The following is an archived copy of a message sent to a Discussion List run by the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq.
Views expressed in this archived message are those of the author, not of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq.
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Dear List, Ms Foxley's point that this list has become too "emotional", speaks directly to the point that Prof Nagy raises, which is, there is not enough emotion. Risking careers is very important, and requires deeply felt emotions. For 30 years, I eschewed careerism, and worked "off the grid" as a peace activist. Now I teach classes in peace activism, war, feminism, capitalism etc etc. Where to go from here, re; Iraq? I believe it's important to see Iraq as part of the wider injustice -- the fact that 35 million people are dying of hunger every year because of the maldistribution of resources. Strategically re: Iraq: 1) focus on restoring basic services and self-rule/bring troops home 2) DU; 3) link up with families of the military who want to their soldiers to come home. In the US, there appears to be a aplit in the ruling class over Iraq, (check out stuff written by investigator Mike Ruppert); Bush has lost points in the polls, down to 60% approval. An organization has sprung up of military families who want the troops home. USA Today, the Arizona Republic show front page photos of sick, depressed and injured US troops. Troops are writing to their Congresspeople begging to get out of Iraq, complaining directly to the media about broken promises etc. (historically, this must be a first. Contrast this with the Vietname War, troops only dissented when they returned home, not during service...)US Generals now admit the war is not over. Contrast, also with the Vietnam War, invasions of Grenada and Panama, and Gulf War I, the amount of ongoing doubt about the reasons for the invasion ...although oil is not usually mentioned; but this also has to be a first in the last 30 years. Here in Arizona, there is a new and more institutionalized effort to link up with the Navajo Nation families suffering from cancer etc, from uranium mining, and the military families that have DU in their background. In the UK, there is the new effort initiated by Felicity, Beatrice et al, to raise awareness about DU in Iraq. There is a major anti-DU conference scheduled in Hamburg in October. People on this list should also be on Davey Garland's DU-Watch list, Philippa >===== Original Message From nagy <nagy@gwu.edu> ===== >Colleagues, > > With the death of Dr. Kelly and the "Bill of Rights" and even the BBC on >the ropes, and most to scared to offer even an opinion (except perhaps on >sports), I think the question should be how do we get and retain people who >will work actively. > > Framed this way, it's hard to see hardliners if they care about Iraqi >chidren (and I certainly hope and believe they do), object. Or is even the >matter of effectiveness and purpose to end the abomination against the people >of Iraq (in what everform, sanctions, bombs, or occupation) taboo? > > Are we to induge in the lethal fantasy that all that's necessary in our >perfect US/UK "democracies" is to lay the facts on the table? If this >nonsensical view had merit, then the crisis would have ended more than a >decade ago. > > Is it possible that there is a lack of empathy and perhaps sneering at >those of us who have had our careers ruined if not severely compromised by our >work on Iraq? > > Must we die (or me made dead) before, it becomes legitimate to raise these >issues? > >tom > >p.s. My chapter in the book featuring chapters by Profs. Falk and Herring is >at >home.gwu.edu/~nagy > >just scroll down to the last item on the page if you are interested. I have 50 >pages with about that number of footnotes, but it's not academic only. In fact >it's on transforming the genocidal DIA papers into their oppossite -- with >practical tips. The next version will have a section on maintaining you health >while continuing the struggle for universal rights. > >>===== Original Message From rubytoo@xemaps.com ===== >>At last a sensible idea :) >> >>The posts on this have generated far more volume than the posts themselves >and that volume seems to be defending one idea of relevancy. I have a delete >key I have filters I'm far happier to see a few posts like the "prayer post" >than all this drivel about who's idea of relevancy counts. This is seriously >irritating for me how anyone can complain so loudly about such an >insignificant thing is beyond me - I'm sure many people around the world today >would like to be in a position where having to use a delete key more often >than they would like was their worst problem! >> >>Your idea is a good one imho thanks RT >> >>-----Original Message----- >>From: bob.steel1@juno.com [mailto:bob.steel1@juno.com] >>Sent: 21 July 2003 09:36 >>To: casi-discuss@lists.casi.org.uk >>Subject: [casi] !OT (off topic) Re: non-Iraq related posts >> >>Suggestion. Note the header is marked !OT -- off-topic. >> >>Since this message might be helpful to the list, it is nonetheless not >>about Iraq, per se. If we all include the !OT at the beginning of the >>header of a message which may be related but not strictly on topic this >>might be a partial solution -- at least for now -- since such posts can >>be very quickly ignored or deleted. >> >>_______________________________________________ >>Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. >>To unsubscribe, visit http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss >>To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk >>All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk > >Tom >Thomas J. Nagy, Ph.D. >Assoc. Prof. of Expert Systems >George Washington Univeristy Sch. of Business & Public Mgt. >Washington, D.C. 20052 >home.gwu.edu/~nagy > > >_______________________________________________ >Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. >To unsubscribe, visit http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss >To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk >All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk _______________________________________________ Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. To unsubscribe, visit http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk