Date: Fri, 02 Jan 2004
From: answer.general@action-mail.org (A.N.S.W.E.R.)

BRING THE TROOPS HOME NOW!
END COLONIAL OCCUPATION FROM IRAQ TO PALESTINE AND
EVERYWHERE!

ON MARCH 20, 2004, THE first anniversary of the U.S./U.K.
invasion of Iraq, people in cities around the world will
join together to demand: "End the Occupation - Bring the
Troops Home NOW!" In the U.S., major demonstrations are
planned in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and many
other cities.

We will demonstrate on March 20 to support the right of
the Iraqi people to self-determination without condition.
Since the invasion began, tens of thousands of Iraqi
people have been killed. Thousands of U.S. and British
soldiers have been killed or wounded. The Iraqi people are
resisting the occupation - they want the foreign soldiers
occupying their country to leave, not tomorrow but today.
Growing numbers of U.S. soldiers and their families are
calling for the troops to be brought home NOW. These
soldiers are being sent to kill and be killed for a war
that was based on lies and fraud perpetrated by the Bush
government. There is only one solution: to end the
occupation now! We believe, in the words of the National
Council of Arab Americans, that "internationalizing the
occupation gives colonialism a new marketable cover and
should not be accepted as a viable option for the global
popular movement."

We will also demonstrate on March 20 in solidarity with
the Palestinian people and their right to
self-determination, including the right to return to their
homes and land. The March 20 demonstration comes only ten
days before the anniversary of the historic March 30,
1976, Land Day in Palestine. Calling for liberty, right to
return, and self-determination for the Palestinian people
on March 20 is an essential political necessity, without
which the end to colonial occupations cannot be fully
realized. The U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq is part
and parcel of the administration's larger colonial project
targeting the people of the Middle East. While the Bush
administration spends $2 billion per week to occupy Iraq,
it spends $15 million each day to support Israel's war
against the Palestinian people.

We will demonstrate on March 20 to overturn the "USA
Patriot" Act, and to end the repression directed at Arab
American, South Asian, Muslim and immigrant communities.
We will defend the right to free speech and oppose Bush's
and Ashcroft's war on the Bill of Rights.

We will demonstrate on March 20 to call for money for
jobs, housing, health care and education, not for war and
occupation.

We will demonstrate on March 20 to demand an end to the
Bush administration's "Endless War" plans for global
domination. We stand for an end to U.S. intervention,
occupation and threats against Korea, Colombia,
Afghanistan, Cuba, Iran, Zimbabwe, Venezuela, Syria, the
Philippines, Haiti and everywhere.

Only the people's movement offers hope that an effective
challenge can be mounted to the Bush administration's war
drive. While the Democratic Party offers candidates to
contend with Bush for the presidency, it agrees with Bush
about maintaining U.S. troops in Iraq and supports
continued aid to Israel as it wages war against the
Palestinian people. On April 20, 2002, 100,000 people
marched in an historic demonstration in Washington DC
under the banner "Free Palestine." Six months later, on
October 26, 2002, hundreds of thousands demonstrated
against the pending war of aggression against Iraq. On
January 18, February 15-16, March 15, March 22, April 12
and most recently October 25, 2003, tens of millions of
people went into the streets around the world to say no to
the Bush administration's war drive. This is a monumental
struggle waged by the people of the world who seek
self-determination, justice and peace. Global solidarity
is the centerpiece of the new mass movement that has
emerged to counter the forces of militarism and
colonialism. The outcome of this struggle will impact on
generations to come.

All Out for March 20, 2004

Call issued by (initial signers):
-A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition
-Arab Muslim American Federation
-Free Palestine Alliance
-Muslim American Society Freedom Foundation
-Muslim Student Association

To ENDORSE, fill out the easy-to-use form at
http://www.internationalanswer.org/campaigns/m20/
index.html#endorsement

* * * * *

Begin planning now to hold a demonstration in your city on
March 20, 2004. Hundreds of cities around the world are
issuing, circulating and joining this call.

 In New York City, the demonstration is planned to
assemble at 12 noon at Times Square with a march to the
United Nations. Call 212-633-6646 for details about
upcoming city-wide planning meetings and for more
information.
 In San Francisco, the demonstration is planned to gather
at 11 am at Dolores Park (18th St. and Dolores St.) with a
march to the Civic Center. Call 415-821-6545 for more
information.
 In Los Angeles, the demonstration is planned to assemble
at 12 noon at Hollywood and Vine. Call 213-487-2368 for
more information.

