(ARCHIVES: March10, 2008) 5 years later, Iraq is still a "Red Zone"

PART 3 - The war surges on (2007- March 2008)

…and so the war grew.

As the fifth year of war opened, things looked worse than ever. Violence was reaching record highs and conditions looked like they were headed for all out civil war. More than 3,000 American soldiers were reported dead bringing to 25,000 the total of American dead or wounded in the current war.

IThe Iraqi Health, Defense and Interior Ministries reported that 13,896 Iraqi civilians, police officers and soldiers died during 2006. Of these, 12,000 were civilians caught in the crossfire of war. Iraq was also the deadliest country in the world for journalists, with 32 killed the prior year.

The costs of war had risen to $2.5 Billion per week and the White House was asking for hundreds of billions more. Newly appointed Defense Secretary Robert Gates was afraid to venture outside the walls of the Green Zone.

Nearly at wits end, President Bush announced a major escalation in the war. He planned to send a "surge" of as many as 30,000 additional troops with the first waves to focus on neighborhood deployments in Baghdad and Fallujah.

Baghdad, in 2007, began to look more like Fallujah of 2004 as residents began fleeing the capital in large numbers. Door-by-door searches of home, detentions of thousands of Iraqs and airstrikes on civilian neighborhoods became a daily occurrence with intense fighting throughout the urban area. Hundreds were being killed and injured each week. Critical infrastructure was being destroyed at a rapid pace. From bridges over the Tigris, to the bombing of the Iraqi Parliament, nowhere seemed safe from the battle between Iraqis and coalition forces. Baghdad neighborhoods were turned in to "gated communities"with concrete blastwalls and biometric checkpoints. Civilian movement was heavily restricted and curfews became the norm. The number of refugees fleeing the country rose to 60,000 per month.

As residents fled Baghdad, violence continued to rise in other parts of the country. From Tal Afar to Basrah, bombings and killings grew. In April, Twenty-nine members of the U.S. 82nd Airborne were killed and injured in a single attack on their patrol base in Diyala province. Sixteen helicopters were destroyed when mortar rounds hit Taji Air Force base. The total of U.S. troop casualties (dead and injured) climbed to more than 800 and Iraqi casualties rose to over 15,000 for the month of May.

Reports of "war crimes" being committed by U.S. troops continued to grow, particular in cases where airstrikes and artillery barrages were called in on civilian neighborhoods and villages. Air Force and Navy aircraft dropped 437 bombs and missiles in Iraq in the first six months of 2007, a fivefold increase over the 86 used in the first half of 2006, and three times more than in the second half of 2006, according to Air Force data. In Husseiniya said U.S. helicopters attacked three houses in a four-hour period, killing at least 18 people and wounding 21 more, including women and children.

The number of detained Iraqis rose to 28,000 in U.S. prisons and thousands more by the Iraq military. The two remaining minarets of the Samarra Mosque were destroyed in a repeat of the bombing that shattered its famous dome in 2006. Hundreds of residents marched through the streets of Sadr City, Kut, Diwaniyah, Najaf and Basra. Intense military operations continued throughout the summer. Ryan Crocker, the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, admitted that Baghdad residents could count on only "an hour or two a day" of electricity.

Things began to look better in September, after a surprise announcement by Moqtada al-Sadr for a complete ceasefire. The decision was to halt all armed action in Iraq by the Mehdi Army, including attacks on American troops, for six months while it cleaned out 'rogue elements'. After that, there was a significant fall in the number of daily attacks. By December, the number of monthly U.S. troop deaths was down significantly, although the total for 2007 - 899 servicemen and women dead - was the highest of any year since the invasion began.

Oil prices hit $100 per barrel. UNICEF reported that "around 2 million Iraqi children continue to face threats including poor nutrition, disease and interrupted education." The Iraqi Minister of Defense, Abdul Qadir, speculated that the U.S. would need to remain ten more years … until 2018.

There were some signs of improvement, particularly in the Baghdad area. Fallujah and Ramadi were returning to somewhat normal life but were still occupied by more than 5,000 U.S. Marines and had been partitioned into 10 "security zones". Baghdad's scenic Abu Nawas Street was finally reopened to traffic and life returned to some of the restaurants along the boulevard, but many residents were unable to travel freely throughout the city due to security restrictions. The Iraqi government made some progress on security and reconciliation issues. Najaf worked to bring in more tourism. Basra, despite its troubles, remained relatively peaceful.

The American presidential elections began to take more of the media's attention as 2008 opened, and Iraq fell from the front pages. As violence diminished in Baghdad, it continued to grow in from one end of the country to the other. Mosul was unraveling and Baqouba remained a major hot zone. Turkey began bombings in the Kurdish north.

