Dec. 14, 2009 issue
Rally protests Afghan troop surge
By Mallory K. Dignin Mennonite Weekly ReviewCHICAGO — Members of Christian Peacemaker Teams, Mennonite Voluntary Service and Mennonite congregations joined between 150 and 200 demonstrators Dec. 2 to protest a planned troop surge in Afghanistan.
Hope Langeland and Antonia Kam of the Mennonite Voluntary Service Chicago unit take part in a rally in Chicago’s Federal Plaza against a troop surge in Afghanistan. — Photo by Celeste Kennel-Shank/MWR
President Obama had announced Dec. 1 plans to send an additional 30,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan. He said the troops will begin to withdraw in July 2011.
Among those protesting Obama’s decision was Gerald Paoli, who spent time last spring in Iraq as a reservist for CPT. He laments the human cost of war.
“If there is one thing I’ve learned from going to a war zone, it is the level of trauma goes on forever,” he said. “It is not over when the war is over.”
Sophia Hochstedler, who coordinates the Chicago CPT office, was also in Iraq this past spring. She saw how the U.S. military makes decisions for Iraqi citizens without their best interests in mind, she said.
“Foreign military presence destroys any possibility for civilian infrastructure,” she said. “We need to let civilians develop what they need.”
Many participants had hoped the Obama administration would change U.S. policy in Afghanistan. Bob Buzzard, of Chicago Community Mennonite Church, was disappointed but not surprised by the decision.
“Obama never claimed to be pacifist,” he said. “He still lives by the redemption-by-violence principle.”
Buzzard braved the cold because he thinks there should be many voices opposing the troop surge to fight terrorists.
“You can’t counteract terror with war,” Buzzard said.
Eastern Mennonite University’s Center for Justice and Peacebuilding, Mennonite Central Committee and Mennonite Church USA collaborated on a bulletin insert suggesting a security strategy that does not involve more troops.
The Nov. 5 document calls for shifting from fighting a war to police protection of Afghan civilians. It advocates more input from the Afghan people about policy in their country and increasing funds for development.
It asks for Christians to pray for U.S. policymakers, the people of Afghanistan, and Mennonites working for peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan.
Comments
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Iran recently test fired a medium range missile. I would believe this would evoke outrage in pacifist circles. Therefore, I believe it would be reasonable to expect these same people who protested Obama's decision to approve a troop surge to Afghanistan would now want to assist Obama with a public protest rally in his disapproval of what Iran is doing with missils and nuclear development
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Dale, it seems your common sense is not working again. This article is about protests of our country's policies, not against another country. "Government for the people and by the people" does not mean we protest every other country's policies and actions that we disagree with. If we did we would protest against the Congo, Israel, Honduras, Russia, India, etc.
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Les, please employ your common sense and explain why I frequently read criticisms of Israel in MWR?
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Dale, I will keep it simple.
1) INJUSTICE:
Don't believe the MWR articles? Refer to Benny Morris, Avi Schlaim, and Avraham Burg, two Israeli historians and a long-time Knesset member, respectively. All are Israelis and heavily invested in the continued existence of Israel. Google them. Read their works. Burg's is perhaps the most concise.2) LOCATION:
Israel is the holy land for Christians, Jews and Muslims. See also 1.3) THE PEOPLE INVOLVED:
Injustice is always disturbing, particularly so at the hands of religious individuals who worship the same God. See 2 and 1.4) FOREIGN POLICY: Israel is the greatest recipient of US foreign aid dollars. (You can Google it.) There is concern about where our money goes and how it is used. Especially see also 1, 2, and 3.
Dale, once you have read up on the matter, please tell us why, in all good logic and reason, we should not be concerned?
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Dale, Jim has given logical and strong evidence to your question to me. I will approach it differently, not disagreeing with Jim.
You seem to have difficulty with the English language and the meaning of terms. I wonder sometimes if it is intentional obfuscation ("1. to cloud over, make dark, unclear; 2. to muddle, confuse, bewilder"). Or do you just like to argue? Jim and I have been writing clear, understandable, and enlightening thoughts. Common sense; "ordinary good sense or sound practical judgment". Common sense is not revealed when you intermix physical demonstrations with verbal criticisms. They are not the same. You did not correctly read my last writing nor respond appropriately. Some years ago there were physical demonstrations in a Square in China, there are increasing demonstrations in Iran and even within Israel. Those are demonstrations by the citizens of those countries just like the MWR was reporting citizens of the USA protesting our government's policies. It is best to compare apples with apples.
Where is your criticism of the tea parties? If you don't like one kind of physical demonstration against our country's policies, common sense would say you should be consistent and criticize all physical demonstrations against our government policies.
