No Bombs in Syria or Anyplace Else!

By Moratorium NOW! Coalition and Michigan Emergency Committee Against War & Injustice (MECAWI)

Two Detroit-based community organizations, the Moratorium NOW! Coalition and MECAWI, have been following the events inside the United States military in recent days since an unprovoked attack on Syria last week. We are concerned with the irrational and unjustified military strikes on Syria since no credible threat was posed to people inside the U.S.

Moreover, there have been unsubstantiated claims that the Islamic Republic of Iran is making scientific advancements towards the achievement of nuclear weapons capability. The Trump administration walked away from the Iran Nuclear deal (JCPOA) after the landmark agreement was negotiated by several European governments, the Iranian Foreign Ministry and the previous U.S. administration in 2015.

Although the Biden administration claims it wants to return to the JCPOA, the deadly attacks in Syria by Pentagon warplanes under the guise of curbing Iranian influence, is no way to build trust. In fact, the actions of the Biden administration are endangering people in the Middle East and the U.S. by creating hostility and reasons to continue military actions.

We know from direct experience that the Trump White House had consistently spread falsehoods to serve its political and economic interests. Since January 20, Biden and his administration has been waging a propaganda campaign utilizing the corporate media to justify military aggressions against Iran, China and now Syria.

The U.S. had no business attacking and occupying Iraq in 2003. The invasion by the Bush administration was based upon a well established lie related to non-existent “weapons of mass destruction.” The intervention in Syria is also based upon a falsehood. The Iraq and Syrian governments have passed legislation demanding the withdrawal of U.S. troops from their countries. We insist that Washington respects the will of sovereign states within the entire regions of Asia, Africa and Latin America.

Members of our organizations and other antiwar activists are appealing to the general public as well as those serving in the military to resist any effort by the current administration to initiate a war in the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Latin America or within the confines of the U.S., as it relates to repressive measures that could be utilized to suppress dissent in the event of a people’s uprising.

The previous Trump administration announced on November 17 that they were drawing down soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq. We have heard these proclamations from successive administrations yet thousands of U.S. troops remain in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Djibouti, Somalia and other geo-political regions.

Therefore, we are stating emphatically that there should be no provocations, false flag operations and preemptive strikes since these actions will not benefit people in the U.S. and around the globe. Resources are seriously needed to combat the COVID-19 pandemic through
enhanced healthcare resources, direct financial relief to working and poor families along with a moratorium on foreclosures and eviction.