5t rki nd
ou eca fo ti
the peace Letter
Washington peace center
Justice
Spring 2011 Vol. 48 No. 1
20 years oF tHe u.s. in iraq
tHe peace movement:
reFLecting on 20 years
by Lisa Fithian
The recent murder of Osama Bin Laden has
renewed a call for the U.S. to withdraw from
Afghanistan. This feels especially poignant as I
am in New York City working two blocks from
the World Trade Center site. I am working
on a significant mobilization on Wall Street
against the Big Banks and Millionaires who
are stealing our wealth and wreaking havoc
in communities across the country. Looking
back over twenty years and numerous wars, this
moment feels the most hopeful. War is finally
emerging as an economic justice issue.
Image by Mahalia Dailey
voices From iraq: My relationship with the peace movement
began in 1983, when I learned about the
end tHe occupation noW! struggles for justice in Central America, the
destructiveness of U.S. foreign policy, and the
by Raed Jarrar power of nonviolent direct action to change the
course of history. The Pledge of Resistance
Baghdad did not fall in three weeks, as the U.S. public was made to believe. Baghdad fell was a dynamic national campaign that used
after 13 years of wars, air strikes, and economic sanctions. While we think of March 19, the threat of mass noncooperation and civil
2003 as the day that marks the beginning of the Iraq war, Iraqis believe the war began in disobedience to interrupt business as usual if
January of 1991 – and never stopped. the United States invaded Nicaragua. Over
an eight year period, 100,000 people signed
In Iraq during the 1990s, I remember my father coming home some nights with a the Pledge, and thousands of us were arrested
in creative and coordinated action across the
black plastic bag, acting suspicious, because he brought us “illegal items.” These items
country calling for justice. The U.S. never
varied, but they included some Iraqi sweets, homemade Coca-Cola, and sometimes
did invade.
white bread - items that were outlawed under the ruthless economic sanctions of the
1990s. A strict rationing system was required to ensure there was enough sugar and In 1987, I joined the Washington Peace Cen-
flour for everyone. Another consequence of the sanctions was the collapsing infra- ter, and we began an anti-racist process that
looked at the oppression and violence at home
continued on page 2 and began a transformation within our leader-
ship, program and base. We not only worked
continued on page 11
voices From timeLine: 20 years
tHe past in iraq
page 2 page 6
pe
Wo e a
h n Ju
su
ac
r de r ce
d g
Bs
c ri
s
Be
to
da
y!
Founded in 1963
for peace in Palestine and ending the 1990 Iraq
war, but for obtaining healthcare for children
in need, supporting women in their fight to
end domestic violence, and calling for gay
rights. In 1987, a big coalition with some labor
participation organized a three day national
mobilization for Peace and Justice in Central
America and South Africa culminating with a
direct action that shut down every entrance to
the CIA headquarters in Langley, VA, with 600
people arrested. The unions who participated
were terrified but thrilled with our success.
Fast forward to 1999, a moment when a
convergence of movements successfully closed
down the World Trade Organization. The
WTO Protests in Seattle earned the direct
action movement a lot of respect, and diverse
forces including labor began to build new
relationships rooted in solidarity agreements.
It was an exciting time, until September 11th,
2001 when the budding global justice move-
ment was derailed and the peace movement
ascended. Our movement for global justice,
using creative direct action focused on the
destructiveness of capitalism, was replaced by
a movement using mass mobilizations and
legislative work focused on militarism and
foreign policy.
We have now gone through ten more years of
war, thousands dead and a country in ruins,
despite the historic protest called by United
for Peace and Justice on February 15, 2003,
paradigm sHiFt!
page 8
page 2
our mission
2 the director:
The Washington Peace Center
provides education, resources
and action for those working
for positive social change and a
world free from oppression. We
strengthen the impact of the
peace and justice movements by
(1) fostering greater collaboration among
activist groups
(2) bridging the gap between global, national  struggle to survive.
& local issues and communities, and
(3) providing the material support to achieve
these goals.
Based in Washington, D.C., we have been
working to achieve peace and social justice since
1963. We envision a world based on respect for
people and the planet that is achieved through
nonviolence, peace and social justice.
Letter From
I was in middle school when we started bombing
Iraq on Jan 15, 1991. I clearly remember how upset
my parents were, but I didn’t really feel the impact
directly in my life. Twenty years later, we look back
and can see the devastating impact of U.S. bombs and
U.S. sanctions on a generation of Iraqis my age. Al-
though we in the U.S. peace movement mark March 19,
2003 as the date of this invasion of Iraq – my generation’s
war – for the Iraqis, this has been an ongoing, 20-year
WPC Staff and volunteers attend the
The news of Osama bin Laden’s death hit just as we Iraq Anniversary rally in D.C. on
went to print – the supposed excuse for our initial March 19, 2011
invasion of Iraq. Our President said justice had been
served and some people celebrated in the street, while
others were shocked at their levity in the face of death.
We at the Peace Center know that violence can never voiceS froM
the paSt!
bring lasting peace and justice. `Sometimes looking back
over the past two decades can be depressing because so
much of our struggle seems unresolved or unchanged,

