Fw: [ANSWER]: Jan. 18 Update: Stop the War Before it Starts

["Nello Margiotta" <animarg@tin.it>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "A.N.S.W.E.R." <answer.general@action-mail.org>
To: <answer.general@action-mail.org>
Sent: Wednesday, January 01, 2003 1:35 AM
Subject: [ANSWER]: Jan. 18 Update: Stop the War Before it Starts


 ACT NOW TO STOP WAR BEFORE IT STARTS:
 January 18 Update

 Read on to find:
 I. Update on Bush's rush towards war
 II. How you can make a financial contribution
 III. Demonstrations around the world January 18
 IV. Plans for Jan. 18 in DC: Speakers, Scenario & more

 ---------------------------------------------

 ONLY THE PEOPLE CAN STOP BUSH'S RUSH TOWARDS WAR

 The January 18 National March on Washington DC and joint
 action in San Francisco comes just nine days before what
 has been slated by the Bush administration to be a
 deadline in their drive towards war on Iraq.

 Military preparations are underway at a feverish pitch.
  Last week, more than 1,350 Florida Army National Guard
 and U.S. Army reservists were called to active duty
 (according to the Miami Herald, Dec. 27).  This is the
 largest call-up of Florida's National Guard and reservists
 since World War II -- and it's also the first deployment
 of an infantry battalion since that time.  Though the
 military has not made an official statement as to why the
 units have been mobilized at this time, the 150 members of
 a military police unit based on Fort Lauderdale who have
 been called up as part of this mobilization are being sent
 to Kuwait, a clear indication that they will be playing a
 role in any war in Iraq.

 On January 27, Hans Blix (the head of UNMOVIC, the United
 Nations Monitoring and Verification Commission) will make
 a report on the first two months of weapons inspections in
 Iraq.  Bush administration officials have indicated that
 they view this date as a deadline for a final decision
 regarding their war plans.

 We believe that we can still stop this war from happening.
 Thousands of innocent people in Iraq and an unknown number
 of U.S. GIs will die unless we can stop Bush's war plans.
 It is urgent that the anti-war movement not be lulled into
 a false sense of optimism because Iraq and the UN are
 cooperating. The Bush Administration is determined to wage
 war and occupy Iraq. The extent to which the world is
 voicing cautious optimism about a peaceful solution, is
 also the extent to which the Bush foreign policy team is
 racing to dash all hope for such an outcome.

 The January 18 National March on Washington DC may very
 well be the last opportunity that we have on a national
 level to show the breadth and depth of opposition before
 the scheduled plan to start the war.

 We rely on the generous donations of those individuals who
 believe in our work. Many have made a financial donation.
 We would like to again thank you. Without your
 contributions we could not carry out this work.  If you
 want to make a contribution within the tax year (by
 December 31), you must make your online contribution by
 11:59 pm.  If you are sending a check, as long as you date
 it by December 31, it can be received next week (send
 checks to 39 W. 14th St., Room 206, New York, NY 10011).
  Online contributions can be made at
 http://www.internationalanswer.org/donate.html

 DEMONSTRATIONS AROUND THE WORLD JANUARY 18

 In addition to the National March on Washington DC and
 joint action in San Francisco, many international
 conferences and organizations have taken up the call,
 making January 18 an international day of action opposing
 the war.  At the time of this writing, anti-war
 demonstrations have been scheduled in at least 12
 countries for the weekend of Jan. 18-19, 2003.

 A worldwide anti-war conference which took place December
 18-19 in Cairo, Egypt, and included hundreds of
 representatives from 20 countries, set as its first order
 of business a worldwide mobilization for January 18.  The
 organizers of the conference have called for a protest in
 Egypt, and many other organizations in attendance have
 called for actions.  In Japan, several organizations will
 hold protests in Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and Fukuoka.  In
 Canada, protests are planned across the country.  There
 will be several demonstrations in Italy and in Spain, and
 actions in Belgium, Indonesia, Britain, Germany, Austria
 and Russia.

