On day war begins with Iran or Syria or some other nation, we meet 4 PM at Young Park (Las Cruces, NM) & march up Lohman Ave. all the way to Telshor. March back and Rally MAP OF YOUNG PARK; print flyer to post

SYRIA - In April, the Bush administration (except for Powell) was asking for sanctions against Syria. Neocon Richard Pearle, the archetect of the Iraq invasion has targeted Syria. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld warned Syria to stop shipping military aid and offering shelter to fleeing members of Saddam's regime. Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz recently rattled sabers at Syria on NBC's "Meet the Press," saying they are "doing some things they shouldn't be doing, and the sooner they stop, the better it will be for them.

Syria has a proposal, a Middle Eastern zone free of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). Syria wants the UN Security Council to create a WMD-free zone. The first WMD-free zone includes Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay. This second zone could include Iraq, Iran, Syria, Palestine, and Israel. would the U.S. and Israel allow a WMD-free zone? News sources are testing the water.

• BBC - World media ask: Why Syria? Die Tageszeitung, thinks US domestic politics will determine whether or not the US attacks Syria. "If Bush's re-election in 18 months should be endangered by the poor economic situation, his advisers could consider a new confrontation useful to get the voters back behind the commander-in-chief in the White House," it says.
• NY Times - Hawks recycle arguments for Iraq war against Syria (Apr 16) David R. Sands. Neocon Richard Perle, a leading hawk in the Iraq debate, yesterday called for Congress to pass a "Syrian Liberation Act" modeled on the 1998 law that made regime change in Baghdad official U.S. policy... Among those signing a letter in support of the report were Mr. Perle; Elliott Abrams, now the head of Middle East policy at the National Security Council; Douglas Feith, now undersecretary of defense for policy; and David Wurmser, now a senior Pentagon official on Iraqi policy. .
• Aribic News - Washington's political war on Syria, Takrit negotiates and fight; vagueness in al-Najaf - Iraq-USA, Politics, 4/14/2003 American officials including President George Bush, the secretary of state Colin Powel and the defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld have escalated their political campaign against Syria. They repeated accusations against Damascus of supporting the regime of Saddam Hussein before it fell and of providing weapons and volunteers to Iraq.
• Newsday - 15 Apr - War of words targets Syria - Iraq's neighbor denies harboring wanted officials, testing chemicals. Newsday. WASHINGTON - The Bush administration Monday stepped up its rhetoric against Syria, saying it would weigh diplomatic, economic and other measures against Damascus for allegedly providing refuge to fleeing Iraqi officials and testing chemical weapons.

IRAN - In late May, the Bush administration began to rattle their sabers at Iran.

• Pentagon proposes 'regime change' in Iran By Julian Borger and Dan De Luce - WASHINGTON, May 24: The Pentagon has proposed a policy of "regime change" in Iran, after a flurry of allegations that Al Qaeda leaders are coordinating attacks from Iran. ... "There's no question but that there have been and are today senior Al Qaeda leaders in Iran, and they are busy," Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said this week. The UK is part of the target-picking for the next war -- "'We have said very clearly to the Iranian government that harbouring Al Qaeda would be entirely unacceptable," Prime Minister Tony Blair said on Thursday.
• WE HEARD THIS BEFORE? "There may be some in Washington who are in favour of a regime change in Iran, but it is very unlikely that is something President George Bush would consider any time soon. World opinion would be even more against such a move than it was in Iraq." Bangkok Press.
• May 28- U.S. officials have increased pressure on Tehran in recent days, accusing it of taking insufficient steps to root out members of al Qaeda in Iran who may have played a role in the May 12 suicide bombings in Saudi Arabia in which 34 people died. Reuters.

BOTTOM LINE - In the words of Senator Byrd, "Regarding the situation in Iraq, it appears to this Senator that the American people may have been lured into accepting the unprovoked invasion of a sovereign nation, in violation of long-standing International law, under false premises. There is ample evidence that the horrific events of September 11 have been carefully manipulated to switch public focus from Osama Bin Laden and Al Queda who masterminded the September 11th attacks, to Saddam Hussein who did not... And mark my words, the calculated intimidation which we see so often of late by the "powers that be" will only keep the loyal opposition quiet for just so long. Because eventually, like it always does, the truth will emerge. And when it does, this house of cards, built of deceit, will fall." (Read rest of his speech).

Suggested reading -- You Back the Attack! We'll Bomb Who We Want: Remixed War Propaganda by Micah Ian Wright (2003). Amazon comments.

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