WRITTEN BY IBRAHIM TURNER
Everywhere I look there are people and groups doing something about the warmongers and the arms manufacturers. Each group needs support, but as far as I can tell, there is no communication or co-operation between these various groups.

There was that group in France who went to the judge to get an indictment against Donald Rumsfeld when he visited Paris, forcing him to duck and dive to get back to the American Embassy.

There is that group of courageous Irishmen from Londonderry who raided the Raytheon corporation’s factory and trashed their main frame computer, because their bombs were used by Israel in Qana, Lebanon. You have all probably seen the pictures that were shown around the world. These people have been charged and are now referred to as the ‘Raytheon 9’. The powers that be first imposed a news blackout on the proceedings and made it illegal to demonstrate outside the court. This has now been lifted, but their case needs support. You can see a video on Palestine Think Tank today with an interview of one of them and also some comments by a member of the antiwar movement in Ireland.

In Spain there was a big story in the newspapers about a study by the University on the photographs of the second plane to hit the twin towers, which caused many people to send letters to the editor for more information, so much so that the Ombudsman had to intervene.

There are many demonstrations all across America, from Code Pink to Winter Soldiers who testified before Congress, people being arrested for occupying Senator’s offices demanding they adhere to the constitution, or calling for impeachment hearings for George Bush and Dick Cheney.

There was the writer Monbiot who tried to make a ‘citizens arrest’ of John Bolton in Hay on Wye when he was on a speaking engagement, frustrated by a couple of ‘security’ men, preventing him from getting near Bolton. Earlier in the week demonstrations and objections to John Bolton speaking in Bristol, which was so successful that there was a statement from the organizers that John Bolton was ‘too busy’ to visit Bristol.

For those of you that do not have friends in foreign lands or language skills, you may have missed the fact that there are massive demonstrations in Poland and Czechoslovakia against the US missile and radar sites, which their Governments have agreed to. And there is a hunger strike going on right now against the deployment of these missiles.

There was an article, which stated that there were rumors of Tony Blair being wanted for war crimes as Tariq Aziz is now being tried for war crimes in Iraq, along with ‘Chemical Ali’ and others.

People are ‘running’ against Nancy Pelosi in elections in California and then there is Cindy Sheehan and her run against Nancy Pelosi. And I’ve read about others who are running against ‘incumbents’ who support the war in various election districts.

Now I’m sure you know where I am going with this. All these disparate groups, and many I have no knowledge of, or have not mentioned, are working in isolation.

What better instrument than the Internet do we all have to build a network of contacts between these activists? But do we use it? Do we read about the French attempt to get Rumsfield and cheer and not even bother to try to contact them to show our support? I know I did not. Neither did I ever try to contact the Palestinian or Israeli groups that are working for peace in the Middle East. How many would do that, unless you were related to somebody there?

We are missing a great opportunity to consolidate and co-operate with each other. If the network can be built up, then when one group needs something, if only acknowledgement of their situation and support for their cause, then support can be given, in whatever way that is possible, relative to their needs of the moment.

Everything that happens in this sphere is routinely under reported in the complicit mainstream media or completely ignored. What’s worse is that when something does break into the open, there are a thousand pundits and nay sayers who denigrate the messenger in the most vile manner, calling into question his sanity and so on – in other words, he/she is a kook or a nut. Witness the firestorm surrounding Mr. McClellan’s boo.

How can we possibly push back at all this organized and successful working of the media? The only thing that makes any sense is the power of numbers. From an old 1960’s comedy show, the slogan “Power to the people!’ comes to mind.

And of course, generating numbers is difficult. Many groups are isolated, even infiltrated by people with their own agendas, diluting the message, or even distorting it so that everybody dismisses their message as nutty. Witness what has happened to the 9-11 truth movement over the years. It is now full of disinformation, obfuscation and downright idiotic ideas. Some say deliberately corrupting the facts and promoting arguments and division amongst the believers – so much so that some sites ban any discussion of the 9-11 story.

This is a brief overview of what is going on. There are many more things, groups, demonstrations and activities that I have not covered; I am not infallible in my coverage or investigations. I do read avidly about these things and cheer when something seems to be happening which pushes back at the powers that be.