Is the Surge Working?

No. Administrative and Military propaganda continues to tout the line that the "surge is working". This refrain is taken up by much of the uncritical American press to justify inaction in the midst of a political election year.

In actuality, the situation on the ground in Iraq is as bad, or even worse, than it was during 2004-2005.

Both military and civilian deaths, despite the continued ceasefire by the Medhi Army, remains at critical levels. Here is the tally during the first two and one-half months (through March 10)

* U.S. Dead 70
* U.S. Injured 223
* Iraqi Dead 1,574+
* Iraqi Injured 4,000+

In addition to the fighting, many Iraqis are still without electricity, heating fuel, jobs, and medicine. In January the government reduced spending on food rations and hunger is a growing problem for much of the country. One third of students no longer attend school. Many parts of Baghdad resemble a ghost town. In Basra, only 2% of the population have access to improved drinking water. The number of refugees continues to grow.

Reconstruction continues, but at a pace too slow to rebuild the infrastructure that is damaged during the fighting. The Iraq economy, is recovering slowly, but unemployment is still above 50%, even with millions of dollars given to "Awakening Councils" to patrol local neighborhoods and villages. The oil industry is barely functioning.

Major military offenses in Mosul, Diyala Province and the Kurdish areas are resulting in the emptying of small villages. War crimes continue to surface. Ambassador Crocker and General Petreaus have both announced that they are returning to the U.S. At least one young American will die and another two will be injured in Iraq, on average, every day of 2008.

While America enjoys the luxury of selecting presidential candidates, the world suffers the agony of a fifth - and upcoming sixth - year of war in the land between the two rivers.

…and so the battle of Iraq continues. Get the FACTS ABOUT IRAQ - and share with your friends.

'Lifetime Achievement' for Sissy Farenthold

Sissy Farenthold has made her life an achievement for social justice and the rights and knows the struggle herself. She was one of only three women in her law school graduating class and later went on to become an attorney for the ACLU and served as a legal aid director. She and Barbara Jordan were also among the two first women to serve in the Texas Legislature.

In 1972 she was the first U.S. women ever nominated for a spot on a presidential ticket (McGovern). During the past several decades, Sissy's thirst for social justice has taken her around the world where she works tirelessly for the rights of women and other humanitarian causes.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Texas award Sissy with the Molly Ivins lifetime achievement award at their annual banquet in March.

Record Texas primary turnout

Many areas of Texas reported record-breaking primary turnouts on March 4. In Harris County (Houston) more than 1/2 million Texans joined with their neighbors in an exercise of Democracy. North Texans were still tallying caucus results a week after the primary. Long lines didn't deter voters from El Paso to Beaumont. All in all, more than 5 million Texans voted in either the Democratic or Republican primary for 2008 to select local and national candidates to run in the Fall alongside Libertarian, Green, Consitution and Socialist and Independent candidates.

Winter Soldiers march on D.C.

Soldiers who have returned from the war in Iraq, along with their vietnam-era brethren, will march and testify in Washington, D.C. From March 13-16th, These veterans will participate in Winter Soldier by testifying in Washington about what is really happening day in and day out, on the ground in these occupations. The four-day event will bring together veterans from across the country to testify about their experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan - and present video and photographic evidence.

Many other organizations are planning protests in D.C. next week to draw attention to the end of the 5th year of war in Iraq - 5 Years Too Many! However, members of Congress will be back taking a "break" in their local districts.

Col. Wright continues to speak out

Col. Ann Wright resigned her post with the U.S. State Department in March 2003, in protest of the Bush Administration's decision to invade Iraq. Since that time she has been an active war resister and helped many returning veterans to deal with the issues faced in Iraq.

Ann will be in Austin this week and will be promoting her new book "Dissent: Voices of Conscience". Ann Wright and Susan Dixon tell the stories of government insiders and active-duty military personell who risked careers, reputations, and even freedom out of loyalty to the Constitution and the rule of law.

(ARCHIVES: February 19, 2008) 5 years later, Iraq is still a "Red Zone"

PART 2 - An escalating crisis (2004-2006)

As the year 2004 dawned in Iraq, it became abundantly clear the Administration had not planned well for the occupation and reconstruction of the country. Colossal mistakes in judgment were being made at every leve. Bremer, Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz particularly refused to heed the advice of experts and the reality of the situation on the ground and instead relied on their own pre-conceived notions of war and "nation building". The interim (i.e. puppet) government in Iraq was staffed primarily with Iraqi expats who parroted their masters in D.C.

