There is an old saying: "hope for the best, and prepare for the worst".
For concerned citizens everywhere, the old saying can be modified to read: fight vigorously against a war, but know ahead of time, what you will do if a war starts.
Below we present ideas, strategies, and tactics for anti-war organizing. Ideas on a) how to avoid getting depressed if a war starts -- and b) how to be effective if a war starts -- PLUS c) how to help make it as hard as possible for Bush to launch his war.
We should be thinking about these things NOW, not "Then". We should network with others both locally and nationally/globally to share our ideas and strategies. Please read on:
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1: RAISE THE COSTS FOR BUSH. Make it clear that escalating moves will result in escalating resistance at home. When 100 bombs were dropped on Iraq, that was a "Trial balloon" There were millions who opposed it, but not enough vocal, visible reaction.
* Have daily, visible, embarrassing actions, vigils, satire/puppets, NOW: in front of White House, in front of everywhere Bush, Cheney, or top pentagon brass appear.
* Be ready to escalate resistance if (when) Bush escalates.
* Build long-lasting COALITIONS and MOVEMENTS that will outlast this "war" (if the "War" happens) -- that's what scares Bush and co the most, and that's what's most needed for long-lasting positive change in this country anyway.
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2. SUPPORT THE HUMAN SHIELDS: I am not comfortable encouraging others to become human shields; however, already over 200 have signed up as voluntary human shields going to Iraq to stop Bush's military assault (see links below) -- we can help support them.
We can simultaneously make them SAFER and MORE EFFECTIVE.
Thus helping protect them, while also making their power stronger: an obvious one is to have parallel solidarity actions; anything that makes it harder for the media to do what the media will work hard to do (and be under immense pressure to do): ignore them or else marginalize them.
Increase their VISIBILITY. That will help protect Iraqis, and that will help protect them, too, since Bush is all too happy to kill them as well if the cost isn't high enough.
About the volunteer-human-shields:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk/2246438.stm And http://www.iacenter.org/press.htm
Another strategy is to try to ORGANIZE THOSE IN THE MILITARY, to sign that they will NOT go along with a war in Iraq. This is very hard, and dangerous for them, but courageous Israeli "refuseniks" have made a very loud difference, even each group of "only" another 100 of them makes a huge difference. WHY NOT HERE? If not now, when? If not in the US, where? Help organize American "refuseniks" in the military.
Possible tactic: Huge amounts of pressure, threats, and bribes, will be put on Russia behind closed doors, by Bush, to get Russia to NOT veto UN resolution/s rammed through to "allow the use of force" (ie, violence, a military assault) against Iraq. How about actions that pressure Russia, like vigils with pictures of Iraqi children and bombed out iraqi hospitals from 1991, in front of Russian Embassies everywhere?
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3. Educate NOW -- CHANGE THE POLITICAL DISCOURSE AND CLIMATE. Bush is counting on one thing most centrally: That "once bombs drop, the MOOD and atmosphere will be such that it will seem 'unpatriotic' to oppose the attack on Iraq" That's what he's going to work very hard (along with the mainstream media) to do.
Go on the offensive now and point out how THEY (the militarist war-mongers, former Saddam-funders in Washington) how THEY are unpatriotic, THEY are a threat to the nation, THEY the war-mongers will make the US less safe. Don't just defensively say you're not making the US less safe, educate now that THEY the militarists are the ones who funded Saddam, THEY are the ones who funded the Taliban, THEY are the ones who (CIA) funded Noriega before invading Panama, killing thousands, and replacing Noriega with another dictator, and not ending the drug war by this invasion as they promise. THEY are the ones who were in bed with Saddam and THEY are the ones who told us Saddam is ok, back when he was far far more militarily strong; THEY have zero credibility given this history to tell us now that this much, much weaker Saddam is "dangerous" THEY created him, they have no right to speak on this. THEY made the US less safe. THEY are going to make it much, much less safe, THEY are creating tomorrow's terrorists by planning to kill thousands of innocent men, women, and CHILDREN in Iraq: all because, like Bin Laden (who they were happily in bed, earlier) they believe that's "ok" to achieve their geo-political aims.
Don't wait until the bombs: educate now, be on the rhetorical offensive now, armed with history and with the truth. Educate in ways that help foster long-term broad-based coalitions, and also local, and also personal links and friendships and alliances.
Help change the political culture and atmosphere so it's clear that THEY the militarists are unpatriotic and should be ashamed of this sordid history and that we should be proud. Don't burn the flag, either wear it proudly or leave it out. Dont' tear up the flag, but maybe SEW OR PAINT IRAQ CHILDREN, BOMBED-OUT IRAQI HOSPITALS, ETC, ON THE AMERICAN FLAG and proudly wave what YOU stand for and against, at rallies, vigils, places where media and public can see you.
Also, do not let "how dangerous is Saddam" be the center of discussion -- those who funded him when he was much more powerful now throw out outrageous lines about how huge a threat Saddam is. If we let that be the only agenda, we limit ourselves to debunking their lies and distortions. Focus much of the discussion how BUSH IS A THREAT to the world, and to the US, to world peace, to regional peace, to Iraqi civilians and children, and to the safety of US citizens against future terrorists being created, and against international law. Keep the focus -- and the heat -- on the VERY REAL DANGERS BUSH POSES.