I don’t know how many messages of support the CodePinkertons, received when they got arrested occupying Senator’s offices. I know I didn’t send one – did you? I sometimes add my comments to articles on various progressive websites taking umbrage at some troll or other or praising the article. Whilst this might be gratifying to the authors, what does it actually do, except preach to the choir? The only people who read these articles are of a like mind to the authors, or come there to sew dissention or distraction, which successfully negates anything positive happening about the subject being written about. In my opinion everyone is way too passive, a trick we learned from watching hours and hours of TV. Most people take things at face value, which is how they can dupe us all most of the time.

My suggestion goes something like this. Say you read about the Raytheon 9. What can you do? Well, you could Google it, find out if they have a website and visit, or if not visit the Ireland antiwar site and leave a message. You could even ask them what you can do to help. No doubt, if they are organized they will have put up a place for you to donate for the cost of the court case. Even if you cannot donate, you can find out much more about them, and their case, what happened to them, what might happen to them and a deeper understanding of what is and was involved. You never know, it might inspire you to do something with others in your area of a similar nature. I guarantee that you will feel better about yourself – that is until you come up against the opposition. At that point it is up to you, will you stand up and be counted, as they say, or slink away into oblivion.

Lastly, I would like to draw your attention to the solidarity movement in Poland that started in the shipyards in Gdansk on 31st August 1980. There is a website with the title, “The Trade Union that changed the World.”

I remember back then that the British trade Unions sent a delegation to Poland to show support and Solidarity with the striking workers. Of course, they were all communist-lefty-Moscow-controlled dupes weren’t they? But at that time of the cold war, this was splashed across all the media because it was against the dastardly Russian Soviet Union. Have a look at the history on these sites when you Google ‘Poland Solidarity’. I’m sure you will agree it provides much food for thought about how that came about, (the fall of the Soviet Union) and what that means for us today (the fall of the American Empire).

It took a long time to expunge the Empire from the British Psyche and ‘we’ll have to send a gunboat’ psychological mindset, and I’m sure there are still people in high places and the Foreign Office who regret what happened to the British Empire and are in denial, just as you have some people in America who think that they lost the war in Vietnam because of hippy wimps and Hanoi Jane Fonda.

Sites for Googling: (or other search engine looking up)

Anti-radar activist goes on hunger strike – radio Praha, in English.

Raytheon 9 Trial – Day

Raytheon 9 documentary on you tube

Polish Demonstration Against American Missile Base – Shagya Blog

CodePink Women for Peace – DON'T IRAQ IRAN!
As the Administration and their Congressional allies beat the drums for war with Iran, help us stop the next war now.

Sally y Luis www.amics21.com/911 – about the University study.

Rumsfeld hit with torture lawsuit while visiting Paris – Raw Story

John Bolton: Citizen's arrest attempt was comic – UK Telegraph

Afterwards Mr Monbiot, a regular freelance contributor for The Guardian, said he was “disappointed” his attempt had failed.
He said: “This was a serious attempt to bring one of the perpetrators of the Iraq war to justice, for what is described under the Nuremberg Principles as an international crime.”

Cindy Sheehan It's time to send our own statement to the Speaker: Nancy, you're fired! The American people elected a new Congress to bring the troops home and instead all they've given us are excuses. Let's get it right this time and work for a candidate that will make a real difference, Cindy Sheehan. Newsweek magazine thinks we can do it! Click here to read the article published online last week by Newsweek about Cindy's challenge to Pelosi.

The article about the rumored Arrest of Tony Blair for war crimes has already been published – see archives.

http://ccrjustice.org/case-against-rumsfeld. The French haven’t given up on Rumsfeld.

OpenLetterKouchnerDatiFinal.pdf

Poland: Solidarity — The Trade Union That Changed The World …

Walesa and Poland's first deputy prime minister, Mieczyslaw Jagielski, … was one of the leading intellectuals of the Solidarity movement.

Twenty-five years ago next Wednesday — 31 August 1980 — unemployed Polish electrician Lech Walesa struck a major blow to Soviet communism when, after leading a strike at the Lenin Shipyard in Gdansk, he announced the official birth of the Solidarity independent trade union. Solidarity went on to play a central role in the demise of communism across the Soviet bloc, changing forever the course of history in Europe.

Solidarity's underground efforts were also greatly aided by financial help from American trade unions, as well as moral support from Pope John Paul II.