Time for a Broad Based Anti-War Movement: Can the Right and Left Work Together to Oppose War and Emp

[Donnachaidh]

http://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2010/03/03/time-for-a-broad-based-anti-war-movement-can-the-right-and-left-work-together-to-oppose-war-and-empire/

Time for a Broad Based Anti-War Movement: Can the Right and Left Work Together to Oppose War and Empire?

There has to be a better way to stop wars and reduce military spending. Polls show U.S. voters divided on current wars and more often show majority opposition to them. Yet, when Congress “debates” war the widespread view of Americans is muffled, not usually not heard.

For the last decade, the peace movement has been politically left and Democratic leaning. The right wing has been kept off the stage, and as a result, the anti-war movement does not reflect the breadth of American opposition to war. For too long the peace movement has been like a bird with only a left wing. It can barely fly and when it does it seems to go in circles. Perhaps a bird with two wings will fly better?

This past weekend Voters for Peace sponsored a meeting of 40 people from across the political spectrum who oppose war and Empire. The people attending see the U.S. military as too big and too expensive and recognize spending $1 million to keep a soldier in Afghanistan for one year is a symptom of mistaken militarism that weakens U.S. economic and national security.

The purpose of the meeting was to see if we could work together. Could we put aside our differences on other issues and focus on reducing American militarism and in the long run ending reliance on war?


more at the link --

[YOY]

1. If so called "conservatives" are so truly worried about "gubmint" waste.

And endangering American citizens then this should be priority one.

If the Afghanistan government isn't strong enough to stand on their own by now...then the Taliban can rule them once more.

All nations have the government they deserve. If they aren't willing to stop religious nutbags from retaking controll after they've seen the hell they bring with them then I guess they deserve them.

I feel callous saying that but it's not our job to police the world.

[Lorien]

2. Repugs will try to starve the unemployed (many of whom are vets) but they'll

never starve the war machine. Billions for blood and oil, scraps for American citizens.

[L0oniX]

3. Start with not cheer leading those that come here and say they are joining the military!

If you are really anti war then you can't be for supporting those that join the military.

[Echo In Light]

4. I know what you mean...but for those w/family enlisted, it's a highly volatile issue

They've obviously a substantial need to buy the official narrative while vehemently dismissing the evidence of what an empire's war machine is actually for. VERY dicey topic for families/friends/some vets...

[L0oniX]

5. I supported draft dodgers and those that went AWOL back in the Vietnam days.

I still support those that go AWOL.

[Echo In Light]

6. Absolutely! As do I. Takes a lot of courage for them to do that.

[old mark]

7. The right has absolutely no interest in "working with" the left - they really think Obama is

a terrible socialist dictator preparing to end democracy and introdduce foreign rule to the US from....somewhere, I'm not sure where. They really HATE us, many are making plans to attack us with weapons when "the day" comes...they wouldn't work with us on anything at all, even if Mrs Obama gave them all free cookies at the WH.

mark

[invictus]

8. K&R