It was already clear that unless improvements were made in Iraq's economic and social sectors, that the situation could quickly unravel.

The U.S. Army's 1st Cavalry Division was to take over operations in the Baghdad area and prepared to embark on a strategy of civic reconstruction and economic development. General Chiarelli had the 1st Cav team work the City of Austin to better understand the operational needs of a large city (water, sewer, waste removal) and with the University of Texas to prepare an economic development plan for Baghdad. [It should be noted that Casey Sheehan, son of Cindy Sheehan, was part of 1CD and had not yet been sent to Iraq]

Since I had just returned from Iraq, and also had a background in economic development, I was asked to lead the team from U.T. The result was a plan that focused on meeting the basic needs of Baghdad - economic and social - through a set of "momentum shifter" activities: job creation, family health care, residential renovation, agricultural repairs, public schools, and other improvements.

1CD arrived in Iraq with high expectations, but soon had their mission undercut by orders from Washington and the worsening security situation. Young soldiers from middle America suddenly found themselves confronted with killing or being killed.

In January, more than 100,000 Iraqis marched in the streets of Baghdad protesting U.S. handover plans and calling for direct elections. After being ignored, attacks on U.S. and contractor forces began to spread throughout the country. In April, four Blackwater contractors were ambushed and their bodies hung in public display in Fallujah. Rumsfeld ordered an aggressive operation to pacify Fallujah that resulted in the destruction of at least one-third of the city of 450,000, hundreds killed and injured, large waves of refugees and reports of use of WMDs by American forces.

Then the abuses at Abu Ghraib prison began to surface in the public media. For months, there had been rumors of abuse of the 28,000 Iraqis who were imprisoned by coalition forces. Once the story, along with photos of physical and sexual abuse, broke in the American press, a firestorm erupted around the world. It was clear that coalition troops were guilty of war crimes and purported aims of "democracy and freedom" were at risk.

The result was that many Iraqis - Sunni, Shiite and Christian - began joining the "insurgency" in big numbers and many reconstruction projects ground to a halt as violence surged.

The summer and fall saw major fighting in other cities, including Kerbala, Najaf and Sammara. A second assault on Fallujah involved a force of 10,000. The Green Zone is bombed and Margaret Hassan, British-Iraqi director of CARE International, is abducted in Baghdad. She is later presumed dead.

Troop and civilian deaths continued to rise as the insurgency grew and the crisis accelerated into 2005, including the death of Marla Ruzicka a peace activist from California.

Iraqis began to see glimmers of political success in mid-2005. An election for a 275-seat National Assembly went ahead as scheduled and was broadly supported by the people, despite a boycott by some. Since this was the first popular election after the invasion, and would lead to a new Constitution, Iraqis began to hope that they would soon be out from under Washington's control and occupation by foreign troops.

In late 2005 I returned to Iraq once again. This time I was looking forward to seeing the progress of rebuilding efforts and learning if circumstances had improved. I knew that the telecommunications area was growing, many water and sewer systems had been repaired, new schools were opening and that many Iraqis had returned to help with projects. Coalition forces had obtained a truce with the Medhi "Army". This was good news.

Much to my chagrin, I found that other areas had actually worsened since my last visit and it was much more dangerous to be an American in Iraq.

Infrastructure - electricity, petrol, manufacturing - had declined. There was a growing refugee crisis as hundreds of thousands of Iraqis were forced from their homes in all parts of the country. U.S. reconstruction efforts were being mismanaged and there was little evidence of international assistance - governmental or non-profit. Stories of new prison abuses and activities of "dark forces" were growing.

During this trip I visited Baghdad's only electricity plan and refinery, both in al-Doura, to speak directly with officials there about the lack of electricity and fuel. Both pointed to the lack of oil and the fact that much of their supply was being siphoned off for use by the coalition (Green Zone and other operations) leaving little for Iraqis. The facilities that we toured were in terrible disrepair, short of money and lacking foreign assistance.

Our team also made the harrowing trip to Kerbala and Najaf to investigate the situation in those cities. Despite the security risks we were able to meet with humanitarian, civic and religious leaders, visit with refugees, tour the world's largest cemetery and get lost in the souks (marketplace). Some of us also met with Muqtada al-Sadr, one of Iraq's religious politicians.

In Baghdad we met with Patriarch Emmanuel III Delly, head of the Chaldean Catholic Church (who was recently elevated to Cardinal), key Shiite leaders, and the Association of Muslim Scholars, the largest Sunni group and other leaders. During our meetings it was pointed out that Iraqis watched the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina on television, viewing the same images - and lack of government response - that the rest of the world saw. After then, confidence in America's ability to help Iraq had diminished even further. As one leader put it, "Bush can't even take care of his own people, what does he care about ours?"