The reason for the criticisms of Israel can be clearly understood by the Nov. 30, '09 MWR, p. 8, I believe. Israel has demolished 24,000 Palestinian houses in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza since 1967. Since 2000, Israel has killed and injured 10 times as many Palestinians as Palestinians have killed Israelis. Israel has imprisoned many Palestinians. Palestinians had one Israeli imprisoned. I have many more facts (not opinions)in my files. But I don't want this to be too long.
Back to the June 30 article. A woman with 6 children living in a 500 sq. ft. house because she needed housing, bought her own land of 2600 sq. ft., and Israel grants very few building permits to Palestinians while they have just announced 900 more new houses in the occupied territories for Israelis--a violation of their own agreements and statements and UN Resolutions.
Two months after moving into that house it was demolished. Now she is building a 165 square foot house on her own land as was the 650 sq. ft. house. By marriage, her family is now 10 people to live in a 15 x 15 foot house--slightly larger than many of our bedrooms! Before the new house was built, there was an order for demolition.
Bethlehem is basically a walled in city prison--by action of the Israelis. It is nearly a year ago that Israel basically destroyed Gaza. After that they would allow no food, gasoline, or building materials into Gaza.
Do you think God thinks this is ethical, moral, spiritual, or legal? If I do not verbally protest this activity while we give over $3 billion to Israel and nearly nothing to Palestine, I would neglect my Christian and Biblical duty. I could not live with myself. If a large enough group comes together, my wife and I plan to go on a work trip to Nazareth and Israel. If I find anything better than I have written, you will be the first to hear.
May Christ fill our hearts and minds with compassion during this Christmas season--it seems Nazareth and Bethlehem have some relevance to Christ's birth.
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Sorry for the typo in the 5th paragraph. It should read November 30.
In the next to last paragraph, it should read Bethlehem, not Israel.
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It is obvious from the responses I inadvertantly struck a very raw nerve with Les and Jim. The first response to me from Les was inconsistent and I addressed that. I was disapointed the Iran missile issue was not addressed but instead Israel became the focal point.
It is important for me to stay focused on the MWR article and not be distracted.
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Rreaking news for Les & Jim. This week, at the request of Yemen, Obama ordered US missile attacks on several terrorist sites in Yemen. What is uncertain is why did not Yemen request action from the UN?
When can we expect another pacifist rally in Chicago to protest Obama's military action in Yemen? Can we conclude the first rally was ignored by Obama? If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.
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Fact: The original article said nothing about Israel.
Fact: Dale first mentioned Israel in his second comment on the article. -
Les, Fact: You are the first one to mention Israel. I simply took issue with you in your first comment (12/17 10:17PM) about not protesting against what other countries including Israel do. Then both you and Jim confirmed there are frequent protests against Israel and Jim went into great detail. You were very supportive of what Jim wrote.
I believe careful reading will confirm what I have stated.
Now that this all is resolved, I await comments on the US missile attacks on terrorist sites in Yeman and any planned pacifist protests similar to the protests against the Afgan surge.
I apoligize if I violated anything in these comments.
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Les is correct in stating that Dale was the one to make Israel an issue. Les may have written the word "Israel" in his comment, but is was in a much longer list. As per usual, Dale was portraying those who disagree with him as disingenuous for inconsistency. Dale, refer to Les's comments and mine. We clearly demonstrate why Israel represents a special case.
Dale, your logic, if there is any, escapes me. One cannot hope to protest every single action in an on-going conflict. The demonstration was against Obama's announced policy of escalation and continuation of the war in Afghanistan, not against any specific tactical decision in the War on Terror. Honestly, I find your idea of "common sense" amusing.
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Yesw, Dale, I wondered why you chose Israel rather than Congo,Russia, India, or Honduras. The choice was yours.
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I chose Israel because Les made the following statement: "This article is about protests of our country's policies, not against another country. "Government for the people and by the people" does not mean we protest every other country's policies and actions that we disagree with. If we did we would protest against the Congo, Israel, Honduras, Russia, India, etc." I simply was noting a correction to what he wrote that there are frequent articles in MWR critical of Israel.
What is seldom writen in MWR are the ongoing persecutions of Christians in heavily populated Muslim countries.
If Les wants to put Israel in his comments, I conclude I can choose to respond with a needed correction. I don't understand why I have to give a detailed response if my comments do not address your added items of a bunny trail nature.
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Dale, I will keep this brief.
I know for a fact that MWR has reported on Christians being persecuted in dictatorships, countries under Sharia law, and elsewhere frequently in the past. However, there is much besides persecution to report on. There are distinctions between reporting, protesting, and criticism that do not seem to interest Dale much beyond his rants.
Countering rants is only useful so long that the truth is beaten out, particularly if such rants seem to smear people of good faith and standing. But when the crux of discussion comes to rest on who said what first, it gets quite silly and pointless. Unless there is something of substance, I shall consider my part in this discussion at an end.
Merry Christmas to all!
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