tHe peace Letter

The Washington Peace Letter is published bi-
annually to support local, national and interna-
tional struggles against oppression. It seeks to
present analysis of current events, covering in-
formation not available in the corporate media.
Peace Letter items are copyright-free and may
be reproduced. Please give us credit and send
us a copy if you do use the Peace Letter!
Submissions: The Peace Letter welcomes
submissions of articles, announcements, letters
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community. Contact us at peaceletter@wash-
ingtonpeacecenter.org
Coordinating Board Members: Pedro Cruz,
Robby Diesu, Bette Hoover, Julian Forth, Lacy
MacAuley, Paul Magno, David Thurston &
Jane Zara
Staff: Sonia Silber, Director & Hierald E.
Kane-Osorto, Organizing Fellow
Washington peace center
1525 newton st nW
Washington, d.c. 20010
phone: (202) 234-2000
info@washingtonpeacecenter.org
www.washingtonpeacecenter.org
but I take heart from the legacy of activism and orga-
nizing we see. As MLK Jr. said, it’s a “long, bitter but
beautiful struggle for a new world.”
In this issue, you’ll hear from activists old and young
about the past 20 years, and, most importantly, their
strategies and ideas for a future that is more just and
peaceful. The Peace Center is approaching our 50th
birthday, and we’re both looking back on our history and
thinking strategically about how to build our movement
for the next 50 years. We know change comes slowly,
and we know we’re in this beautiful struggle for years to
come. And we know it’s the right thing to do.
If you agree, please use the slip on page 11 to donate
to the Peace Center and keep us going for the next half
century. Thank you for all your support and incredible
work over the years. Together, we are building a
movement and making a difference!
In Peace,
Sonia Silbert
Director
editor: hierald e. kane-oSorto
layoUt and illUStration: JaSon trader
tiMeline by daniel and kriStin Steiniger
peace organiZing intern: Sarah dobSon
& ben king
What the Peace Center was
saying in the 1990s…
“The devastating economic impact of military spending
and the resulting lack of resources available to be allocated
to social needs have fueled domestic emergencies in the
areas of education, healthcare, environment, racism,
housing, women’s rights, and the decay of the
nation’s infrastructure.”
Agee Speaks Against U.S. Militarism,
May 1991 Peace Letter
“People of conscience must demand that all prospects for a
peaceful solution be pursued before force is used.”
Libya Bombing: Who Wins?,
October 1991 Peace Letter
“D.C. is essentially regarded as a Third World country
by many politicians, and their actions toward D.C. mirror
their policies toward the Third World.”
D.C. Activists Organize in Response to Control Board,
June 1995 Peace Letter
“To transform the society, we must develop a program
that moves those most exploited, whose cheap labor fuels
the local economy, from the margins to the center of our
struggle.We need to build a movement that is centered in
the struggles of those most oppressed - women,
immigrants, people of color.”
Immigrant Rights Under Attack:
Latino Community Works for D.C.,
December 1995 Peace Letter