Unlike my previous visits, during this trip I was unable to attend mosque services or to visit the homes of many of my friends and families, due to the danger (to both myself and them). We were no longer allowed to wander around university campuses on our own, visit parks, or walk on foot through some areas of Baghdad. Even our routes and methods of getting around Iraq were much more circumspect than before, especially when it came to encountering U.S. troops, for fear that we might accidentally be fired upon or become victims of an IED attack.

We did make one brief trip into the Green Zone, to meet with fully-armored U.S. commanders (even inside the Green Zone) on the topic of Iraqi civilian deaths and compensation. They tried to impress us with their slideware, but admitted that few Iraqis received compensation due to the barriers that were presented to the process.

Despite the risks, we briefly ventured out on our own to nearby stores and Internet cafes during our time in Iraq, always trying to generate as little attention as possible. Where before children would greet us on the street this time they had obviously been told to keep away from "the foreigners". Shop owners were anxious to have us gone quickly. I defied my colleagues by wearing a bright yellow "End the War in Iraq" t-shirt in plain view of Green Zone security snipers on September 24, in solidarity with the antiwar marches in Washington.

As before, I returned to the U.S. concerned that policymakers in Washington still did not understand the forces in Iraq. It appeared that the military was becoming much more attuned to the reality, but was constrained by their own focus on security and decisions made thousands of miles away.

One month after my return, four members of the next delegation were on their way to the Association of Muslim Scholars when their car was pulled over and they were taken into captivity. I received news of the kidnapping almost immediately as CPT began to scramble a response and called upon Texans for Peace to help with manage the media. Alyssa Burgin, took the lead in this area and quickly began advising on how to keep the lid on the situation (needed at first to protect the hostages) while anticipating and responding to media inquiries.

The hostage crisis was to consume the next several months (from November to March) as James Loney, Norman Kember, Harmeet Singh Sooden, and Tom Fox were held hostage. Rush Limbaugh announced that "part of me likes this." He explained: "Well, here's why I like it. I like any time a bunch of leftist feel-good hand-wringers are shown reality," after first suggesting that the entire kidnapping "could all be BS ... could all be a stunt."

Tom Fox's daughter went on Al Jazeera television and pleaded for the hostage's release, but efforts to communicate with the hostage takers proved fruitless. The body of Tom Fox, a Quaker and former Marine, was found dumped in Baghdad on March 10, 2006, raising fears that all of the hostages might have been killed. [I still remember my conversations with Tom, about this sort of situation, as we cooked dinner together in Baghdad]

Two weeks later a tip led coalition forces to the site where the three remaining hostages were being held. The hostage takers were gone, creating suspicion that the entire kidnapping and the motives of the agencies behind it.

While the hostages were being held, Iraqis watched in horror as a clandestine operation bombed the golden-domed Mosque of Samarra. Iraqis of all types were incensed at the pointless destruction of a cultural icon by agents obviously trying to foment religious and ethnic divisions. During the next few months attacks - against Iraqi and U.S. Forces and on civilians - became even more furious and the country appeared to veer towards complete anarchy.

More and more stories of atrocities committed by troops surfaced (as the Haditha Massacre) as the toil of ongoing occupation and war affected soldiers - some who were on their second or third tours. By now, U.S. casualties had reached nearly 3,000 dead and 20,000 injured as attacks reached 960 per week. A report by the British medical journal The Lancet declared that 655,000 Iraqis or more had been killed since the invasion of 2003.

A bipartisan report prepared by the conservative Iraq Study Group recommended major changes to U.S. strategy to the "grave and deteriorating" situation in Iraq. However, it was rejected by President Bush and his policy team who refused to be "caught in a mission that has no foreseeable end."

NEXT WEEK: Five Years Later, Iraq is still a "Red Zone" Part 3 ( Iraq Today 2007-Feb 2008)

Presidential races heat up in Texas

It's been a long time since Texans have had an opportunity to play a pivitol role in national primaries, but on March 4 Texas voters will cast their votes to select Huckabee, McCain or Paul, or Clinton or Obama in respective party races and to select from among many local candidates for other offices. Austin is in a frenzy as more than 20,000 signed up for a chance to see Obama and Clinton debate. Only 100 tickets to the Thursday event available and will drawn by lottery. In addtion to the Democratic and Republican primaries, there will be candidates from other parties on the national ballots in the fall.

Election officials are already predicting a record-breaking turnout for the election. The Secretary of State's office and the state party officials are working to make sure that local officials are ready with plenty of ballots and voting equipment for their precincts.

