PGHIMC - Pittsburgh Independent Media Center

Change the movement
by Ben O'Dell Tuesday, Mar. 25, 2003 at 7:06 PM
bdo2@pitt.edu

Plans for a new division of the anti-war movement

I think we have to look at how we can be more effective as a group. I for one, like most of you, don't approve of the idea of a pre-emptive war. I think if change is to take place in Iraq, it should come from within. I think it's hypocritical that we as a country are prepared to use things like DU bombs to rid the world of Iraq's "weapons of mass destruction".

However, I think we need to recognize that the American public doesn't care too much about war unless it starts costing American soldiers their lives.

I think it's important for us to hold onto our anti-war stance, in fact it's crucial to do so. But we also must look for more practical demands. The United States, save for the occasional circumstances beyond our control (and they do happen), isn't going to pull out of war.

That said, I think we need to mobilize to ensure that Iraq is rebuilt in an effective and fair manner. We cannot afford another Afghanistan.

Our demands could be as elaborate as we want to make them. Some ideas I've had (in a mere 10 minutes of brainstorming) include:

-Fully repairing Iraq's hospitals and bringing them up to date

-Aiding money to Iraq's schools to bring them up to the level of the United States

-Eccessive food aid (doubling or tripling past ammounts given to other similar situations)

-setting up a system where the money gained from Iraq's oil well goes to the direct benefit of their people

If anyone is interested in focusing in on the process of rebuilding Iraq in future protests, please contact me via email. Perhaps we could even form our own affinity group and idenitfication purpose ("Blue-Block" or something of the like)

Again, I don't mean to take away anything from the idea of an Anti-War or Peace movement (I fully believe in both and feel that this should go hand in hand with them). I think we have a responsibility though, to also strive for what will be best for the people of Iraq.

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