Iraq One Year Later:
Sanctions Continue War
By Marie Martineau, Human Rights Activist
This article is adapted from a piece published
in the January 1992 issue of the Washington
Peace Letter.
One year ago this month, the United States was in
the midst of carrying out the most intense bombing
campaign in history against the people of Iraq. Yet
when the war was over, the economic sanctions, put
in place by the United Nations to drive Iraq out of
Kuwait, were not lifted. One year later, under pres-
sure from the United States, the sanctions continue
to be enforced and are wreaking havoc on the
Iraqi people.
Food and medicine were specifically exempted
from the sanctions, yet no food or medicine actually
reached Iraq during the six months prior to the be-
ginning of the conflict. At the close of the war, U.N.
Undersecretary General Martti Ahtisaari reported
that supplies in the food rationing system of Iraq
had fallen to 39% of their pre-sanctions level. Food
prices on the open market had skyrocketed 1,000%.
The U.N Secretary General’s Mission to Iraq
under Saddrudin Aga Khan, along with experts
from all relevant U.N. agencies, conducted an
on-site study of Iraq’s food and health needs, and
prepared recommendations for the U.N. Secretary
General. Their recommendations were ignored by
the Security Council in favor of a plan which fell
$800 million short of Iraq’s established needs and
gave aid under terms by which Iraq lost control
of its oil revenues.
the U.S. Military Spent
billion dollars!
$483.2
year
$320.4
1991
In any food crisis, the greatest number of victims is
small children. By August 1991, the International
Study Team found that 900,000 children in Iraq
were malnourished. An estimated 170,000 children
would die before May 1992. By August 1991, the
International Study Team found that 900,000 chil-
dren in Iraq were malnourished. The allied bombing
destroyed the water and sanction system of Iraq, and
water-borne diseases reached epidemic propor-
tions. The humanitarian assistance under the oil sale
proposed by the Security Council in August 1991
provided no funding to restore the agricultural pro-
duction of Iraq, nor the water and sanitation sectors.
Bush’s constant attacks upon Saddam Hussein
during the war brought the nation to near hysteria.
America was led to believe that if Saddam Hussein
were gotten rid of, all would be well. With three
unfriendly ascendant nuclear powers on it's borders,
Iraq would probably continue its quest for nuclear
weapons no matter who was in power. It would
appear that unless the U.S. intends to disarm one
nation after another by the gruesome method used
on Iraq, stable disarmament can only be achieved
through comprehensive regional cooperation.
Without security guarantees such as were given after
World War 2 to a demilitarized Germany and Japan,
it is hard to see how any nation in the Middle East
would willingly disarm for long.
The question now before the American people is:
are we going to allow Iraq’s children to be fed or
continue to use them as pawns to bring about the
overthrow of a government?
$847.2
year year
2003 2010 see page 10.
History in motion
3
20 Years in Iraq cont'd page 1
structure of Iraqi cities. Our schools were falling apart without windows to re-
place the broken ones, or desks to accommodate new students. The first bombs
that were dropped on Baghdad in March 2003 woke me up. I knew it was the
last straw - Baghdad would fall in the next few weeks. Baghdad fell under the
U.S.-led military occupation on April 9, a date that is commemorated with an
annual protest by hundreds of thousands of Iraqis demanding a complete with-
drawal of the U.S. armed forces.
This year, protests in Iraq were more intense since the Iraqi public wants and
expects the U.S. to withdraw before the end of the year, in accordance with the
bilateral security agreement that was signed in 2008. The agreement included
a clear plan with two deadlines for a complete U.S. military departure. The first
required all U.S. combat forces to withdraw from Iraqi cities, towns, and villages
by June 30, 2009. The second deadline, which Iraqis are watching very closely,
requires the complete withdrawal of all U.S. troops (combat and non-combat)
and shutdown of all U.S. military bases before December 31, 2011.For Iraqis,
a recent visit by Secretary Gates and other top military officials to Iraq was
seen as an attempt to delay or cancel the December 31 deadline. This sparked
massive demonstrations, including threats to resort to violence if the U.S. stayed
longer. Muqtada Al-Sadr, the prominent nationalist Shia cleric, encouraged
his followers to take up armed resistance if U.S. forces stayed after the end of
the year. Harith Ad-Dhari, from the nationalist Sunni Association of Muslim
Scholars, demanded that the U.S. stick to the current deadline for withdrawal.
The U.S. military occupation has been causing death and destruction, destabi-
lizing Iraq, and delegitimizing its government. Extending the occupation will
discredit President Obama after his repeated promises to abide by the deadline,
and will destroy what is left of Obama's political capital in the Arab and
Muslim worlds.
Repairing the damage done to the U.S.-Iraq relationship will take a lot of
work. Iraq set an example for the U.S. to follow in its actions following the
Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990 – paying compensation to Kuwait and its
citizens, through a United Nations program, without restrictions or interfering
in the country’s domestic issues. The United Nations Compensation Commis-
sion (UNCC) is still working to compensate Kuwait for the crimes committed
against them during the Iraqi invasion and military occupation. More informa-
tion on the commission's work can be found at www.UNCC.ch. In addition,
citizens from the U.S. and Iraq should engage in a serious dialogue to discuss
the damage that has been done to American-Iraqi relations, and should deter-
mine ways to work on bilateral reconciliation. As an Iraqi-American, I know
that people from both sides want to rebuild the bridges that were burned in
the last two decades, and I know that we can do it with the efforts of ordinary
Iraqis and Americans. Once we manage to end the military occupation, I am
full of hope and faith that the next two decades will be a time of peace and
reconciliation between the two
countries.
Raed Jarrar is an Iraqi-American blogger and political advocate based in
Washington, D.C.
To read about the three steps to support full withdrawal from Iraq,
 veterans REFLECT
4
COnversation with paul chapPell Interview by Laura Russello

Based on their direct experiences with war, many military members have formed groups to raise
their voices in opposition to the ongoing occupation of Iraq. Geoffrey Millard, an Iraq war veteran,
puts it eloquently: “Today's resisters take steps on a spectrum of resistance that is largely possible
because of the existence of an organization called Iraq Veterans Against the War.” In addition, the
peace movement still has a long way to go in terms of gaining political influence.
of family and camaraderie among military members, telling them the people they’re fighting
will come take away their way of life. This creates a sense of one’s family being in danger, and
this will make people fight in order to protect it. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
is another example of why violence is not inherent in humans. If war is natural, why would
people develop PTSD?

I sat down for an in-depth discussion about these issues with Paul Chappell, an Iraq war
veteran who is now the Peace Leadership Director for the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation.
Please visit his website at www.Paulkchappell.com.
Laura Russello: How would you compare the war resistance movement over the last 20
years with that of the Vietnam era?
Paul Chappell: I think the present day war resistance movement has not really adapted.
The overall political situation has changed and the peace movement is not addressing the
appropriate issues. The biggest shift since the Vietnam era is the privatization of the
military. Private contractors are making massive profits off the current wars in
Iraq and Afghanistan, which marks a shift in how war is conducted in general.
I see the peace movement stuck focusing primarily on counter-recruitment,
which is a mistake because of this shift toward privatization.
The fundamental myth that keeps the war system going is the idea that war, and having a huge
military budget, is keeping us safe. If you believe this, then you will logically assume you are
safer when more money is spent on war. The peace movement needs to show people that war
is not making them safer.
Laura Russello: That makes sense to me. How do you propose we make this case to
the general public?
Paul Chappel: The evidence that war is not keeping us safe is overwhelming. There are
numerous studies showing that war increases terrorism. On top of that, we need to educate
people about how the economy will continue to suffer if we keep putting huge amounts of
money into the military. Another assertion I’ve heard is that human beings are naturally vio-
lent, which is easy to refute. The greatest problem with every army in world history has been
how to get soldiers not to run away from combat. To deal with this, the army creates a sense
Laura Russello: What role do you see veterans playing in the peace movement today?
Paul Chappell: Since 9/11 there has been a great deal of campaigning in the media,
and by citizen groups, to promote veterans as highly respected heroes. Because of this
widespread promotion, veterans are in a great position to speak out about issues of war.
Veterans also have first-hand experience and carry a high degree of credibility when
speaking about the atrocities of war.
Laura Russello: What are some next steps the peace movement can take?
Paul Chappell: We need a better strategy. In my opinion this means going after the weakest
targets of the opposition, which are the underlying myths I mentioned earlier surrounding the
war system. We need to pay attention to how we present ourselves - which includes our dress,
our messaging and our consistency in messaging. We need training for young people in
the movement. We have to change people’s thinking through dialogue. I’ve met many
peace activists who cannot talk to someone they disagree with without getting angry.
Laura Russello: What do you see as the greatest strength of the peace movement?
Paul Chappell: We have the truth on our side, just as the civil rights and women’s sufferage
movements did. We know war doesn’t make us safe and that there are better ways to resolve
conflict. We’re on the right side of history and because of this we don’t have to use
tricks, propaganda or deception.
Laura Russello is the former Executive Director of Michigan Peaceworks. She is
a writer and editor for her community-based blog, Calescent Paradigm: Igniting
Social Change Through Thought, Action and Art (http://lauramrussello.wordpress.
com) and also volunteers with the Washington Peace Center.