Texans for Peace is a non-partisan organization for ALL Texans and does not endorse or recommend any particular candidate. Instead we are calling for volunteers to attend political events wearing "End the War in Iraq" t-shirts and hand out "Another Voter for Peace" stickers to draw attention to ongoing occupation of Iraq.

Polluter granted new permit

Hundreds of citizens, including the mayor, of El Paso trecked to Austin last week to speak against a new permit for the polluter-company Asarco at the hearing of the Texas Commission Enviromental Quality (TECQ). Asarco a copper mining smelter operates some of the largest open pit mines in the world.

Asarco received permission to restart its smelter, idled nine years, after a near two-hour discussion by the TCEQ.Immediately after the decision, some members of Texans stepped to the front of the hearing room and demanded Asarco and the TCEQ explain itself for the years of illegally burned hazardous waste.

Mayor John Cook said he was "not surprised" by the ruling, bu the city would not stop its battle to stop Asarco. Opponents of the permit, including El Paso city officials and an area legislator, have long argued that allowing Asarco to restart smelter operations in El Paso would pose a serious health risk to residents in El Paso, Ciudad Juárez and Sunland Park NM.

Iraq Veterans Against the War Fundraisers

Your help is needed to support brave soldiers who have returned from Iraq and said "no" to continued war. From March 13-16th, U.S. veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan will participate in Winter Soldier by testifying in Washington about what is really happening day in and day out, on the ground in these occupations. The four-day event will bring together veterans from across the country to testify about their experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan - and present video and photographic evidence. They need your financial support. Benefits for Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) Texas chapters are planned throughout Texas:

Austin - February 22 8:30pm House Party with Scott Ritter at 4107 Wildwood Road with music by Bill Passalacqua

Houston - February 23 3 pm Dan Electros Guitar Bar at 1131 E. 24th St with members of Veterans for Peace Houston

Dallas - February 24 7pm at Poor David's Pub 1313 S. Lamar St with Hart Viges and Doug Zackery with music by Bob and Sally Ackerman.

San Antonio - April 11-12 Look for the "Arlington West" tour sponsored by "Sir, No Sir!" at UT San Antonio.

SA appoints Peace Laureate

Dr. Ruth Lofgren was recently appointed as San Antonio's first Peace Laureate by the San Antonio PeaceCENTER.

Lofgren, who came to San Antonio after a successful career as a scientific researcher and educator has focused much of her life on environmental concern. In San Antonio she is active in League of Women Voters, the City's Waste Water Advisory committee and the PeaceCenter

The idea of naming a "peace laureate" for the city grew out of "Soul of the Citizen," a conference convened in November to foster a dialogue about faith in public life

(ARCHIVES: February 2, 2008) 5 years later, Iraq is still a "Red Zone"

PART 1 - Before and After the 2003 Invasion

I generally disdain the use of impolite language, but after 5 years of war and occupation in Iraq, I have only this to say: Screw the "representatives" of the Republic and the Administrative horse they rode into Iraq on. To be quite specific, those who supported and continue to finance the war in Iraq - of both political parties - are accomplices to rape, murder, and genocide. And despite the besotted media's temporary surge of enthusiasm, the situation in Iraq is worse than ever.

I should know….I've spent plenty of time in the "Red Zone", what those behind the protected barriers in Baghdad call the rest of Iraq. And, even though it has been more five years since I made my first trip to Iraq. Sadly, the situation is poorer today than it was under Saddam's dictatorship - thanks to the Washington.

Surviving Under Sanctions

In December 2002 and January 2003, two months before the war began, I was in a country where medicine had almost disappeared, citizens were afraid to speak against the government, and the poor were desperate for help. The situation looked dire, but the question on every Iraqi's mind was whether the U.S. would strike and plunge their country into war once again. I was there to learn about the country and the situation and bring the truth home.

Iraqis were desperate but hopeful that the world would recognize their plight and find some other way to resolve the situation. Iraqis were afraid that President Bush would lie his way into launching a war of aggression against a country that meant no harm. They knew that their children would bear the brunt of any war.

My trip was part of a Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) delegation, but I was really there at the prompting of Kathy Kelly who had made had made many trips during the prior decade to call attention to the terrible devastation caused by a decade of U.S.-imposed embargos.

I welcomed in midnight on New Year's Eve outside of the United Nation's compound as we held a vigil for peace and to allow WMD inspections to continue. The Administration in Washington, hell-bent for war, said "No".

I traveled throughout the central and southern Iraq, visiting schools, hospitals, businesses and homes and learned a lot about Iraq society and the numerous political views. I was most surprised at finding out how modern much of Iraq was. Iraqis saw America as a place of great interest and enjoyed having guests willing to defy U.N. sanctions.