PLANS FOR JAN. 18 NATIONAL MARCH ON WASHINGTON DC

 The scenario plan for Washington DC includes an opening
 rally on the West side of the Capitol Building (on the
 National Mall, at 3rd St. and Constitution Ave. NW).  This
 rally will include representatives from the diverse
 movements and organizations that oppose the war.
  Following the rally, we will hold a mass march to the
 Washington Navy Yard -- a massive military installation
 located in a working class neighborhood in Southeast
 Washington DC that parks warships on the Anacostia River.

 **********

 SPEAKERS & MESSAGES TO INCLDUE:
 - Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney
 - Bishop Thomas Gumbleton, Auxiliary Bishop, Catholic
 Archdiocese of Detroit
- Ramsey Clark, former U.S. attorney general
 - Mike Farrell, actor
 - Elizabeth McAlister, Jonah House
 - Mahdi Bray, Executive Director, Muslim American Society
 Freedom Foundation
 - Brenda Stokely, President, District Council 1707 AFSCME;
 Co-Convener, New York City Labor Against the War
 - Damu Smith, Black Voices for Peace
 - Michael Letwin, Co-Convener, New York City Labor Against
 the War
 - Bill Fletcher, Co-Chair, United for Peace; TransAfrica
 - Peta Lindsay, A.N.S.W.E.R. Youth and Student
 Coordinator, Howard University student
 - Rev. Graylan Hagler, Senior Minister, Plymouth
 Congregational Church
 - Bayan
 - Free Palestine Alliance
 - Macrina Cardenas, Mexico Solidarity Network
 - Yoomi Jeong, Korea Truth Commission
 - Nicaragua Network
 - Partnership for Civil Justice
 - Muslim Students Association of the U.S. & Canada
 - IFCO/Pastors for Peace
 - International Action Center
 - Rev. John Dear
 - Blasé Bonpane, Director, Office of the Americas
 - Rev. Herbert Daughtry, national pastor, House of the
 Lord Church, Brooklyn
 - Not in Our Name Project
 - Ron Kovic, Vietnam Veteran and author of "Born on the
 Fourth of July"
 - Michael Tarif Warren, attorney
 - Mumia Abu-Jamal
 - Representative of women's struggle to defend
 reproductive rights on the 30th anniversary of Roe v Wade

 MUSICAL & CULTURAL PERFORMANCES INCLUDE:
 - Chumbawamba
 - Prime Meridian
 - Patti Smith

 **********

 We are also writing tonight to thank you for your
 involvement in the anti-war movement.  We wish you and
 your families a happy New Year. Hopefully we have all had
 a moment to rest and relax with loved ones as we recommit
 ourselves to stopping the Bush administration's drive
 towards war on Iraq.

 For more information on the January 18 National March on
 Washington DC and joint action in San Francisco, and on
 Youth and Student Action Jan. 18-19, see
 http://www.internationalanswer.org

 For a list of CITIES ORGANIZING TRANSPORTATION, go to:
 http://www.internationalanswer.org/campaigns/j18/j18contacts.html

 If you're organizing a bus from your city, fill out the
easy-to-use form at:
 http://www.internationalanswer.org/campaigns/j18/j18contacts.html#list
 (if this link does not take you directly to the form,
 please scroll down)

 Help spread the word! DOWNLOAD the NEW FLYER at
 http://www.internationalanswer.org/campaigns/resources/index.html
 (If you are unable to download it, call 202-544-3389 or
 415-821-6545 to have an original copy mailed to you.)

 For LOGISTICAL INFORMATION (directions, housing, parking,
 etc.), go to:
 http://www.internationalanswer.org/campaigns/j18/logistics.html

 YOUTH & STUDENT ACTION: JAN. 18-19
 http://www.internationalanswer.org/campaigns/j18/students.html

 **********

 FOR MORE INFORMATION:
 http://www.InternationalANSWER.org
 http://www.VoteNoWar.org
 dc@internationalanswer.org
 New York 212-633-6646
 Washington 202-332-5757
 Chicago 773-878-0166
Los Angeles 213-487-2368
 San Francisco 415-821-6545

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