Tag: foreign policy

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Ping Pong Diplomacy

Time for Some Ping Pong Diplomacy

The 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, may be the thaw in relations between North Korea and South Korea and perhaps even with the United States.

In 1971, an exchange of table tennis (ping-pong) players between the United States and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) marked a thaw in Sino-American relations that paved the way to a visit to Beijing by President Richard Nixon. Editorial Director and Columnist Justin Raimondo’s recent article on Korean Nationalism explores why these games might have a similar effect. Indeed, Olympic inspired negotiations between North and South Korea has already involved diplomatic visits and a combining of their Olympic teams under the Korean Unification Flag.

In spite of recent military and political posturing, the U.S. is sending a diplomatic team to the Pyeongchang Olympics. This could be the best moment to de-escalate and normalize relations between North Korea and South Korea and the United States. To influence this, we want #PeaceNow to be our top hashtag. Show your support for peace and use #PeaceNow for all your social media posts and especially during the Olympic Games from February 9th through the 25th.

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Why We Do What We Do

Every day readers send Antiwar.com fan mail. You know we appreciate it. Invariably, someone will ask “how do you all do what you do.” That’s easy. With a shoe string budget, a core of loyal readers and a small group of people who have made it their mission to end the violence that is U.S. foreign policy.

A question I received from historian Thaddeus Russell on his Unregistered podcast is why I do what I do? I paused. I do it for Momina Bibi.

In the fall of 2012, Momina Bibi, a 67-year-old grandmother, was picking okra in her garden when she was annihilated by a US drone strike. Ms. Bibi was the only midwife in her remote region of Waziristan.

It’s not unusual that civilians are killed by drone strikes; It’s rare that we ever learn the names of the victims of drone strikes or if there were any victims at all.

Behind each “militant” killed is a story. The story of a living breathing human being just like you and me. Someone with hopes, dreams and a family who treasured them. Someone who was never a threat to the health or safety of any US citizen anywhere.

The Washington Post, one of the most esteemed newspapers of record in the world, tells me otherwise. These killer robots, like the one that tore Momina Bibi’s body to shreds, should be presented to the public as “‘lethal UAV operations.’ It also suggested “elevating the conversation” to more-abstract issues, such as the ‘Inherent Right of Self-Defense’ and ‘Pre-emptive and Preventive Military Action.’”

As my own elderly mother would say, “What a load of horse #$%^!”

Many of you have met me. I do not suffer fools gladly — and I have no tolerance for senseless violence. Please help me give the support I need to help Eric, Scott, Jason and Justin sift through the horse pucky. Donate today. Every donation will be matched.

And thank you for another year of service to the peace movement.
Best and holiday blessings to you and yours,

Angela

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1000 Faces of Peace

On Inauguration Day (January 20, 2017), Antiwar.me debuted the PEACE NOW! photo mosaic made from the selfies of antiwar supporters. Hundreds of people sent in selfies or photos of their friends, families, children and pets with the message that we are against this continual state of war. Since the 50’s, U.S. foreign policy and the extensive use of executive orders and put us on a path of unending aggression and provocation abroad. The financial and human costs have been high with no return on the promise of security at home.

Peace Now!

2017 is the 50th anniversary of the largest war protests of the 60’s. This Year, Antiwar.com/.me plans a year long campaign for Peace Now. You can start now by adding yourself to the PEACE NOW mosaic. Just send us your selfie with a pro peace message along with the hashtag #WhyIamAntiwar. You can see the mosaic, with searchable photos here. To make taking your selfies easy, we have a downloadable sign than you can print out or- preview it on a phone or tablet and take your selfie with it that way. We also have facebook, twitter and google + social media covers you can download.

Email your pro peace selfies to propeace@antiwar.me.

Support PEACE NOW!

Antiwar.com runs on contributions from supporters like you. If you find value in what we do, please show us some love by visiting our Shop or simply donate.

Donations are tax deductible.

Download our apps or subscribe to the rss feed to keep informed on what’s really happening around the world.

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Why I Am Antiwar

You’ve heard of chaos theory. You might know it as the butterfly effect– a hurricane in China is caused by a butterfly flapping its wings in New Mexico. A more rigorous way to express this is that small changes can lead to large results. Our lives are an ongoing demonstration of this principle.

This is the “perfect storm” to escalate peace

We live in an age where thought and ideas travel as fast as a tweet and an instagram. Change can be achieved because of a cell phone and a facebook account. What will the long term effects be if millions of people Instagram pro-peace messages? What will the cultural and ultimately political effects be if we imagine and share a vision of a world without war?

Antiwar.me is a resource site providing tools and activities to promote peace. From social media campaigns and contests to merchandise that shows where you stand and helps fund Antiwar.com our journalism and news site. The days of large peaceful sit-ins are gone. Now we can Escalate Peace in a different way.

Peace begins with US

Today, take part in our current campaign, “I’m already Against the Next War”. Through our free Thunderclap, you can add your reach to hundreds of others and send a message to the President. Additionally, post a selfie with a pro peace message like our sign along with the hashtag #WhyIamAntiwar. That’s it- you are Escalating Peace. Post pics with your friends, flash some peace signs or hand color t-shirts with pro peace messages and make sure to use our hashtag #WhyIamAntiwar.

We also have facebook, twitter and google + social media covers you can download.
These small changes will have big effects when we each reach out to people we know and ask them to renounce violence in favor of peaceful alternatives.

Antiwar.com needs your help

Remember that Antiwar.com runs on your support and contributions. If you find value in what we do to further awareness of the war machine and in providing tools on how you can advance the peace movement, please show us some love by buying a Poppy Pin or simply donate.

If you check in with us on any of our social media channels you’ll always know when we have another Antiwar.me call to action you can participate in. Download our apps or subscribe to the rss feed to keep informed on what’s really happening around the world.

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Already Against The Next War

Failed Foreign Policy of War

War is a failed instrument of U.S. foreign policy; it is immoral and against the principle ideas of sovereignty and freedom. The U.S spends 38% of the total global military budget of 1.56 trillion dollars- 4 times higher than China and 11.5 times higher than Russia.(1) Yet the use of war fails to produce the desired change. The real product of war policy, in addition to human casualties and material destruction, is a growing hatred of the U.S. as aggressors, an entrenchment of the military industrial complex, the compiling of massive and unsustainable public debt, and a reduction of personal freedoms here at home.

Moreover, the use of aggressive, yet undeclared war by the United States has resulted in an undemocratic shift of power from the legislative branch to the executive branch of government. The Constitution provides that “The Congress shall have power … To declare War…” Over the last 50 years, the office of the President has exclusively, and almost continuously, initiated aggressive foreign action. We can expect any new President to continue this destructive policy line despite the fact that a majority of Americans favor less intervention in foreign affairs.(2)

Join Our Thunderclap

Peace needs a voice, your voice, to tell the President that violent aggression has to stop. Continuous warfare is not ethical, legal or sustainable.
The President needs to hear, “I’m Already Against The Next War”.

Pledge to our thunderclap to deliver this message on Armistice Day, November 11, 2016. Be a part of Peace and tweet #WhyIamAntiwar.

** For Facebook Users: the Facebook token that authorizes us to push the thunderclap message expires 60 days after you pledge. Due to our long lead time, you will have to repledge on or after September 13. If you add your email when you sign up, we will send a reminder to you to repledge at that time. Already signed up? NO problem, just visit Thunderclap.it, sign back in with your facebook and add your email on the profile page.

(1) the International Institute for Strategic Studies World Military Balance 2016 (for 2015)
(2) https://www.theadvocates.org/polls-show-growing-support-non-interventionist-foreign-policy/