"Welcome to our home," said one woman, who later to become my friend. She was somewhat embarrassed at her meager offerings but insisted that we stay and eat dinner with her family. Noura (not her real name), a teacher, wanted to learn more about Texas life and hoped that her three children might one day be able to go to college here. Today, she is a refugee in Jordan, having lost her home and business. Her children have been traumatized by the war and death in the streets and have developed a distrust of Americans.

However, this family is one of the lucky few. They have narrowly escaped the bombs and fighting of Baghdad and survive in the relative peace of Amman.

Dr. Nourai didn't make it beyond the first year of occupation

I met the 38-year-old doctor on both my first and second visits to Iraq. He was an expert in immunology who had studied the effects of depleted uranium for years. Nourai was convinced that the high cancer rates in his country were a direct result of the bombings of 1991-92. He was very concerned for his life, as the research fell afoul of Washington and his superiors at the World Health Organization. Nourai was assassinated after leaving his office.

Since this was my first visit to Iraq, I was constantly amazed at the incongruities and variety of life that I found. I remember the taste of fresh oranges at the farm, Christmas trees, a ballet performance of gifted children, boating in the Shat al-Arab and the art galleries along Abu Nawas street.

I still hold in my heart the dying children in the hospital wards of Basra and Baghdad, frightened government officials (both afraid of Saddam and what the invasion might bring), my hospital nurses and George Weber. I wasn't sure I was going to be able to leave Iraq before bombs from Washington began falling until I was on the plane back to the U.S.

In Austin and Washington I found elected officials and media deaf, unwilling to be touched by the reality of a country they were certain to begin attacking. There was a singular lack of interest in hearing from anyone who wasn't set to profit from the military exercise of power. However, millions of people around the world were listening and demonstrating to try and stop the war.

Shocked by Not Awed

My second visit to Iraq came sooner than I thought - that same year. I arrived back in Baghdad just eight months after the initial invasion, in November and December 2003. President Bush was also there, on Thanksgiving, but we only saw him on television.

The country was in the grip of military occupation, without a government of its own, and getting in touch with old friends was somewhat difficult.

Traveling around Baghdad was also more difficult since concrete walls were beginning to cut off entire roads and sections of the city. We also had to dodge tanks and armored vehicles which, if we came too close, could result in instant fire. I knew the fear of being surrounded by uniformed troops in armored vehicles - something Iraqis experience every day.

Major buildings and shopping centers were craters filled with debris and depleted uranium (DU), and destruction was evident everywhere. I found the universities that I had previously visited looted and burned, most schools barely functioning, and hospitals with severe shortages. I blogged throughout the trip.

There were only a handful of international and humanitarian organizations left in Iraq - the Red Cross building had been recently bombed and other groups were being systematically targeted. We saw the first displaced families as those without work were thrown from their homes.

We heard rumors of atrocities committed by "dark forces" who were assassinating and bombing civilians. Accusations of war crimes against coalition military also began to surface. As some of the few remaining Westerners, we traveled to Ramadi, Fallujah and outlying villages in al-Anbar province to investigate, and document where possible, these stories.

As we moved throughout Iraq, we crossed through numerous checkpoints and detoured around bridges that were bombed, always on the lookout for guns pointed our way and the occasional roadside bomb. Gunfire interrupted our sleep, until we became more used to it. We also learned to make do with frequent electrical shortages.

We made a trip to Camp Babylon where we saw the widespread damage of the remains of the ancient city. On our way back to Baghdad we narrowly missed being caught up in a fight where (we later learned) several foreign spies were killed - their vehicle ambushed along the highway.

As before, we spent much of our time in hospitals, schools, churches and mosques to visit with Iraqis and learn how they viewed the war and its impacts. We found that many Iraqis were looking forward to the future with hope - starting businesses and new creating social networks - on the promise of American reconstruction and the end of sanctions. But, there were guns everywhere.

I also made one trip into the belly of the beast, the U.S. headquarters in Saddam's former Republican "Bling Bling" Palace in the Green Zone. We had with scheduled with U.S. commanders responsible for prisons, judicial systems, social services, welfare and workforce infrastructure. The purpose was to learn what they had to say about the issues and problems that we had discovered.

The meetings became tense as these officials lied to our faces regarding things we had witnessed with our own eyes and refused to disclose non-security data. Apparently anyone who questioned Administration policy was not to be trusted with "facts". However, they did buy us lunch before sending us back out into the Red Zone.

