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Wisdom Hacks Interest Group
Wisdom Hacks Interest Group is an informal area to capture wise thoughts, ideas and practical experiences.
Organizer:
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Have we fallen far enough?
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Have we fallen far enough?
I think the way to start is by jumping in, and if something to break off into comes along, so be it.
What’s on my mind is Syria and “…the incredulous claim that the bombing ‘aims to de-escalate the overall situation in both Eastern Syria and Iraq.'” When I read the email below from CODE PINK, I got what was going on that hadn’t been so clear to me, and the might-makes-right nature of our behavior made me think we haven’t fallen far enough to where we have to reassemble ourselves in a new way. Is that something to talk about? Omg, what more is to come?
Jodie Evans, who started CODE PINK, is my friend who doesn’t want recognition for exerting great power for the good (she married her second billionaire after the first one died — not the secret to her success but perhaps the reward). Here she is as A DELIGHT A DAY: https://conta.cc/2Y6mbJq — prepare to fall in love.
This is the email CODE PINK sent out:
Biden: Stop Bombing Syria!
Dear President Biden,
We vigorously oppose your February 25 bombing of Syria. Syria is a sovereign nation. The militia you targeted poses absolutely no threat to the United States and is actually involved in fighting ISIS. Your actions simply escalate existing conflicts in the Middle East. This is not what you promised during your presidential campaign and it is certainly not what the American people want.
Your administration is claiming that its airstrikes were based on accurate intelligence regarding who was responsible for a recent rocket attack in Iraq. But a recent report by Middle East Eye suggests that Iran has strongly urged the militias it supports in Iraq to refrain from such attacks or any warlike actions that could disrupt its diplomacy to bring the U.S. and Iran back into compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). “None of our known factions carried out this [recent rocket] attack [in Iraq],” a senior Iraqi militia commander told Middle East Eye. “The Iranians are still keen to maintain calm with the Americans until they see how the new administration will act.”
The Pentagon has also made the incredulous claim that the bombing “aims to de-escalate the overall situation in both Eastern Syria and Iraq.” But this was countered by a member of Russia’s Federation Council who called the attack “unlawful” and said any similar escalations in the area could lead to “a massive conflict.” President Biden, your administration is playing with fire.
Bombing Syria will not strengthen the U.S.’s hand in its negotiations with Iran over the nuclear deal. Instead, it will make it more difficult for the U.S. to resume negotiations with Iran as it will give even more power to the Iranian factions who oppose diplomatic relations with the U.S. and reviving the JCPOA.
Lastly, without an Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF), you have no congressional authorization to go to war against a sovereign country. You must respect congressional war powers and cease military actions in the Middle East. As Representative Ro Khanna said, “We cannot stand up for congressional authorization before military strikes only when there is a Republican president. The Administration should have sought congressional authorization here. We need to work to extricate from the Middle East, not escalate.”
It is urgent that you cease military actions in the Middle East and immediately get the U.S. back into the Iran nuclear deal. We want diplomacy, not more war.
Please pass this petition along to a friend. Your friends can sign here: <http://www.codepink.org/peacewithsyria?recruiter_id=463674>
Toward peace,
CODEPINK -
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I’ll add one thing after seeing Borat yesterday — well, some of Borat, before I turned it off. This movie is the best of the year, according to The New York Times, and it just won the Golden Globe as the best comedy. It’s one of the most repulsive movies I’ve ever seen part of, and, in a parallel to Syria not getting any outcry other than from Code Pink, it’s the general state of consciousness I’m interested in, which is so shockingly low as to think might is right and disgusting is funny.
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