IRAQ COMMITTEE

PROPOSAL FOR

A NATIONAL PEACE MORATORIUM

Economic Sanctions to End the War on Iraq

and Repeal the National Security Strategy for US Economic and Military Empire

Alan Barnett

Marin Peace and Justice Coalition

January 25, 2005

Background: Our first aim is to stop the killing in Iraq authorized by our government in our name. We must develop a strategy that will compel the Bush administration to pull US troops out of Iraq as quickly as possible. US efforts to crush the Iraqi resistance only provoke its spread and increase the violence. Our even larger goal is the repeal of the National Security Strategy promulgated by Bush in 2002 that calls for US military and economic supremacy around the world. It is this policy that provides the rationale for the criminal attack on Iraq and further acts of aggression elsewhere to follow. Our goal must be not only to pull US troops out of Iraq but also to assure that the Iraqis are allowed to decide their own form of government and economy without US interference.

As a result of the November elections, the Bush administration and its Republican supporters in Congress are even more entrenched and believe that they have a mandate to press ahead with their imperial strategy. Although the titular head of the Democratic Party supported the war in the election campaign, criticizing only its management, there is an increasing core of members of Congress calling for a prompt pullout of troops. Although they remain a minority in their party and even smaller minority in the Congress, they should be encouraged since at some time in the future they may become more effective because of events and the peace movement’ efforts.

But more than ever before, peace is solely in the hands of the people. It is the peace movement that is the main force for peace in this country. It falls to us to devise a strategy that will compel a determined and powerful administration to change course. To do this we must also persuade the majority of the public that believes that the war in Iraq is a mistake but is convinced that the US must stay the course there to establish stability.

Proposal: The peace movement must ratchet up the pressure on the Bush administration and the military-industrial complex to turn them around. That pressure must obstruct their business as usual through non-cooperation with the war machine. Citizens’ power of the vote has failed us. Therefore, we must turn to our three other principle sources of non-violent power. These are our purchasing power, our investment power and our labor power. Absent these, the economic system on which the war machine depends cannot function. This proposal for peace calls for the withholding these three forms of power by:

BOYCOTT OF THE CONSUMERS GOODS OF MAJOR WAR CONTRACTORS,
such as General Electric.

DIVESTITURE OF THE STOCKS OF MAJOR WAR CONTRACTORS.
Private individuals and institutions would be asked to sell their holdings. Among the institutions that could participate in divestiture would be those of higher education, religious organizations and union and other pension funds.

WORK STOPPAGES ACROSS THE ECONOMY, not just war contractors.
These are the most difficult of all because of the risk of job loss. To minimize this, working people could withhold their labor for escalating periods. One day a week could be selected, and the first week they would stop work for 15 minutes, which would involve minimum risk. It would be announced that that would be doubled in each successive week until the government changes course. As more people joined the effort, their numbers would provide additional protection. Within six weeks, working people would be on strike for a whole day. By then, if a critical mass was participating, the message to Washington would be clear. A critical mass would be a number of workers, not nearly a majority, who could demonstrate by their growing size and the dependence of the economy on them that the system was imperiled.

These economic sanctions on the war machine would have to be carried out across the nation to be effective. They would also have to be coordinated. The aim is to obstruct business as usual throughout the economy while corporations promote and profit from the killing and maiming of hundreds of thousands of innocent people as well as troops who are compelled to fight. Even businesses that are not involved in the war effort would have to be struck, for the economy must be seriously impeded to pressure the government. All need to share in the sacrifice for peace.

Before embarking on such a strategy, there would have to be serious preparation. This would involve research, education, publicity and organization. One approach would be to proceed by getting resolutions of commitment adopted by organizations—religious groups, college student and faculty clubs, service organizations, trade unions, their central labor councils and federations, and of course peace activists. There could be a sign-up drive of people on the street who are not members of any such groups. Education and dialogue would be necessary to secure passage of the resolutions. Research would have to be done to identify and select which war contractors to boycott and from which to divest stock. (Much information already is available on line.) We need to take advantage of the experience accumulated from the employing of each of these tactics in previous struggles: the Vietnam war, South African apartheid, the foreign sweatshop campaign and the current war.

There would have to be central coordination by a national committee selected by participating organizations. The coordinating committee would have to be assisted by a small staff. Perhaps an already existing national organization would contribute space and staff to the effort. Most of the work would be pursued by existing organizations (activist, trade union, faith-based, educational) that would spread the word, adopt resolutions and sign up the committed. Clearly there would have to be fund-raising to cover staff time at the coordinating office, but locally we would depend on volunteers.

***

Initially, experienced members of the different constituencies need to gather to examine the proposal to consider its effectiveness and viability. This would have to be replicated around the country before proceeding. But in each region, if there are those who believe it has potential, they should take it back to their constituents and find out if there is substantial support for it and report back to the original vetting group.

There is obvious urgency in this, for the mayhem continues to escalate, and the Bush administration is moving quickly to consolidate its position in Iraq, privatizing its economy to benefit Washington’s friends and settling in to permanent bases there to re-shape the Middle East and Central Asia.

News

Iraq Journal A collection of regular reports from Iraq, coordinated by independent journalist Jeremy Scahill.

Education for Peace in Iraq Center

"SADDAM DID NOT GAS HIS OWN PEOPLE" says Stephen C. Pelletierre, CIA senior political analyst on Iraq during the Iran-Iraq war  Read his Op Ed piece in the NY Times 

KURDS AT THE NEXUS OF GLOBAL POLICITS, June 2003.
Read this piece from Z Magazine.

Background Information Guardian Interactive Guide on No-Fly Zones. Use of radioactive depleted uranium in the Persian Gulf War Iraq history, geography, culture, Islam, Gulf War, video and audio clips. Arab Gateway: Iraq Maps, News and much more Why a War on Iraq is ILLEGAL The Truth about Weapons Inpections and Weapons of Mass Destruction History of US-Iraq relations Books, Videos, Ongoing Campaigns

TAKE ACTION!

United for Peace Medea Benjamin's campaign for an international peace movement. Lots of events in the US and other countries. find an event near you or post your event.

International A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition Act Now to Stop War and Eradicate Racism. International A.N.S.W.E.R. calls for an International Day of Mass Action to "Stop the War Against Iraq Before it Starts" -- a call for actions (rallies, marches, etc.) in cities across the U.S. and around the world.

Not in Our Name In response to these atrocities of US bombing and erosion of civil libeties, the Not in Our Name Project calls for actions of protest and resistance.

MoveOn helps busy people be effective citizens. MoveOn is committed to broadening participation to counter the influence of monied interests and partisan extremes.

International Action Center Information, Activism, and Resistance to U.S. Militarism, War, and Corporate Greed, Linking with Struggles Against Racism and Oppression within the United States. Founed by Ramsey Clark, former US Attorney general.

Education for Peace in Iraq Center (EPIC) works to change U.S. foreign policy and raise public awareness in support of human rights in Iraq and peace in the Middle East.

American Friends Service Committee Activist Resources

Amnesty International Iraq Page