Iraq/Syria Air Strikes and Arms Shipments Opponents Host Press Conference

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http://www.opednews.com/articles/Iraq-Syria-Air-Strikes-and-by-Press-Release-Airstrikes_Iraq_Isil_Obama-140916-161.html



Iraq/Syria Air Strikes and Arms Shipments Opponents Host Press Conference
By Press Release
General News 9/16/2014 at 23:22:39

Where: House Triangle Area (grass between Rayburn House Building and Capitol building)

When: Wednesday, September 17 at 11:30am

Washington, DC -- Representatives from several organizations will gather at 11:30 am on Wednesday, September 17 at the House Triangle to respond to the President's plan to bomb Iraq and Syria. Speakers include Andrea Miller of Progressive Democrats of America, Stephen Miles of the coalition Win Without War, Ret. Colonel Ann Wright of Veterans for Peace, Medea Benjamin of CODEPINK, and Alli McCracken of the youth group No Future in War.

In the past six weeks, President Obama has dragged the US into deeper into war by launching more than 150 airstrikes in Iraq and threatening to bomb ISIL in Syria. Congress will vote on Wednesday to send weapons to Syrian rebels, which will stoke the internal conflict in Syria even more. Press conference speakers are staunchly opposed to renewed US military intervention in the region. They maintain that ISIS gained strength because the American-backed sectarian Iraqi government alienated the Sunni population of Iraq. Further US involvement would be counterproductive, as it would act as a recruiting tool for ISIL.

"We can be a part of the solution this time, not the problem, but that won't happen with bombs. We've been there, done that, and it didn't work," said CODEPINK co-founder Medea Benjamin. "This is a problem that requires a political solution."

"The US is not the target of ISIS, but if we become more involved, we could be," said Ret. Colonel Ann Wright of Veterans for Peace. "We are deeply worried for the safety of the people in Iraq and Syria, but this is a crisis that needs a political solution, not a military one. Until social, economic and religious issues are addressed by governments in the region, not only in Iraq and Syria, but also in Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Bahrain, Kuwait, Yemen and Qatar, conflict will continue.