Ending the Afghanistan War
The theme of the second day of the US Social Form was US and International Social Movement Responses to Global Crises.
I attended a workshop put on by United for Peace and Justice on "Ending the War in Afghanistan." Panelists included David Wildman, Executive Secretary for Human Rights and Racial Justice, United Methodist Church; and Phyllis Bennis, director of the New Internationalism Project at the Institute for Policy Studies.
The main message of the speakers was that $100 billion was being spent in Afghanistan annually, yet conditions for the people of Afghanistan are worse than what they were before the American invasion and occupation. Over 800 Afghani children die daily from preventable diseases. Afghanistan has the highest infant and maternal mortality rates in the world. In one city in the northeast part of Afghanistan, they only get three hours of electricity per day.
These are the starting points when discussing the US role of Afghanistan. More than 97 percent of the money US spends in Afghanistan goes to making war instead of improving the lives of Afghanis. There is a large gap between US military strategy and the reality on the ground.
The panelists stressed that it was time to re-legitimize diplomacy and negotiations instead of counter-insurgency tactics which make things more dangers for the people of Afghanistan.
It is also important to translate public discourse on Afghanistan into public policy. More than 50 percent of Americans think continuing the same course of war is wrong yet there seems to be little change in the policy of the Obama administration. Activists can do 2 things to help make this change.
First, you can ask your Senators and Representatives to votes against the $33.5 billion in supplemental funding. And ask your Representatives specifically to co-sponsor HR 50-15 which is asking Obama when the last soldier will leave Afghanistan given he already has promised to begin withdrawing troops in July 2011.
Second, the economic crisis is a good opportunity to educate Americans about the costs of war and organize the anti-war effort. Check out the National Priorities Project to see how your tax dollars could be better spent than on war and occupation.
I will be writing later on other workshops I attended, including an amazing plenary session discussing the links between national and international issues.
Ramah
