Today is the fifth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq by the US Government and I had the opportunity to participate in a weekly peace vigil at Sylvester Park (sponsored by the Olympia FOR). The weather was good and so was the turnout. I had some great conversations, including with a couple of conservatives, one of whom was very reasonable! A young gentleman from Spokane, who was toting a suitcase, approached me and we had a lengthy conversation about the difference between the response by the left to Clinton Administration foreign policy Aggression when compared with the response by the left to Bush Administration Aggression. It is too bad that the left was not more vocal in opposition to Clinton's Aggression, but the left was not silent. There was opposition. The reasons that a more vocal opposition to the aggressive foreign policy of the Clinton Administration didn't arise are multiple but for one, he [Clinton] acted within the auspices of the UN Security Council and for two, his behavior was not as flagrant, or belligerent, relative to the machinations and blatant aggression as evinced by members of the Bush Administration. The traveler from Spokane and I fully agreed on one thing, which is the problem of the Military Industrial Congressional Complex. It was a good conversation; we both gained in understanding.

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It was fun. It is so nice to see the overwhelming support for peace in this community. It was registered by friendly smiles, waves and gentle horn honking from passersby. This community is overwhelmingly anti-war. It is important to affirm that, and to draw attention to the fact that our government is mired in a tremendously costly military occupation in Iraq (as well as Afghanistan). It has been five years and those who predicted that an invasion of Iraq would develop into a quagmire have been proven correct.


It has been five years of lies from the Bush Administration: links to Al Qaeada, "Mission Accomplished", etc. It is important to note that the corporate mainstream media has been instrumental in enabling the war. The corporate mainstream media has been instrumental in creating the conditions whereby the American People tolerate the war, and even believe that the war is in our best interests. Meanwhile, the stock market value of Dick Cheney's former company, Halliburton, has increased nearly eightfold during the time that the Bush Administration has been in office.

In Baghdad, the situation on the ground is terrible. Sunni and Shiite rivalry and resentment has blossomed during the occupation, so that neighborhoods have become ethnically cleansed. Cemeteries are overcrowded, and reserved only for those lucky enough to afford a proper burial. 70% of Iraqis go without adequate access to potable water. Although difficult to discern, the overall unemployment rate in Iraq might be as high as 50%, and it is certainly higher in some regions. Perhaps over one million Iraqis have been killed as a result of the war. Four million Iraqis are displaced, having been forced from their homes because of war-related instability.

How are we going to account for the colossal mismanagement of the USA? There is no time like the present, and I believe the time is right, and the moment is ripe to take direct nonviolent action in civil resistance to the illegal and immoral foreign policy actions of our government. If you're interested in participating in and/or organizing a civil resistance to the illegal and immoral overseas actions of our government, then you might be interested in OlyPMR.

Local opportunities to invest in peace and resist wars of aggression are plentiful. We are fortunate to have a rich and diverse activist community. There are things to do whether you're interested in a direct approach, or in something slightly less confrontational. Make sure to check out the Veterans for Peace fifth year war anniversary vigil, on the isthmus in downtown Olympia.


People know what's going on. In order to create an environment where change can flourish, it will be necessary to organize and take action. Of course, it doesn't help that the nation's mainstream corporate media structure has joined hands with the military industrial congressional complex. I guess we could call it Military Industrial Congressional Corporate Media Complex (no offense to friends in the military industry, Congress, and media!). Maybe someone can figure out how to make one word out of that, term it.

OlyBlog to the rescue.

Also see: "The true face of war"
Bill Moyers Journal, Body of War
[link to youtube video]