The troops we met while on their patrols were always intrigued to find Americans out among Iraqi civilians (even a Texan!). They generally weren't very happy about being asked to fulfill the role of policing a country and often critical of the lies they had been told about Iraq prior to their arrival. It amazed me that most were barely older than my own sons. I delivered letters from home.

The war in Iraq wasn't even yet a year old, but it was already abundantly clear that there was a growing resentment of Washington incompetency, widening corruption, insensitivity of occupying forces and the unfulfilled promises of "freedom". It was hard to believe that any good would come from this conflict.

Situation in Iraq deteriorates

Largely unmentioned by the U.S. media, the situation in Iraq continues to unravel on both the economic and political fronts - possibly leading to a bloody spring and summer.

Iraqis are facing growing food shortages and serious concerns about widespread hunger. The Iraq government is reducing wheat imports due to lack of money and is also cutting back on food rations. The UN World Food Program (WFP) is asking for help feeding 750,000 of the most vulnerable internally displaced persons (IDPs) inside Iraq.

Electricity, cooking fuel and gasoline is also in short supply. Many businesses and manufacturers are unable to operate and residents are suffering one of the coldest winters on record. Entire sections of the country have seen their electricity cut off for days. Power outages have stopped oil production and refineries, and power plants need fuel to operate.

On the political side, there is much disagreement between groups that don't feel that the central government is moving fast enough and internal division between the parliament and the executive branch, along with pressure from Washington to focus on American priorities (i.e. oil law) rather than fixing the daily problems that plague the country (teacher salaries, reconstruction). The Medhi Army has reached the end of their six-month "cease fire" and may resume attacks against U.S. and Iraqi government forces once again.

For more daily news from Iraq, visit the Texans for Peace End the War in Iraq sections.

Dallas "Voices of Peace"

Singers from The Women's Chorus of Dallas, the Turtle Creek Chorale, One Achord, the Cathedral
of Hope Sanctuary Choir, and MosaicSong will join together on March 1 at the Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas to honor Dr. Maya Angelou ... and to sing for peace!

"Voices of Peace" is part of a month-long, worldwide effort by the organization Song of Peace, which is encouraging one million people around the world to sing "Dona Nobis Pacem" (give us peace) proclaiming that peace in our world is of fundamental importance. arch 2008
was chosen to observe the fifth anniversary of the United States' invasion of Iraq on March 18, 2003.

Hope for Peace & Justice, based in Dallas, Texas is "equipping progressive people of faith to be champions for peace and justice by creating
progressive faith-based activists; a cultural orientation/bias toward peace and justice through the arts and artists; and faith-based practitioners of peace."

Target targeted

Target stores in Austin and San Antonio, generally upstanding corporate citizens, are the target of a new campaign aimed at providing justice for the mostly Spanish-speaking custodians working there.

More than 130 janitors have joined in a lawsuit against Target Corp. claiming they were forced to work y days per week without overtime, paid below minimum wage, and did not recieve their last paycheck with their contractor firm went out of business. Target kept $500,000 of the compensation that was supposed to pay the janitor's wages.

The Religion and Labor Network of Austin (RLNA), Equal Justice Center, Texans for Peace and other organizations are working to call attention to this case and get Target to be a good corporate citizen. On February 9th, concerned shoppers and citizens will join together to visit local Target stores to remind the company of their commitment to high ethical standards, business principles and fair labor laws.

Oil-rich Texans

In the five years after the U.S. invasion of Iraq by President Bush, Exxon has seen its profits soar. Once again, Texas-based Exxon Mobile Corp. ranks as the wealthiest company in the world - $40.6 billion in profits for 2007.

Exxon also set a U.S. record for the biggest quarterly profit, posting net income of $11.7 billion for the final three months of 2007, beating its own mark of $10.71 billion in the fourth quarter of 2005.

Texas-based ConocoPhillips said record oil prices at the end of 2007 helped it post a 37 percent increase in fourth-quarter profit, even as it produced less crude and natural gas than a year earlier. Its fourth-quarter net income rose to $4.37 billion versus $3.2 billion a year earlier. Chevron and Shell also reported record profits. Valero Energy (valued at $33 billion), also a Texas company and America’s biggest oil refinersaid that it is interested in purchasing British Petroleum's Texas City refinery.

These profits come at a time when state and federal officials say that there isn't enough wealth to pay for much needed public infrastructure, gloss over rising prices at the gas pump and ignore usurious transportation costs. A tax on the "windfall profits" that came as a result of the 2003 invasion of Iraq would help replenish public coffers. Of the richest companies around the globe, 9 out of 10 are in the oil/automobile sector.

