Chicago added to list of cities having Peace rallies

The Peace rallies planned from 20 March were originally scheduled to be centered in three cities: Washington, DC, Los Angles, and San Francisco, California, but organizers of events now note that President Obama’s hometown of Chicago, Illinois will also be having anti-Iraq and Afghanistan War demonstrations.

The theme of this years anti-war demonstrations is “It’s the War Economy Stupid.” Frankly, though I see Brian Williams as being a Master of Propaganda for the U.S. government and corporate establishment, there is one thing glaringly notable about a recent Nightly News broadcast that is undeniably true – the trillion dollar cost of the Bush/Obama foreign policies is beginning to have an impact on public opinion and the wars.

THEY ARE BEGINNING TO COSTS TOO MUCH IN $$$ IF NOT IN BODIES!!!

Robert L. Hanafin, Staff Writer, VT NewsChicago 18 March 2010

End the Wars & Occupations Now! Fund People’s Needs, Not Corporate Greed

ENDLESS WAR

Seven years ago, the US invaded Iraq — a war that continues with no end in sight. In December, President Obama began to escalate the war in Afghanistan — when only 100 Al Qaeda members remain in that country. Scheduled Iraq troop withdrawals still leave thousands of contractors and mercenaries behind as occupiers. In the face of a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, the US continues to finance Israel’s war on Palestine.

Now, the Obama administration has introduced a budget that includes the largest amount for “defense” spending ever — while freezing domestic spending for human needs. There is no health care bill, no action on climate change.

All Washington can agree on is to feed our tax money to big banks and an endless war.

Politicians’ excuses [really divisive diversions] for these failures have ranged from blaming immigrants and other working people to scaring us with ‘terrorist’ threats. [AND both political parties have made AN ART out of doing this]

These same politicians will not end the violence until we force them to.

With rampant job losses [UNEMPLOYMENT] and cutbacks in social services, it’s time now more than ever [for voters across the political spectrum to set aside our differences] to oppose costly wars that rob precious public resources from housing, healthcare, education, and a host of other public needs.

Join us — IN CHICAGO, and thousands throughout this nation to mark the grim anniversary of seven years in Iraq.

March 18: 5:30 PM, short rally at Federal Plaza (corner of Adams & Dearborn Streets), followed by permitted march on Michigan Avenue.

And join us in mobilizing for a united march on Washington, DC on Saturday, March 20th. Buses available from Chicago.  Info: [email protected]/ www.ChicagoMassAction.org

If your group would like to co-sponsor Chicago’s big anti-war march on the 7^th anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, please email [email protected] with your name, telephone number, and the name of the group as you would like it listed.

Robert L. Hanafin

Readers are more than welcome to use the articles I’ve posted on Veterans Today, I’ve had to take a break from VT as Veterans Issues and Peace Activism Editor and staff writer due to personal medical reasons in our military family that take away too much time needed to properly express future stories or respond to readers in a timely manner.

My association with VT since its founding in 2004 has been a very rewarding experience for me.

Retired from both the Air Force and Civil Service. Went in the regular Army at 17 during Vietnam (1968), stayed in the Army Reserve to complete my eight year commitment in 1976. Served in Air Defense Artillery, and a Mechanized Infantry Division (4MID) at Fort Carson, Co. Used the GI Bill to go to college, worked full time at the VA, and non-scholarship Air Force 2-Year ROTC program for prior service military. Commissioned in the Air Force in 1977. Served as a Military Intelligence Officer from 1977 to 1994. Upon retirement I entered retail drugstore management training with Safeway Drugs Stores in California. Retail Sales Management was not my cup of tea, so I applied my former U.S. Civil Service status with the VA to get my foot in the door at the Justice Department, and later Department of the Navy retiring with disability from the Civil Service in 2000.

I’ve been with Veterans Today since the site originated. I’m now on the Editorial Board. I was also on the Editorial Board of Our Troops News Ladder another progressive leaning Veterans and Military Family news clearing house.

I remain married for over 45 years. I am both a Vietnam Era and Gulf War Veteran. I served on Okinawa and Fort Carson, Colorado during Vietnam and in the Office of the Air Force Inspector General at Norton AFB, CA during Desert Storm. I retired from the Air Force in 1994 having worked on the Air Staff and Defense Intelligence Agency at the Pentagon.