Soldiers forced to leave the Army The Dept. of Veterans Affairs

solely because of a mental disorder: states that PTSD occurs in:

PTSD
64% 1,100 suicides 11-20%
PTSD occurs in 11-20%
increase in the number of committed by members of Veterans that served
soldiers forced to leave the of the armed forces be-
(Post Traumatic
in Operation Iraqi
Army solely because of a mental tween 2005 and 2009. This Freedom and Operation
Stress Disorder)

10%
disorder from 2005 to 2009. is more than the number Enduring Freedom
Mental disorders account for of soldiers killed in occu-
one in nine medical discharges, pation of Afghanistan.
according to Army statistics.

30%
of Desert storm Veterans
Sources: “US Wars and Post Traumatic Stress Disorders,”
Marine Corps News Room and “Trauma and PTSD,”
US Department for Veterans Affairs. of Vietnam Veterans

ann WrigHt reFLects on WHistLeBLoWers
"I have served my country for almost thirty years ... I want to continue to serve
America. However, I do not believe in the policies of this Administration and
cannot – morally and professionally – defend or implement them. It is with a
heavy heart that I must end my service to America and therefore resign."
In March 2003, retired Army Colonel and former U.S. Diplomat Ann
Wright resigned in response to the U.S. decision to invade and occupy Iraq. While
Ann Wright does not consider herself a whistleblower, she has highlighted and pub-
licized whistleblowers, particularly government insiders who spoke out against the
Iraq War, in her book “Dissent, Voices of Conscience.” She continues to honor them
through sharing an abbreviated history of whistleblowers, their role in shaping peace
movements, and her vision of their role, and ours, in the future.  SUpporting whiStleblowerS:
Ann began her discussion with Daniel Ellsberg’s 1971 publication of top secret U.S.
government documents regarding the Vietnam War. The study revealed the govern-
ment had information early on that the war was not likely to be won, would result in
far greater causalities than was publicly admitted, and that the government was lying
to the American public about secret bombing campaigns in Laos and Cambodia.
For his bravery in copying the study and getting it published in major newspapers in
the U.S., Ellsberg faced threats of physical harm and charges under the Espionage
Act, carrying a maximum sentence of 115 years. However, the Nixon administration
gathered evidence against Ellsberg illegally, so the charges were dismissed. 
In the last decade, people have continued in Ellsberg’s groundbreaking footsteps by
speaking out for human rights and constitutional principles. After the September 11,
2001 tragedy, two women held the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) account-
able for mishandling critical information. FBI agent Coleen Rowley wrote a memo
to FBI Director Robert Mueller and testified before the Senate for 9/11 Commis-
sion regarding the FBI’s negligence, while a contract FBI employee, Sibel Edmonds,
provided evidence of a cover-up involving a U.S. government official’s payoff from
another government.
In 2004, U.S. Army Specialist Joe Darby provided photographic evidence to the
U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command that displayed soldiers mistreating and
torturing prisoners in Iraq’s Abu Ghraib prison in violation of the Geneva Conven-
tions. After being assured anonymity, he was publicly exposed by Donald Rumsfeld,
which forced him into military protective custody and later into the Federal witness
protection program.
Last year, U.S. Army Private First Class Bradley Manning allegedly disclosed over
250,000 confidential U.S. diplomatic cables regarding the wars in Iraq and Afghani-
stan to the website WikiLeaks. He spent ten months in pre-trial
“maximum custody” solitary confinement at Quantico Marine Base where Daniel
Ellsberg and Ann Wright were arrested on March 20, 2011 at a rally protesting
the inhumane conditions of his detention. He was recently transferred to a
medium-security facility.
resisters reFLect
5
Compiled from an interview by Sarah Dobson
Whistleblowers demonstrate there are people within the government who will not
let government officials get away with violating our laws. They are voices of con-
science willing to challenge authority, even at great personal expense, by exposing
lies, corruption, criminal actions and immoral policies. Whistleblowers encourage
others to be skeptical and critical of half truths delivered to the public. Although
they may be terminated, prosecuted and threatened for their dissent, whistleblowers
are true patriots who hold our nation to a higher standard of democracy
and morality.
wright provideS three StepS for
1.  Protect whistleblowers! Federal and state regulations have been enacted to
protect whistleblowers, yet these regulations are being ignored. We must pressure
Congress to pass laws which truly protect those who speak up and expose wrongdo-
ing of government officials.
2.  Support whistleblowers! If/when whistleblowers are alienated by their
communities and demonized by the government, we must welcome them into our
community and offer our help and appreciation.
3.  Prosecute wrongdoers! We cannot let the sacrifices of whistleblowers be
made in vain. We must hold our elected officials accountable and prosecute them for
their violations of U.S. law.
recent hiStory of g.i. reSiStance
firSt gUlf war
Jeff Patterson became the first active-duty military resister in the U.S. led attack on
Iraq and founded Courage to Resist which supports war resisters and assists them in
building a public defense.
Second gUlf war
Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) was created in 2004 by the next generation
of resisters, it serves as a community for veteran and GI resisters and trains leaders within
the resistance movement. Important resisters include:
• Garrett Repenhagan created a blog Fight to Survive (FTS), a space for current
soldiers to express frustration and anger, building an environment of resistance.
• Camilo Mejia was the first soldier to refuse redeployment. He was then jailed for
a year, and since his release has traveled to tell his story.
By Geoff Millard, a war resister himself, who was the founder of the IVAW-DC Chapter, a
former Chair of the Board of IVAW, and a current member of WPC’s Advisory Council.
 ACTIVISTS REMEMBER . . . The U.S. responds UN establishes Bush launches the Torture at Iraq Veterans Saddam is Bradley Manning