If you are holding an event in your city, fill out the
form at
http://www.internationalanswer.org/campaigns/m20/
index.html#event

Downloadable flyers and more information is available at
http://www.internationalanswer.org/campaigns/m20/
index.html

---------------------------

The A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition is circulating the recent March
20, 2004, Call to Action issued by the National Council of
Arab Americans (NCAA):

NATIONAL COUNCIL OF ARAB AMERICANS (NCAA) CALL TO ACTION
ALL OUT ON MARCH 20, 2004

The National Council of Arab Americans (NCAA)* joins the
call for mass mobilizations against the war on and foreign
occupation of Iraq, to be held on Saturday, March 20,
2004. Being also only 10 days before the anniversary of
the historic March 30, 1976, Land Day in Palestine,
calling for liberty, right to return, and
self-determination for the Palestinian people on that same
Saturday is an imperative complementary political
necessity, without which the end to colonial occupations
cannot be fully realized.

Marking only the latest assault on Iraq one year ago this
coming March, the NCAA well recognizes that only through a
systematic and organized grassroots effort that a halt to
perpetual war can be achieved. Although exposing US
strategic goals through education is of primary
importance, it is the ability of the American people to
marshal a united front anchored in the principles of
liberty, freedom and respect for self-determination that
has undoubtedly become priority one.

In formulating the organizational and political framework
of this united movement, the role of Arab-Americans and
Muslims is central. As a people who are at the primary
receiving end of the ravages of war and racism in their
multiple forms, our community must take difficult extra
steps to assert its constitutional right to free speech
and assembly despite all attempts and scare tactics to
abrogate these rights. Not only do we have this
responsibility to ourselves and to our children, history
has also placed upon us the task of halting the advance of
yet another form of McCarthyism and fear. To that end, and
despite many imposed hardships, we call on our communities
in all sectors nationwide to assume our just role in
shaping a better future for this country and the world by
mass mobilizing against war and racism.

Indeed, the people of the United States, inclusive of all
and barring none, have an historic duty and a collective
responsibility to: (1) terminate the escalating state of
war of an emerging empire, particularly against the Arab
people, by ending the occupation of Iraq and bringing the
troops home NOW; (2) stop all forms of economic,
political, and military support for the State of Israel,
and, instead, support the rights of Palestinians for
liberty, self-determination, and the full right to return;
(3) repeal the USA PATRIOT Act, terminate institutional
collective criminalization of Arab Americans and Muslims,
and secure constitutional rights for all; and (4) redirect
budgetary allocations to domestic reconstruction and needs
rather than militarism and colonial expansions.

It is precisely the multi-faceted nature of this
ever-expanding war that we are tasked to recognize.
Delinking issues for political and organizational
expediency by selectively focusing only on one aspect of
this war is wrong and dangerous. It not only weakens the
emerging global movement for freedom and liberty but also
marginalizes the voices of war's many victims.

True, the challenges before us are difficult and
monumental, but history, in particular during the past 2
years, has shown that we are equal to the task when some
waited in doubt. As evidenced on the days of October 26,
2002, January 18, February 15-16, March 15, April 12, and
most recently October 25, 2003, we are a people that have
repeatedly taken to the streets in the hundreds of
thousands representing millions from coast to coast as we
soundly stood with millions across the globe against war
in favor of peace. We have rejected colonialism in favor
of self-determination, opposed the USA PATRIOT Act in
favor of constitutional rights, and demanded funding for
education and health care instead of militarism.

But we also need to be clear on what we stand for in this
emerging movement. Positions such as "internationalizing
the occupation" give colonialism a new marketable cover,
and should not be accepted as a viable option for this
global popular movement. This is a time when political
clarity is a must. Regardless of the source, the notion
that the people of Iraq "need some form of Western
intervention", even if temporary, to secure their very own
stability is overtly racist and a real threat to
civilization. Self-determination should clearly preclude
the return of any "modern" form of the "Mandate" days of
the League of Nations. Such is the global grassroots
consensus; it must become so for the movement and popular
opinion in the United States.

Ending the ongoing foreign occupation of Iraq and stopping
the destruction and exile heaped on the Palestinian people
are inextricable dual tasks that require a reformation of
our vision towards the world and us as a people of a
variable mosaic. We must succeed in formulating a
strategic vision where we are partners in the community of
nations and in the building of our own neighborhoods and
school districts.

We cannot continue the path of perpetual domestic and
foreign confrontation and dominance.

All Out On March 20, 2004

The National Council of Arab Americans (NCAA) - December
24, 2003

*The NCAA is an all inclusive pan-Arab American national
council that was founded on November 29, 2003, in
Washington, DC, responding to the needs of our community
and people. For more information on the NCAA, please write
to: info@arab-american.net.

---------------------------

Email circulated by:
A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition
Act Now to Stop War & End Racism

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
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info@internationalanswer.org
New York 212-633-6646
Washington 202-544-3389
Los Angeles 213-487-2368
San Francisco 415-821-6545

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