Posts with the tag antiwar activism

Iraq is Back in the News, Finally

Tanya Paperny — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:21:35 EDT

Anti-war leaders have bemoaned the current scarce coverage of the war in Iraq. The war is finally back in the headlines, so it’s a great chance for young people to make sure that they are part of the discussion.

So let’s recap the last few weeks.

Iraq War - No End in Sight - Do Something!

Tanya Paperny — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 14:52:39 EDT

This Thursday, May 1st, is the 5th anniversary of President Bush declaring "Mission Accomplished" in Iraq. On this day in 2003, he stated that all major combat operations had ended and that our goals had been achieved.

We know better.

Bush Applauds Iraq War 5th Year; We March

Tanya Paperny — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 10:58:02 EDT

Bush was just on TV, defending the necessity of the Iraq war in the face of massive antiwar protests taking place around the country.

We Declare War on Montecito

Matt Zeitlin — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 14:42:07 EST

In response to Tanya' query, I think that Santa Barbara's anti war resolution is at best meaningless, and at worse counter productive. While it's true that the war affects local politics, it's untrue that local politics, specifically the passing of resolutions, has any affect on the course of the war. If a Democratic majority in Congress can't end the war, then the Santa Barbara City Council doesn't have much of a chance. What the Santa Barbara City Council can do is waste its time and distract their constituents from problems that they have the mandate and ability to address -- like, say, violence in Santa Barbara.

My antipathy towards these types of resolution comes from close to home. Though I don't live in the People's Republic of Berkeley, they've been passing these types of inane resolutions for as long as I've been around (which isn't very long, but I digress). The Berkeley City Council had its own anti-war resolution, they had a resolution to stop the bombing in Afghanistan, and mulled signing on as co-plantiffs in a German war crimes suit against Rumsfeld. While these are mostly worthy causes, the Berkeley or Santa Barbara city council has no ability to actually convict Rumsfeld or stop the war.

These do-nothing resolutions also trivialize the work of city government, so that when they try to enact real policy, like school funding or increasing numbers of local police, the citizenry is less likely to take them seriously.

Yesterday: Santa Barbara City Council Passes Anti-War Resolution

Tanya Paperny — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 10:14:11 EST

Last night amidst an outpouring of applause, the city council of Santa Barbara, California voted unanimously to pass a resolution "urging cessation of combat operations in Iraq and the return of U.S. troops" within a year.

That Was a Nail Biter...

Dana Goldstein — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 12:51:14 EDT

The Iraq War supplemental bill, which for the first time puts a time limit on the engagement of U.S. troops in Iraq, just narrowly passed, 218-212.

PHEW. Don't underestimate my Nancy.