2003
with 5 weeks of oil-for-food pro- invasion of Iraq Abu Ghraib is Against the War sentenced to death allegedly leaks
bombing followed gram; allows Iraq Iraq refuses revealed (IVAW) is formed and executed by confidential cables
by a ground to temporarily to allow any to help antiwar hanging to Wikileaks
Bush claims we found
offensive sell oil to meet further soldiers network documenting U.S.
WMD in Iraq and The Washington Post
humanitarian inspections and benefit from 250,000 people soldiers killing of
“Eight years ago today I was actually in an organizational meeting, planning announces the end reveals deplorable
needs to reinstate a a community of march at the White Iraqis
an anti-war demonstration against the invasion of Iraq. And it was a Wednes- of major combat conditions for veterans

2003
support House to protest

2004
U.S. Sanctions disarmament operations at Walter Reed’s
day, I remember distinctly. One of our members walked in crying and said we
of Iraq begin the war

1991
are now bombing Baghdad, and we all broke down. I’m still breaking down. program outpatient center

2010
1995
Some of us were already a year into organizing against going into Iraq.”

2000
– WARD REILLY
Vietnam Veteran and member of Veterans for Peace

1991

1998

2008

2009
2007
2006
Demonstrations
U.S. officials, John
“That was the first time in my life that I became politically active… across the U.S. CIA reports that Barack Obama is

2001
U.S. and U.K. launch Brady, Kiesling, Tyler Drumheller,

2005
protesting buildup

1990
I was teaching law at Tulane and David Duke, a leader of the Ku Klux Klan, John H. Brown, and Iraq does not former CIA official, elected President
bombing campaign
was running for governor of Louisiana—ahead in the polls. My daughter was to the war against possess WMD as an anti-war
to destroy Iraq’s Ann Wright, resign reveals evidence that
about six months old, and I thought, ‘I cannot raise a child in a place Iraq; polls show and has not candidate
weapons programs and 36 million Bush was informed
where they’re electing a Nazi KKK leader governor. I have to be able to most Americans begun to
tell her that I did something.’” people in over 60 before the war that Iraq
support nonviolent produce Jubilation as U.S.
countries rally to did not possess WMDs
– TERRY O’NEIL resolution of the them combat troops
protest the war
President of NOW conflict
Tens of thousands of Iraqis withdraw from

1991
Terrorists hijack
120,000 Iraqi U.S. uses 320 tons planes and crash into U.S. loses track of gather to protest U.S. cities
troops invade of depleted uranium the Twin Towers Saddam Hussein nearly $8.8 billion presence in Iraq on the fourth U.S. Embassy in
Kuwait, accusing in munitions, killing 2,973 people. is captured of the Development anniversary of the fall of Iraq is largest in
them of flooding causing serious The U.S. responds by Fund for Iraq Baghdad the world, staff will
“I was Coordinator of the Peace Center and we were organizing
world oil markets long-term health launching a war in double by 2012
response plans for when the war began… But I had a trip planned to problems for Afghanistan to
South America, so I go, and then we hear that the bombs dropped. It began veterans and dismantle Al-Qaeda
a 36 hour journey back… We had just enough change to get to the airport civilians

Casualty Totals Source: www.justforeignpolicy.org

and they put us on a free flight to Miami. I walked up to the White House
protests with my bags in hand.” *Sin
ce 2
– LISA FITHIAN 003

Co-Convener of United for Peace and Justice

2003
“On March 19, 2003, my husband was in Boston with a group of people
who sat down at the federal building to oppose the invasion, and were all
*Since 200
3
*Since 2
003

arrested. So that evening I was getting my husband out of jail. We went home
and cried a lot, we did a lot of interviews, and we decided we

20 Years of the U.S. in Iraq

needed to redouble our efforts to end the war
that we thought never should have started.”

