America's moment of conscience finally returns

Post by **spot** » Mon Aug 22, 2011 7:43 am

It's taken forty years but the ball's started to roll again.

I pledge that if any U.S. troops, contractors, or mercenaries remain in Afghanistan on Thursday, October 6, 2011, as that occupation goes into its 11th year, I will commit to being in Freedom Plaza in Washington, D.C., with others on that day or the days immediately following, for as long as I can, with the intention of making it our Tahrir Square, Cairo, our Madison, Wisconsin, where we will NONVIOLENTLY resist

Freedom Plaza | October 2011

Saint_ · Post by **Saint_** » Mon Aug 22, 2011 10:58 am

spot;1366657 wrote: It's taken forty years but the ball's started to roll again.

I pledge that if any U.S. troops, contractors, or mercenaries remain in Afghanistan on Thursday, October 6, 2011, as that occupation goes into its 11th year, I will commit to being in Freedom Plaza in Washington, D.C., with others on that day or the days immediately following, for as long as I can, with the intention of making it our Tahrir Square, Cairo, our Madison, Wisconsin, where we will NONVIOLENTLY resist

Freedom Plaza | October 2011

Well that certainly echoes my sentiments, although I'd rather see us get out of Libya, Iraq, AND Afghanistan all at once. Money's tight, though. Can I just step out of my house at that time and shake my fist at the sky? Seriously, no sarcasm.

Post by **spot** » Mon Aug 22, 2011 11:10 am

It's a better notion than apathy. Shake away, yes.

Post by **LarsMac** » Mon Aug 22, 2011 12:24 pm

Saint_;1366692 wrote: Freedom Plaza | October 2011

Well that certainly echoes my sentiments, although I'd rather see us get out of Libya, Iraq, AND Afghanistan all at once. Money's tight, though. Can I just step out of my house at that time and shake my fist at the sky? Seriously, no sarcasm.

Been doing that every day for nearly 11 years.

Maybe it helped a little.

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Mon Aug 22, 2011 1:52 pm

The only way out of these wars is with jobs.

Scrat · Post by **Scrat** » Mon Aug 22, 2011 4:27 pm

The only way to make jobs is to make war, we can't compete otherwise. I heard we're about to sign a contract with the Iraqi regime to keep troops in the country until 2024.

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Mon Aug 22, 2011 4:34 pm

Scrat;1366762 wrote: The only way to make jobs is to make war, we can't compete otherwise.I doubt I'll get an answer to this but I'll give it a go anyway. What makes you think this, Scrat? Scrat;1366762 wrote: I heard we're about to sign a contract with the Iraqi regime to keep troops in the country until 2024.And why is it you believe the Iraqi government would want our troops to stay, Scrat?

Post by **spot** » Mon Aug 22, 2011 11:08 pm

Scrat;1366762 wrote: The only way to make jobs is to make war, we can't compete otherwise. I heard we're about to sign a contract with the Iraqi regime to keep troops in the country until 2024.

So far the Iraqi government has managed to resist the pressure to invite a continued occupation. They may, I suppose, cave in, but assuming they don't then they get their country back in five months. The wailing of US contractors will be heard all the way to the dole queue... does the US have a dole queue?

Scrat · Post by **Scrat** » Tue Aug 23, 2011 9:58 pm

I doubt I'll get an answer to this but I'll give it a go anyway.

It's a stupid comment, I was feeling pretty cynical at the time. Good e'nuf?

And why is it you believe the Iraqi government would want our troops to stay, Scrat

Because American troops mean American dollars flowing into the country, the people in the Iraqi government get their cut.

Post by **spot** » Fri Oct 07, 2011 3:56 am

Well, they arrived. I wonder how long they'll manage to stay.

Can Resurrection City Be Reborn?

There's remarkably little reportage of the Washington demonstration in the US press, as far as I can tell.

WAMOMMA · Post by **WAMOMMA** » Fri Oct 07, 2011 5:33 am

spot;1371902 wrote: Well, they arrived. I wonder how long they'll manage to stay.

Can Resurrection City Be Reborn?

There's remarkably little reportage of the Washington demonstration in the US press, as far as I can tell.

Youre right. Didnt even know about this and I live exactly a 45 minute drive from DC.

Post by **spot** » Fri Oct 07, 2011 5:38 am

It's called depriving the protesters of the oxygen of publicity. It implies that the mass news suppliers have taken a position against the protests. I don't think that should be within their remit, not if they're legitimate objective reporters of the news.