Activists meet at national antiwar assembly

July 11, 2008

CLEVELAND--Some 400 antiwar activists gathered for the National Assembly to End the Iraq War and Occupation on June 28 and 29.

Some attendees came as individuals, while others were representatives of national antiwar organizations, local or regional peace coalitions, and groups of antiwar veterans and military family members. Organizations in attendance included United for Peace and Justice, ANSWER, Troops Out Now Coalition, U.S. Labor Against the War, Iraq Veterans Against the War, Veterans for Peace and Military Families Speak Out, among others.

Conference participants took up many of the issues facing the antiwar movement. The assembly decided on a call for a national day of action on October 11, as well as a week of actions December 9-14.

One of the many issues addressed by the assembly was the inclusion of the demand to end the U.S. war and occupation of Afghanistan alongside opposition to the war in Iraq, given that these conflicts are both aspects of the U.S. drive to dominate the Middle East.

The assembly also agreed to express its opposition to any attack on Iran, including the use of sanctions or other sorts of threats and coercive measures against Iran's sovereignty, and to take action against such attacks, whether carried out by the U.S. directly or by its proxy Israel.

Participants elected a 13-member administrative body to carry out decisions of the assembly and take up issues that there wasn't time to resolve during the weekend.

Despite opinion polls indicating broad antiwar sentiment in the U.S. population, there have been no major national antiwar mobilizations since January 2007. What's more, many activists have decided either to take a wait-and-see approach during this election year--or have been caught up in the enthusiasm for the Obama campaign.

Some conservative voices in the antiwar movement defend this state of affairs--at the Cleveland meeting, Leslie Cagan, representing United for Peace and Justice, said in her speech that the movement was in good shape as it exists now. But for many others, there is enormous frustration and a recognition of the need for a unified, mass movement to challenge the war planners in the White House, Congress and the Pentagon.

The assembly sought to address this frustration. Yet it will require substantial new forces--built from the grassroots, in neighborhoods, on campuses and in cities--to revive the movement and create the necessary foundation for sustained organizing at the national level.

It's important for antiwar activists to support any and all efforts dedicated to ending these barbaric wars of occupation--and keeping the U.S. from starting new ones. The success of antiwar formations at a national level will continue to require, first and foremost, the patient work of building networks of activists at the grassroots and taking actions locally that can be the building blocks for a national movement.

Joe Allen contributed to this article.

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