– NANCY LESSON
Co-Founder of Military Families Speak Out
 Paradigm Shift
8
The End of War:
Breakthroughs & Paradigm Shifts
By Barbara Wien
Resistance to war is building worldwide and may be reaching critical mass in the
near future. This may seem like an insensitive or foolish claim when the U.S. is waging
Professor Wien highlights three
three bloody wars and massacring tens of thousands of people (see timeline of 20 years in trends indicating a paradigm shift:
Iraq, page 6-7). Yet, there is evidence. We can hasten the demise of war by spreading peace
education in every possible setting, by transforming the role of soldiers and military insti- 1. Peace education is growing everywhere in formal and non-formal settings,
tutions for a global environmental recovery race, and by supporting nonviolent struggles
in Kindergarten through 12th grades, colleges, universities, pre-schools, refu-
unfolding around the world for economic equality and democratic participation.
gee settings, after-school programs, inner city gangs, summer campus, church
and Bible study circles, labor unions and thousands of other contexts in many
In 1962, Thomas Kuhn first suggested that a set of ideas, theories or schools of countries (see Global Campaign for Peace Education website www.peace-
thought, known as paradigms, can become dominant, self-reinforcing and self-perpet-
ed-campaign.org). Start a Peace Education course in your local school system
uating. In his book, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, Kuhn posits that paradigms
are born out of a society’s structures, such as race, gender and class. These paradigms today and be part of the paradigm shift.
become a system of logic unto themselves, although they may be fundamentally flawed.
Research stems from these paradigms and produces flawed outcomes. People and soci- 2. Resistance to military intervention among soldiers and officers is growing
eties come to believe or depend entirely on the flawed paradigms, which serve only the even inside the military academies. They have been to Iraq and Afghanistan.
interests of the ruling class.  They know war is not making us safer and is creating even greater threats.

This is true of today’s war system. But what was once enshrined and celebrated can be
3. Nonviolent revolutions are increasing exponentially. Since 1974, over fifty
reconsidered. Contradictions or flaws in the theory may emerge. A group of people
come along and challenge the dominant views, turning the whole notion on its head.  countries have transitioned from dictatorships to democracies using Gandhi’s
A revolution in thought or a paradigm shift occurs, changing forever the way we view nonviolent principles and strategies.
history, societies and ourselves. This happened with the institution of slavery, and is
happening at this moment with the institution of war. Barbara Wien is a peace educator, activist, and mother who currently teaches Peace
Education at American University.
The Seville Statement on Human Violence, the work of hundreds of social scientists,
archeologists, anthropologists, primate specialists and peace researchers, debunks the
myth that the human race is hard-wired for war and violence. They posit there is $658 Million, Anticipated profit for
stronger evidence that the human race is naturally cooperative or our species would not BP and CNPC from the Ramaila Oil
have survived this long, and war is a social construct which serves the interests of war field in Southern Iraq based on 20
profiteers. War is not fixed in nature like gravity in the cosmos. The Seville Statement year contract signed in the wake
challenges us to evolve to a higher stage of human development. of the invasion.

Young people brought up to believe in the inevitability of war are much less likely to
work for peace. Societies supporting war produce successive generations which unques-
tioningly send their youth to die. Feeding children a steady diet of media violence and
glorified war further desensitizes them to human suffering, numbs their capacity for
empathy, and ensures they will not challenge the use of force. But more families and
educators are rejecting such brainwashing. Millions of young people are graduating ExxonMobil was the biggest
from peace and conflict resolution programs rejecting racism, violence, and economic seller of oil to the Pentagon
inequality. They don’t believe in war anymore. between 1999 - 2005

Military force is an outdated paradigm.  There may always be those who push for
violent solutions out of greed or fear, but they are the minority. Most of us are
tired of war draining our purses and treasuries when vast human needs remain
unresolved. The world is rapidly moving beyond the old model of violence and the
use of war as an instrument of foreign policy to a richer, deeper sense of human
security.  We are aching for cultures of dignity and peace. 

