The US does not need a war in Venezuela – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | Editorial

Reprinted in WI State Journal | 27 April 2020

Link to editorial printed in WI State Journal

“The COVID-19 pandemic has thrust the United States into crisis, and its citizenry is in desperate need of medical, economic and moral support. What the people do not need, or want, is another war.

Yet, over the past several weeks, the [US] federal government has been amassing a significant military force in the Caribbean — the largest U.S. military operations in the region in 30 years — intensifying its pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. War, it seems, could be on the horizon.

The Trump administration has made no secret about its desire to oust Maduro, who has been characterized by President Donald Trump as a dictator. Trump has continued and expanded economic sanctions initiated during the George W. Bush administration, in addition to adding his own. His administration also supported the claims of Venezuelan politician Juan Guaido to the presidency in 2019. And, just last month, the U.S. Justice Department charged Maduro with drug trafficking and narcoterrorism.

Despite all this, Maduro remains in charge of Venezuela. But with Venezuela’s economy collapsed after years of sanction pressure, leaving the country vulnerable to a public health crisis, the Trump administration seems to be considering giving regime change another go.

The United States has built up a tremendous force in the waters north of the country. “We’re deploying additional Navy destroyers, combat ships, aircraft and helicopters; Coast Guard cutters; and Air Force surveillance aircraft, doubling our capabilities in the region,” Trump announced abruptly during an April 1 coronavirus briefing at the White House.

Officials at the Defense Department reportedly opposed the deployment, as the military has struggled with the spread of COVID-19. But their concerns were ignored.

The president claims the operation is meant to combat drug trafficking, primarily cocaine smuggling, but such a force has never been previously deployed solely for drugs. And data from the U.S. government’s own Consolidated Counterdrug Database shows that Venezuela is not a primary transit country for U.S.-bound cocaine. Six times as much cocaine passed through Guatemala in recent years.

Venezuela is a deeply troubled country. Its economic crisis predates COVID-19 and its people will likely suffer even more as medical facilities face shortages of supplies. But Venezuela and Nicolas Maduro are no threat to the United States, its economy or its people.

To launch a needless war during a time of domestic crisis would be folly likely to result in failure or unintended consequences that might be worse than the present regime.

And this folly would cost the country a great deal in money and blood at a time when it should not sacrifice either for any but the clearest and greatest cause.

Our government should focus on the more pressing needs of its own people, who are trying to make it through the most significant crisis the country has faced in decades.

Articles on Venezuelan Situation

Cancellation: Memorial Mile and Memorial Day Peace Rally 2020

Due to the virus and surrounding precautions, Veterans for Peace-Madison has collectively decided to cancel our annual events for Memorial Day.

Music provided by Sean Michael Dargan

Memorial Day Peace Rally

Gates of Heaven Synagogue

James Madison Park, Madison

Memorial Mile

Thousands of markers signifying the US military lives lost since 2001

The Mile – Video

Madison is a Nuclear Free Zone

In 1983, the Madison City Council passed an ordinance declaring the city a “nuclear free zone”.

Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR) Wisconsin and Veterans for Peace-Madison are asking our City Council members (Alders) to pass a Back from the Brink Resolution which builds on this ordinance and commits the city to nuclear weapons free contracts and investments. Our City already has a socially responsible investment policy in place; it no longer invests in fossil fuel companies. We are asking the City do the same regarding nuclear weapons production.

Back from the Brink Background

VFP Celebrates International Women’s Day 2020

International Women’s Day

March 8, 2020

#IWD2020 #EachforEqual

International Women’s Day (IWD) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating women’s equality. This day has occurred for well over a century, with the first IWD gathering in 1911 supported by over a million people. Today, IWD belongs to all groups collectively everywhere. IWD is not country, group or organization specific.

An equal world is an enabled world, a gender equal world.
Celebrate women’s achievement. Raise awareness against bias.

Take action for equality.

“War disproportionately affects women and girls.

In conflict, existing inequalities become magnified and social networks are broken down, making women and girls more vulnerable to sexual exploitation and violence. Yet, we don’t often hear about the women working for peace.

This Sunday is International Women’s Day. World BEYOND War is celebrating women dedicated to abolishing all war and replacing it with a security system based in feminism and peace. Leveraging frameworks like the United Nations Security Council’s Resolution 1324—which requires parties in conflict to prevent violations of women’s rights and to support their participation in advocating for peace—we work not only to affirm the critical role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflict but also to encourage and facilitate the role of women in abolishing all war.

“War is not women’s history,” says Virginia Woolf. “War is only an invention, not a biological necessity,” affirms Margaret Mead.

It was once said that it was impossible to abolish legalized slavery and dueling. Once deeply embedded in societies of their time, these practices are now, if not fully in the dustbin of history, universally understood to be eliminable. Now, let’s make war a thing of the past!”

In peace and feminist solidarity,

Alex McAdams, World BEYOND War

Code Pink

CODEPINK is a women-led grassroots organization working to end U.S. wars and militarism, support peace and human rights initiatives, and redirect our tax dollars into healthcare, education, green jobs and other life-affirming programs.

Founded in fall 2002 as a grassroots effort to prevent the US war on Iraq, we continue to organize for justice for Iraqis and to hold war criminals accountable. We actively oppose the continuing U.S. war in Afghanistan, torture, the detention center at Guantanamo, weaponized and spy drones, the prosecution of whistle-blowers, U.S. support for the Israeli occupation of Palestine and repressive regimes.

Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom

On 28 April 1915, during World War I, a unique group of 1,136 women from warring and neutral nations gathered in The Hague, the Netherlands, to discuss how to end the war and ensure permanent peace. The meeting ended with the foundation of the Women’s International League of Peace and Freedom.

The organizers of the congress were prominent suffragists, who saw the link between their struggle for women’s right and the struggle for peace. They believed that the full and equal participation of women in the decision-making processes was necessary to achieve sustainable peace.

Find more ideas about International Women’s Day