Change the political discourse and climate NOW with not only public education, but the types of actions that guide your activism.
For talking points to help win others over, including strategies, see: http://economicdemocracy.org/wtc/talking-pts-ii.html
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4. WORK WITH MEDIA ACTIVISTS -- or become one. The mainstream corporate press will never give the truth a fair shake. they are not in business to educate people. They are in business to make a buck. To sell our eyeballs to advertisers. To keep the status quo for mega-corporations, such as themselves, and to maximize short term profits. Help create alternative media institutions (See: Reclaim The Media! at http://economicdemocracy.org/reclaim.html ) and see www.indymedia.org
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5. AVOID ISOLATION. DO NOT GO AT IT ALONE. Find others both for personal support -- and find groups, organizations, and networks for collaboration, co-sponsoring events, for ideas, for sharing resources (there are many resources in addition to money), for avoiding duplicated effort, for strategizing, and for alliances.
SOME RESOURCES:
* PETITION for students, alums, faculty, & staff: http://noiraqattack.org
* Search database for peace EVENTS IN YOUR AREA: http://www.unitedforpeace.org/
* News and analysis: http://www.zmag.org/CrisesCurEvts/Iraq/IraqCrisis.htm
* Iraq Action Coalition: http://leb.net/IAC/
* Top 10 reasons not to attack Iraq: http://www.globalexchange.org/campaigns/iraq/invadeIraq082702.html
* Top 10- things you can do to stop the war on Iraq: http://www.globalexchange.org/campaigns/iraq/tenthings.html (See also http://www.globalexchange.org/campaigns/iraq/ )
* More links: http://www.campusaction.net/links/links_peace.htm
* Post and read others' posts at www.indymedia.org (find your local indymedia site looking at the left hand column listings)
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6. POSITIVE VISION: Tell people what you are for -- after telling them what you are against. A world based on Law and Order, on democracy, justice for all, and safety for Americans, and peace, and in which Pentagon and CIA-funding of the likes of the Taleban, Noriega, and Saddam (which is exactly what happened) wouldn't have happened in the first place! People want to hear what we are FOR, too.
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7. If the military assault starts, DON'T GIVE UP. Remember, there are MANY REASONS TO KEEP RESISTING:
i) Even if we can't stop it, we may be able to MAKE IT LESS MURDEROUS than it would have other wise been. This is not a joke. Without our vigilant eyes, and protests, even more atrocities against civilians, conscripts, bystanders, children, the environment, and more, would take place. So don't be depressed, resist!
ii) By organizing, resisting, and educating others, you help STRENGTHEN AND ENLARGE THE PATRIOTIC PEACE MOVEMENT. This will make us stronger and better able to resist (maybe more successfully) Bush' next murderous adventure -- make no mistake, THERE WILL BE A NEXT TIME.
iii) By resisting, you will also be helping create more "active citizens", more peaceniks, more progressives. Imagine, for every 1,000 people who we reach out to, that's another 1,000 people who will question corporate-government lies, wars, and injustice in the future, and will probably be allied for social equity, health care for people, not for profits, and more.
Thus you will help BUILD THE MOVEMENT THAT IS NEEDED TO TAKE THIS COUNTRY from Bush and co and give it to WE THE PEOPLE. Still depressed? By resisting, you will be doing all of the above, plus this:
iv) By resisting and educating against media lies, we will help build the movement is needed to create truly DEMOCRATICALLY RUN, OWNED, AND CONTROLLED MEDIA instead of the for-profit, privately-controlled, advertiser-driven, top-down undemocratic corporate media. A PRESS THAT REALLY IS FREE and of, for, and by the people.
v) By resisting and making it harder for Bush to pursue his murderous war, you are SLOWING DOWN BUSH (and remember, it's not just "him", it's not one person -- he could be replaced by one just like him..it's oil and military contractors and the global imperialist agenda). Remember: if Bush wasn't working so hard to try to get his murderous war in Iraq, he'd have more time to overthrow democratically elected governments like in Venezuela (or possibly soon, Brazil) who might answer to the poor majority of their people instead of to corporate interests and to Washington. Bush would have more time to rob the poor and working middle class at home, and much else.
So your work against the war in Iraq is paying multiple dividends in BOTH making a war less likely AND slowing down Bush's agenda on other fronts.
vi) "Sometimes you protest to change the world, sometimes you protest to stop the world from changing you [for the worse]"
vii) Meet friends, lovers, and/or a community to keep you sane and happy. There is joy and fulfillment in being part of a community wish shared values we can all be proud of.
Post your own strategies, tactics, links, contacts, and web-boards where on-going discussions can take.
Peace and love,
HB
www.economicdemocracy.org/wtc/
P.S.: Have you thought about all the above? Are you sure? If Bush's military assault starts tomorrow, will you know what to do? If on the other hand, the tug of war between peace and law and diplomacy, versus Bush's murderous plans continues for weeks and months, will you also know what to do? We urge you to re-read the above, and discuss them with others. Add your own points, modify, and distribute similar strategies and tactics flyers, on the net and on paper. Peace, love, truth, and justice -- the REAL American ways!