Fw: Join the Emergency Mobilizations on June 5 in DC, SF & LA

["nello margiotta" <nellomargiotta55 at virgilio.it>]

As the crisis in Iraq and the
entire Middle East intensifies ... 
JOIN THE EMERGENCY MOBILIZATIONS JUNE 5 
in Washington DC, San Francisco, Los Angeles & more

In Washington DC:
Gather 12 noon at the White House (Lafayette Park)
March to Donald Rumsfeld's house


In San Francisco:
Gather 11 am at UN Plaza
(Market between 7th & Hyde, Civic Center BART) 

In Los Angeles:
Gather 12 noon at Olympic & Broadway
March to Downtown Federal Building

Anyone who is paying attention knows that we are at a turning point in history. The people of the United States must act now to signal their opposition to the Bush administration's vision of endless war, its program of torture and death. The whole world is watching to see if the people of the U.S. rise to the occassion. 

On June 5, in response to the call initiated by the A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition, thousands of people will take to the streets. Each day that passes means that more people will die so long as the administration is given leave to carry on its criminal wars, occupations, torture and assault. At the same time, each day right now is an opportunity to be seized as the momentum in the U.S. against the war grows. By acting, we can make a difference today. 

Developments in the Middle East over the past few days emphasize the importance of mobilizing to "Bring the Troops Home NOW!" on June 5 in Washington DC, San Francisco, Los Angeles and elsewhere. 

IRAQ:


a.. The popular resistance to the U.S. occupation has only deepened following the announcement that a long-time CIA operative, Iyad Alawi, has been named the "Prime Minister" in the "sovereign Iraqi government" which will be initiated on June 30. Alawi left Iraq in 1971, worked for awhile for the British intelligence service MI6, and returned to Iraq with the U.S. occupiers. Offices of his party, the Iraqi National Accord, have been attacked and burned to the ground during the recent popular uprisings.

a.. According to highly suspect U.S. official figures, at least 205 U.S. soldiers were killed in April-May of this year, and hundreds more seriously wounded. More than 800 U.S. troops have been killed and 5,000 seriously wounded since the invasion of Iraq began. U.S. officials don't give out casualty figures for Iraqis, but at least 15,000 have killed and tens of thousands more wounded over the past 14 months. Thousands more Iraqis have been subjected to sadistic systematic torture and abuse in U.S. custody. The humiliating torture, killings, home destruction and sending into exile peoples throughout the world are the norm of an expanding racist war machine that must be stopped.

a.. The only real turnover of power on June 30 will be from outgoing U.S. dictator, L. Paul Bremer, to incoming U.S. dictator John Negroponte, the new U.S. 'ambassador' to Iraq. More than 135,000 U.S. and U.S.-led troops will continue to occupy Iraq.

a.. On June 5 we will march to say: "All Foreign Troops Out of Iraq!" 
PALESTINE:


a.. June 5 will mark the 37th anniversary of the Israeli seizure of the West Bank, Gaza, Golan Heights and much of Egypt in the 1967 war.

a.. The Sharon government is continuing its relentless, murderous assault on the Palestinian people, who are carrying on their resistance to occupation in the face of overwhelming firepower, much of it provided by the U.S. government. Two weeks ago, U.S-supplied attack helicopters fired missiles, tank shells, and machine gun fire into a street demonstration in the Rafah refugee camp, killing at least 18 people and severely wounding 55 others, including children. The whole world condemned this outrageous act - with the exception of the U.S. government.

a.. On June 5, we will march to say: "End Colonial Occupation from Iraq to Palestine - Support the Right of Return!" 
And it is not just in Iraq and Palestine where the crisis is deepening. Public anger toward the U.S. has "never been higher," in the words of Egyptian President Mubarak, himself a loyal supporter and client of Washington. The occupation of the Gulf region and Palestine, including the basing of U.S. troops, ships and planes all over the area, has played a key role in sparking the first major insurgency inside Saudi Arabia. In Afghanistan, casualties are rising "amid signs of growing militant insurgency in the south" of the country. (Reuters, May 29, 2004) 

At the same time, the hyper-aggressive Bush team has overthrown the democratically elected government of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide and occupied Haiti. They have enacted new, hostile measures against Cuba, laying the groundwork for possible military attack in the near-future. They are seeking to undermine the progressive government of Venezuela, building new bases in the Philippines, and threatening a new war in Korea. 

And at home, this government of, by and for the rich, continues to attack affirmative action, labor and workers' rights, civil rights and liberties, women's rights, marriage equality, the environment and more, while they turn over trillions more in wealth to already wealthy. 

Only the people's movement can turn this around. We cannot wait for, or place our hopes on, the November election - we cannot let the days pass and the death roll rise. We must mobilize for June 5 in Washington DC, San Francisco and Los Angeles!