badr-run detention centers. She had won accolades from many senior Sunni leaders:
"This journalist, Jill Carroll ... is one of the great journalists who are against the occupation. She is considered one of the best journalists who stood against the American occupation of Iraq and she focused in her articles on ... telling the world about the Iraqi people's suffering," the AMS said in a statement.
In short, both the four CPT members and Carroll had been recognized by Iraqis - and specifically Sunnis - as performing work they viewed as beneficial to the Iraqi people and/or alleviating the plight of Sunnis in Western Iraq (CPT) and in detention centers (Carroll).
It is worthy of mentioning that CPT had been operating in Iraq at least six months before the U.S. invasion on March 20, 2003. According to their published ethos, CPT members act as "an alternative voice to the reporters 'embedded' with Coalition forces." They also worked to "expose the injustice and deaths from the U.S.-led economic sanctions." Furthermore, they worked to "launch the Adopt-a-Detainee Campaign asking churches to advocate on behalf of Iraqi detainees."
This is known by all Iraqis across the board since 2002. So who would kidnap them? Who stands to gain? Who stands to lose?
Who would kidnap Ms Carroll? Who stands to gain? Who stands to lose?
Perhaps the answer lies in a deeper understanding of an armed group which few know operates in Iraq.
Ever heard of the Scorpions?
According to a Washington Post report in 2005, the U.S. intelligence community tried to conceal the existence of the group known as the Scorpions which was operating secretly in Iraq.
The report says that the Scorpions were small teams of CIA-sponsored militia (paramilitary) outfits nicknamed Alligator and Cobra who were set up prior to the invasion to commit acts of subterfuge and incite violence against the Baathist regime. The Scorpions core received millions of dollars in funding - exact figures for training, support, military hardware and material remain unknown.
In the weeks after the war, and particularly after a resistance movement began to gain a foothold throughout Iraq, the Scorpions' role changed to infiltration and support in the interrogation of suspects. They also performed duties as interpreters and translators.
While the use of paramilitary squads may seem normal in an occupied country (many such squads have been used in South America, Vietnam and elsewhere), the existence of this group becomes more ominous when we consider the goals behind funding and arming such a group.
Infiltrate the insurgency. Were they successful? How many Iraqi armed groups are actually comprised of the Scorpions? Is it far fetched to wonder if the groups who launch attacks and perform executions are actually intelligence plants such as the Scorpions? And did anyone know that Iraqi interpreters could be comprised of such elements?
According to the Taguba report, which investigated the shameful incidents of abuse and torture at the notorious Abu Ghraib detention facility, "civilian" interpreters were considered suspects.
According to former Brigadier General Janis Karpinski, the highest-ranking officer to be reprimanded for the Abu Ghraib torture, a drunken interpreter was helped by three interrogators to force an Iraqi girl of 17 to expose herself, after which they kissed her.
We have heard of numerous reports in which interpreters are killed in Iraq. Were any of those targeted and/or killed originally members of the Scorpions? Were any affiliated with groups which kidnap foreigners for political or financial initiative?
It is important to question what appears to be the reality in Iraq. Until a few months ago, the world was kept in the dark about secret jails run by elements of the Iraqi Interior Ministry where Sunni Iraqis had been tortured and executed. Armed conflict between Iraqi resistance groups and Al-Qaeda in Iraq - first rumored in 2004 - are only now being reported in the media.
In the years to come, the Iraqi sands will continue to reveal what the fog of war has hidden.
[TOP]
Iraq's Going According to Plan?
Mysterious bombers blow up an important Shia shrine in Samarra. Government death squads murder members of the armed opposition. A wave of fury is unleashed against Sunni mosques, killing dozens. Moqtada al-Sadr orders his Mehdi Army to protect the Sunni mosques in a show of Iraqi solidarity. The occupier insists that everything is going according to plan. But if this is so, then what is the plan?
The recent destruction of the Askariya mosque is full of questions. Although many Iraqis and others were quick to blame the Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia forces of the elusive al-Zarqawi, his organization's name was on a communique that condemned the attacks and reminded Iraqis that the occupation was the enemy. Like many other observers of the Iraqi situation, I wonder about al-Zarqawi's motives, funding and even his actual existence. After all, from where I sit, it looks like his primary role in Iraq has been to fund sectarian tension between the Shia and Sunni communities in Iraq. However, the fact remains that some group (or groups) in Iraq seem intent on destroying the sense of Iraqi nationhood that has existed among Iraqis no matter which religion or religious sect they belong to.
The civil war potential remains great and, from Western accounts, seems to be growing. According to these accounts, such a war would be (or is, depending on the source) between certain Shia factions and certain Sunni factions, with Baathist siding primarily with the Sunni groups. Another perspective is one presented by a U.S. military officer in an article published by the Washington Post on February 25, 2006. I quote: "the hope is that U.S. forces will be able to focus on foreign fighters, while Iraqi security forces take on the native insurgency. But that hasn't happened yet. The hardest fighting, especially in rural areas, still is being done by U.S. troops." Now, if that doesn't sound like a scenario for creating civil war, than I don't know what is. If the makeup of the Iraqi military is primarily Shias, then it might be possible to portray the battle as one between religious sects, but the underlying reality is that the real war would be between those who support the U.S.-installed regime in Iraq and those who don't. In other words, it would be the same as it is now, only with Iraqi forces doing even more of the killing and dying than they are now.
[TOP]