Will the antiwar movement be sidelined (again) if we're attacked(again)?

[bigtree]

If we are attacked by someone or some group from Iraq or some Islamic state, how big of a hit will it be to our movement as we seek to withdraw troops from that region? I worry that the neonuts are not finished stirring things up in an effort to provoke some aggression against the country or our interests. Remember 'bring 'em on"?

Four billion a month will be hard for the industry to relinquish in the name of peaceful withdrawal. I fear that as quickly as parties in the region are trying to quell the violence in order to effect our departure, the neonuts are devising ways to stir up the pot again, keeping us bogged down in perpetual war.

What will happen if we are forced to choose between militarily repelling a new or continued escalated threat from one of the parties we have agitated, and advocating peace and non-intervention. A lot of the folks that oppose our involvement in Iraq think it's okay to militarily meddle in Afghanistan because of the Taliban's support for bin Laden. What if the same type of devastating attack came from forces or individuals based in Iraq? How would we ever end our occupation there?

edit: We so need to escalate our peace movement.

[physioex]

1. It's not like the antiwar movement is going full steam now...

Sorry to say the Repukes have full control of things now.

[bigtree]

2. Right now, I believe that these opposing forces don't see much resistance

to Bush here in the U.S.

That might lessen some of the frustration of these groups. I don't take the concerns lightly of any group of individuals who is willing to die for their cause. We may need to find some avenue to dialouge with these parties, no matter what the appeasement factor may seem to be.

[Leilani]

3. I think the biggest problem the antiwar movement faces is

that not enough Americans are affected by this war.

Americans have become greedy & as long as they are not called on to sacrifice anything, they can tune out the war.

For the first time ever, Americans are getting tax cuts during war time, so it's very easy for them to just go along with the status quo.

If we're attacked again, I really don't know what will happen. I would hope that people would realize that the "war on terror" has not made us safer, but probably not.

[physioex]

4. I hate to agree with this...

But the whole antiwar thing has been a total failure.....

[TreasonousBastard]

13. Absolutely...

it is a war we don't have to fight, or even pay for. The "volunteer" military, tax cuts, and jobs created by military contractors have taken the edge off of it.

And, the entire discussion is controlled by the White House, with little or no Congressional opposition.

If we are attacked again, and I frankly doubt we will be, it could go either way.

[Behind the Aegis]

5. My fears

I don't think it is "if," but rather "when." My biggest fears (besides the drafting of my brothers) are a draft, martial law, rise in anti-Semitism, and general mayhem.

[ConsAreLiars]

6. The "chimpy protector" lie

will take the hit. The wars have nothing to do with terrorism, except to increase the odds of a repeat.

As for the "what if we choose" options, "we" (the people) need to emphasize that those who choose war do not any way represent or serve the rest of us.

[bigtree]

7. Although we definitely oppose the means of the violent opposition

we certainly agree with the goals; troops out, relinquish resources.

Why can't we, shouldn't we, bypass Bush- who doesn't have a wit of interest in ending our involvement there and still thinks we can 'crush' the opposition- and seek some type of dialogue with these groups? It would take some courage, but it would not be antithetical to our peace movement. I think it's high time we find our own avenue to peace with the bin Ladens of the world. Lord knows, we have done nothing but agitate them further with our aggression.

Welcome to the reopening of my FBI file.

[ConsAreLiars]

9. Our only hope

is for those of us who oppose wars of aggression to continue to raise our voices. Maybe at some point those who have been victims of US imperialism-corporatism will see that they are just people like each other -- not enemies. The Vietnamese understood this. The Iraqis might. And maybe some day even the people of the US will be represented by a government which acts accordingly.

[OneBlueSky]

8. virtually everyone of consequence in this maladministration has said . . .

at one time or another that another terrorist attack is not a matter of "if," but of "when" . . . they're obviously setting us up for the inevitable, which they will no doubt control . . . what would make sense, in their perverted way of thinking, would be to stage the event when it becomes absolutely necessary to rally public support for something they want or need . . . my guess would be the draft, since there's no other way these moroms can fulfill their current commitments, much less take on new ones (e.g. Syria and Iran, which are most certainly in the offing) . . .

so here's my theory . . . for a reason I can't recall right now, 3/31 seems to be a date of importance . . . sometime after 3/31, BushCo's black ops will engineer an emergency of some kind -- best guess is another domestic "terrorist" attack, but there are other possibilities -- sometime in the next few months . . . he'll then announce that this new disaster requires a "shock and awe" response . . . to teach them a lesson and render justice, you understand . . . and to accomplish this, we must reluctantly reactivate the draft . . . but ONLY as a temporary measure, you understand . . . just as soon as we catch the fuckers, we'll go back to a volunteer army . . . (yeah . . . right . . .)

and the country will buy it . . . hook, line, sinker, pole, reel, and several fingers . . . and Bush will again do precisely what he wants militarily, engendering more hatred abroad while generating rousing support here at home . . . and the world will think we're even sicker than they already knew . . .

if BushCo are indeed planning something like this, we best think of ways to stop and/or expose them . . . personally, I don't know if either can be done, given the current state of affairs -- particularly the fact that the corporate media won't dare report what's really happening . . . they'll swallow the White House line, and their primary sources will be Republican position papers, press releases, and talking points . . .

[bread_and_roses]

10. Global protests March 19

from:
http://www.ipsnews.net/new_nota.asp?idnews=27609

<snip> ...a mass protest rally near the base in Fayetteville, North Carolina on Mar. 19 to coincide with the second anniversary of the U.S. invasion.

...The Fayetteville rally is just one of many taking place around the United States next month, with New York City hosting a Central Park gathering expected to attract up to a quarter million people.

...This year, anti-war actions are also planned in Britain, Greece, Italy, France, Iceland, Germany, Denmark and other European cities, as well as in Brazil, Korea, Japan, South Africa, Bangladesh and Australia. <snip>

I didn't have anything ready to hand on this but instead of having to do a search, all I had to do was go to the "Activism and Events" forum to get a link. Thanks to OP struggle4progress and thanks to DU!

[bigtree]

15. I've got the D.C.one

A Silent Vigil for Peace.
http://meetup.radicaldesigns.org/calendar_display.php?calid=13026
Saturday, March 19th 2005 12:00 noon
Recurring Event (Weekly)
A Silent Vigil for Peace.

For 2 1/2 years, a silent vigil for peace has taken place each week on the West Lawn of the US Capitol. Started by Quakers, this vigil is not a protest, nor a march, but a non-partisan, ecumenical silent vigil, under the simple banner, "Seek Peace and Pursue It", a quote from Psalms 34.

The vigil takes place on Saturdays at noon. Saturday, March 19 is the day before the second anniversary of the start of the War on Iraq. All are invited to join us, as we hope to fill the Lawn that day with people standing silently for Peace. Bring no signs or banners, just yourself and your hopes and prayers for peace.

We held one weekly on a small corner in our town for months, just a handful of us at the end. At the end . . .

[mopaul]

11. I don't think enough Dems are interested in a peace movement

and i've heard a lot of them suggest that it looks too much like hippie protesters and radicals and actually counterproductive.

i wish more of us were flat out anti war as much as we are anti republican.

[bigtree]

14. and you and I know that the marches were filled with all walks, all ages

'This is what America looks like!'

[mmonk]

12. What antiwar movement?

[bigtree]

16. Take a look at my links

please.

Peace and Justice
http://www.returningsoldiers.us/peace_and_justice.htm

Human Rights and Civil Liberties
http://www.returningsoldiers.us/human_rights_and_civil_liberties.htm