Source: http://www.wri-irg.org/node/264 Source: http://www.independent.co.uk/


eL SaLVador :
iraq, reFLecting on
peace From eL saLvador
by Rev. Marta Benavides
My heart is heavy as I write this piece reflecting on the history and struggle of the people of
El Salvador in relation to the people of Iraq. We who have experienced war know that the
environmental and societal destruction does not end with a ceasefire or peace treaty. Nearly
20 years after the end of armed conflict in El Salvador, we still suffer from exploitation, the
negative impacts of free trade agreements, and coup d’états. Yet I know that we, like the
people of Iraq, will continue to work for peace and justice. My story is about where we are
in El Salvador and exploring the necessary steps needed to become a different society.
In January 1992, the Peace Accords in El Salvador were signed, ending a bloody and
costly civil war. They resulted in the legalization of our demands for human rights and
the formation of the Frente Farabundo Martí para la Liberación Nacional (FMLN),
a political party that is in office today. Despite these encouraging negotiations, it
was a long road until these promises came to fruition. For the previous 20 years, the
government used fear and fraud to stay in power. There were hundreds of deaths,
disappearances, imprisonments, rapes, tortures, and exiles. But through international
campaigns, pressuring our legislature, and impacting U.S. policy, the people eventu-
ally saw the fruit of their labor. On March 15, 2009, the presidential elections in El
Salvador arrived.  
Even amid whispered fears about possible violence among followers of the opposite
parties, as had happened during earlier campaigns, we had to go vote. The FMLN,
forbidden during the war in the 1980s, was now the majority opposition party and
finally had a chance to win and govern. This was Bishop Romero’s dream, my dad
and mother’s dream, that of Schafik, of Masferrer, Roque Dalton, Prudencia Ayala,
of all humble Salvadoran men, women, and children who have suffered and risked
everything since 1492 to create the processes, times, and spaces to achieve peace and
justice. It is on the shoulders of their history that we arrived at that day. The newly
elected president and his administration were elected to work for change. There was a
political shift and the dawning of a new era, but our struggle was not over.
it'S tiMe to grow Up
Iraq today is a symbol for all people who know the importance of freedom, justice,
and peace. It is a point of departure to see the impact of policies of war and the lack
of a real commitment for state policies for peace. Since Iraq, many more wars have
been the reality not only for the Middle East but for all of us in the world. The
way that the war in Iraq came about - justified, legitimized, and ongoing - is still
the norm.
What fuels such wars? How can the citizens of the countries waging these wars un-
derstand the relationship between the war and their daily living? Do they know what
it takes to maintain the world as we know it today?
Nearly 20 years after the Peace Accords, interventionist foreign policies continue
to permeate our lives in El Salvador. We continue to suffer from terrible problems
resulting from our officially dollarized economy and globalization. Simple things
like tortillas and cooking gas have doubled or tripled in cost. El Salvador is presently
the most violent country in the Americas, creating a lack of opportunities for young
9
people and breeding even more violence. Corruption has been rampant at all levels.
As we reflect on Iraq, we must provide alternatives to this framework. Withdrawal
from Iraq will be a challenging situation as the U.S. leaves behind 20 years of
destruction, violence, and social ills. It is my deepest wish that we move forward
and create, in a conscious manner, a culture of peace. We must live the peace that
dignifies difference, equality, equity, and citizen participation; the peace that gov-
erns the official governments; the peace that respects human, economic, ecological,
social, and cultural rights; the peace that allows people to live in harmony with
Mother Earth. It is said that when we truly - and from the deepest part of our
being - long for something, the entire universe will conspire with us to reach it. 
Let us conspire with the universe itself, and let us daily and everywhere be the
change we want and need.
Rev. Marta Benavides from El Salvador is an ordained minister, permaculturalist,
educator, and artist. She founded Siglo XXIII, the 23rd Century Movement for
Sustainable Peace and Justice and is one of the co-chairs of the Global Call to Action on
yoUth reflectS on fUtUre by Sarah Dobson
When the U.S. invaded Iraq in 1991, I was one and a half years old. I didn’t know
much about the world, much less about U.S. foreign policy. I have grown quite a bit
since that day, and now anticipate our withdrawal from Iraq as a 21 year-old graduat-
ing from college. But how have we grown as a nation? The U.S. is still an adolescent.
We’re a bully. We fight to stay on top and we steal lunch money because we can. We
are impulsive, aggressive, and reckless. We are an adolescent with a large arsenal of
weapons and a suitcase full of cash. And we’ve been irresponsible. So do we crash
and burn? Or can we get our head on straight and grow up? How can we stop the
current wars and prevent future wars?
1. We must redefine security. Relinquish the idea that safety means controlling
others through force and fear. Security is cooperating with others to achieve mutual
survival and prosperity. Violent foreign intervention damages our security. We must
educate for peace. If people don’t understand that peace is possible and in their best
interest, they will not work for it. Let us teach that peace is education, health care,
employment, housing, environment, security — a higher standard of living.
2. We have to work together. Duh. The war machine is too powerful to tackle alone.
We need communication and respect between local, national, and international levels
for a successful peace movement. If the peace activists can’t get along, how can we
expect others to? So we need stop acting out of fear and insecurity, educate our-
selves, and work together. That seems achievable for mature adults. Don’t you think?
Sarah Dobson interned with the Washington Peace Center and recently earned a
B.A. in Sociology from the University of Maryland
 what are we
10 leaving behind?
What is the U.S. leaving in Iraq?
The deadline set for the withdrawal of U.S. troops is December 31st, 2011. But that will not
be the end of the U.S. presence in Iraq, and it is certainly not the end of the war’s consequences.
Twenty years of sanctions, bombing, and polluting in Iraq has left families shattered,
infrastructure toppled, the environment ravaged, and billions of dollars squandered.
This once wealthy country is now faced with reconstructing under a weak political system,
a collapsed economy, and a devastated people.
Lost and damaged U.S. lives
• 4,459 US troops killed, 33,023 wounded (excludes psychological injuries)
• More soldiers committed suicide in 2009 and 2010 than died in combat
• 30% develop serious mental health problems within 3 to 4 months of
returning home.
Lost and damaged Iraqi lives
