Dear Friends,
Monday November 29, marks three months since the murder of ten members of the Ahmadi family, of which seven were children, by a US government drone in Afghanistan. Five activists in Wisconsin stood at the gates of Volk Field, a Wisconsin Air National Guard base where personnel are trained to operate the Shadow drone. We mourn all those who have been killed by US killer drones.
Today, December 1, marks 10 years since we first stood at the gates of Volk Field. We have been there on a regular basis for ten years, several times risking arrest. Normally, about 100 cars from the base drive past us as we stand there.
We must remember that although President Biden has told us that the war in Afghanistan is over, we continue to fly drones over Afghanistan, dropping bombs and killing innocent people, even though the military admits that 90% of those killed are not the intended target. Children continue to die by our bloody hands in Afghanistan.
Watch for information on how you can get involved in ending these crimes by our government in January and February. Please don’t look away.
Peace, Joy
Please share the information, print and hand out or share electronically.
Dear Friends,
We acknowledge and mourn the Ahmadi family who were brutally killed by US drones in Afghanistan on August 29, 2021.
This family lost ten of their loved ones, including seven children, in what was called a “botched” attack by the US government. This is a tragedy that happens all too often. Over 90% of the people killed by US drones are not the ones who were targeted. Hundreds of thousands of innocent lives have been lost in these attacks, including so many children.
The international group, Ban Killer Drones, are calling for vigils and remembrences on November 29, marking the 3-month anniversary since the attack and murder of members of the Ahmadi family with the theme “Don’t Look Away”.
In Wisconsin, we will gather at Volk Field on Monday Nov. 29 at 3:30 for an hour vigil at the gates of the military base. We will have signs that read “Don’t Look Away”, pictures of the Ahmadi children, and flyers to distribute (See attachment at top of page).
MAP Volk Field from Google
If you cannot make it to Volk Field, please consider doing something in your community on November 29 or the two days preceding in the weekend before. You could print out the flyer and distribute it (Attached below).. If you let me know I can send you files with pictures of the children that you can print out and hold. If nothing else, talking to friends and families about US drone warfare is important.
If you do something in your community, please take pictures and send to me along with a short narrative about what you did at [email protected]
We are all so caught up in so many things, but it is so important to remember that the people of Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, Somalia, and other places, where the US continues to murder innocent people with drones, have no voice and no power.
WE MUST SPEAK OUT FOR THEM.
Peace, Joy
Background
- NY Times: U.S. officials said a Reaper drone followed a car for hours and then fired based on evidence it was carrying explosives. But in-depth video analysis and interviews at the site cast doubt on that account.
- NPR: U.S. will provide condolence payments to families of Kabul drone strike victims
- Drones Group with Veterans for Peace
- Know Drones Website