• At least 99,900 violent civilian deaths
• Over 654,965 Iraqi deaths as a consequence of the war, with estimates
up over 1 million
• 3 million widows estimated by Iraqi government
• Soaring rates of honor killings, rape and kidnapping forcing many women to remain
at home, limiting employment and educational opportunities
• Surge in infant mortality rates and cancer linked to depleted uranium bombs
Displaced Iraqis
• 2.3 million internally displaced Iraqis (as of 2007)
• 2.1 million Iraqi refugees in Syria & Jordan
• Tens of thousands of women and girls forced into prostitution to survive
Destroyed Infrastructure
• 28% Children suffering from chronic malnutrition (as of 2007)
• 27-60% Unemployment Rate
• 70% Iraqis without access to adequate water supplies
• 5.6 Average daily hours Baghdad homes have electricity (as of 2007)
• 37% Number of Iraqi homes connected to sewer systems
Environmental Degradation
• 141 million metric tons of carbon dioxide released
(more than annual emissions of 60% of all countries)
• Pollution of depleted uranium, oil, gasoline, benzene
• Contribution to global warming from fuel-intensive combat, oil well fires,
gas flaring, cement consumption, and the use of explosives and chemicals
Economic Costs
• $3 trillion, about 60 times the Bush administration’s original estimate
• Increased federal debt, factor in skyrocketing oil prices
• $9 billion of US taxpayers' money lost and unaccounted
U.S.-backed Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki
Torturing and killing those who speak out against his rule.
• 29 protesters gunned-down by the Maliki-run security forces in Iraq in
February 2010. Hundreds of protesters blindfolded, handcuffed, beaten and
threatened with execution for being insufficiently pro-regime
Continued U.S. Presence in Iraq
• 47,000 U.S. troops and 2,700 private security contractors
(as of March 2010)
• Largest U.S. embassy in the world with 8,000 personnel in Baghdad,
with plans to double its staff by 2012
• U.S. Ambassador James Jeffrey and Lieutenant General Lloyd Austin esti-
mate that in 2012 the U.S. presence will consist of up to 20,000 civilians
(Data from 2011 unless otherwise noted)
Sources: Huffington Post, Telegraph.co.uk, USliberals.org
Where do we go from here?
Concrete solutions for Iraq post withdrawal!
Raed Jarrar offers us 3 steps we should
take as we begin to withdraw from Iraq:
1. End the U.S. military occupation by December 31st. Sign
this petition to demand that the U.S. and Iraqi
governments abide by this deadline and contact your
Congressional representatives. http://www.change.org/
petitions/end-the-occupation-of-iraq-before-the-end-of-2011
2. Downsize the State Department's footprint in Iraq. The
U.S. plans leave 17,000 personnel after 2011as part of
its “diplomatic mission,” yet it is another means of
intervening in Iraq's domestic affairs.
3. Work on a real U.S.-Iraqi reconciliation. This needs to
include both government-sponsored programs and citizen
to citizen dialogue.
 Peace Mvmt. continued from page 1
where 11 million people in almost 800 cities around the
world mobilized against the U.S. invasion of Iraq. We built
a majority opinion against the war and helped elect the first
black President on a promise for peace, but we have seen
Wpc update:
providing all the tools We need to change the World!
11
neither peace nor justice.
The Peace Center finished 2010 on a celebratory note at our sixth annual
What can we learn from the past 20 years? Activist Awards Grassroots Gala, where we honored ten outstanding local
How do we keep growing our movement activists and threw a party for the over 300 members of our progressive
community that attended. This year’s lifetime achievement award went to
for peace?
Marcus Raskin, co-founder of the Institute for Policy Studies.
1. Build a strategic analysis of peace. Peace
cannot exist without justice. Develop campaigns which In honor of the 8th anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, the Wash-
connect peace to the environment, economy, housing, ington Peace Center collaborated with Military Families Speak Out and
healthcare, prisons, immigration, women’s rights and more. United for Peace and Justice to host an educational forum entitled "Move
War must be seen as an economic issue, and those of us
with privileges must be allies and work in solidarity with
the War Money, Save our Communities". We heard from local organizers
communities under attack if we really hope to end war. on the impacts of D.C. budget cuts and national organizers on the chal-
lenges of reducing the military budgets and discussed strategies for relating
2. Organize Consciously! (Don’t just mobilize.) Build director sonia silbert and these struggles.
advisory council member
an organization with a clear and accountable base that
nadine Bloch at one nation
empowers all. Use decentralized models like affinity groups rally, oct. 2, 2010 We also supported and attended many mobilizations and actions in the
and spokes councils that can build direct democracy and
support creative and strategic direct action. We must use D.C. area, including Witness Against Torture’s Fast for Justice, a week of
our power to heal and build, not oppress and destroy. action organized by SOA Watch and the Latin American Solidarity Conference (LASC), the Global Day
of Action on Military Spending, IMF Resistance and many events and actions attempting to rebalance the
3. Build a culture that celebrates life – rooted in D.C. budget to save the safety net and support the needs of the people.
fairness and respect that values human connection, coopera-
tion, authenticity, creativity, imagination, equality, and
sustainability. Dump consumerism, branding, competition,
Internally, we have embarked on a strategic planning process with the help of a wonderful volunteer
profit-making and violence. consultant and we hope to have a finished document by this summer that will focus and guide our work
for the coming years. Throughout it all, we’ve kept our online calendar updated with dozens of events each
I do not know if I will see an end to war in my lifetime, week and have lent our sound system, stages and bullhorns to over a dozen progressive events and actions
but I do know that it is possible to build structures and
just in the first few months of 2011.
relationships that liberate, and that people working together
have the power to create a peaceful and just future. Into
the neighborhoods and into the streets!

Lisa Fithian is a community organizer, activist,

and trainer and continues to work with people to access
We thank ou For your support!
the power they need to build a more just and peaceful
community and world. Lisa is also a member of WPC's
Advisory Council.

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 the peace Letter
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Spring 2011 Vol. 48, No. 1 Founded in 1963

we aSked d.c. - THREE WORDS ABOUT THE IRAQ WAR

Non-Profit Org. U.S.

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• Iraq One Year Later: Sanctions

Continue War
inside!
• Ann Wright Refl ects on History
of Whistleblowers
• Timeline: 20 Years in Iraq
• Iraq, Refl ecting on Peace from El Salvador
• Youth Refl ects on the Future

Have a look at www.washingtonpeacecenter.org

for our online calendar of DC progressive events