(ARCHIVES: January 18, 2008) MLK's march continues

On January 21, 2008 as many as 100,000 Texans are expected to march for peace and social justice in San Antonio. We say "march" because the legacy of work that Dr Martin Luther King worked for - peace, justice and the "evolution of values" - is still unfinished.

Alongside the many who continue to address racial equality will be the those seeking civil rights for immigrants and undocumented families, peacemakers, voices of religious tolerance of all faiths, unions of working men and women, and people who value the multi-colored human tapestry that enlivens Texas and the world. Among them will be political activists of every stripe.

In many ways this year's MLK Day will be a reminder of momentous events of four decades past.

In 1968, as the country was engaged in another political contest and great overseas war, citizens were tested to the core and questioned whether this would be nation of the people, by the people and for people. Then, as now, they looked for hope in the leaders around them.

Many Americans proudly supported the work of Martin Luther King, the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. His speech the previous year -Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence - criticized the militaristic role of the U.S. and challenged Americans to be a shining light to the world (get quote). He was busy with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)'s "Poor People's Campaign" that sought to address the issues of economic injustice and called for massive government jobs programs to rebuild America's cities. On April 3 he gave his "I've been to the Mountaintop" address. The next day King was dead but a candidate for president picked up his torch from the ground and was ready to lead the march

Robert F. Kennedy, upon learning of MLK's assassination, gave an impromptu speech in Indianapolis where he was campaigning. He quoted from the poet Aeschylus, who wrote: "In our sleep, pain which cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart until, in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom through the awful grace of God." Bobby then went on to say, "What we need in the United States is not division; what we need in the United States is not hatred; what we need in the United States is not violence or lawlessness; but love and wisdom, and compassion toward one another, and a feeling of justice toward those who still suffer within our country, whether they be white or they be black."

While the speech focused on black and white issues, Kennedy was working hard to bridge the divide between rich and poor and people of all ethnicities. He had recently returned from California where he visited with Cesar Chavez to lend support during Chavez' hunger strike to protest violence being used against farm workers. Three months later, Robert Kennedy was also struck down.

But the march went on, picked up by the children of that generation, and it continues today.

From the soup kitchen of Caritas to the warm beds at women's shelters, a new generation of social activists worked towards creation of the "beloved community" in which every person is valued and all are redeemed.

Texans for Peace is proud to continue to support events around the state, such as the San Antonio MLK March that honor those who have struggled mightily in the past, while we do our part to move agendas for peace and social justice forward.

Although King, Kennedy and many others who fought the "good fight" weren't Texans, we hope that their legacy will continue to encourage those of us in the Lone Star State to rededicate ourselves to building a better world and to live the things they stood for.

Abraham, Martin & John

Has anybody here seen my old friend Abraham?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
He freed a lot of people,
But it seems the good they die young.
You know, I just looked around and he's gone.

Anybody here seen my old friend John?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
He freed a lot of people,
But it seems the good they die young.
I just looked around and he's gone.

Anybody here seen my old friend Martin?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
He freed a lot of people,
But it seems the good they die young.
I just looked 'round and he's gone.

Didn't you love the things that they stood for?
Didn't they try to find some good for you and me?
And we'll be free
Some day soon, and it's a-gonna be one day ...

Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up over the hill,
With Abraham, Martin and John.

Songs of the past empart nostalgia for many, but now is the time to listen to the voices of today's generation. We live in a different age, with new issues, but have a great history upon which to build a just and peace-filled world.

What better time than in 2008 to celebrate and march forward, "until justice rolls down like a river"?

Biggest MLK March on for Jan 21 in San Antonio

100,000 participants are expected to join in the nation's largest MLK March, in San Antonio on January 21. This year's 3-mile event promises to be even better than before, with lots of activities for children, food, and speakers from around the state and country.

Although San Antonio has a smaller African-American population that most major urban cities, that hasn't stopped residents for building the largest march in the country. This march has grown over the years as people concerned about peace and social justice - from antiwar groups to migrant workers - have joined together to continue MLK's legacy. Texans from around the state are urged to visit San Antonio, enjoy the city, and contribute to making the MLK march even bigger than before.

Beaumont park dedicated to MLK

After more than a two decades in the making, and on Saturday, the MLK Memorial Park will be dedicated in Beaumont. In addition to a life size bronze statue of Dr. King, the park includes panels that tell the story of his life, famous quotes, and letters he wrote.

A commission has been working to raise money for a statue and park since 1985. When it was unable to raise all of the funds, the Beaumont city council jumped in and completed the project. "We decided to finish it because it's been in the process for so long we wanted to give an appropriate memorial for Dr. King," said Arthur Louis of West Brook High School.

East Texas has had a troubled history when it comes to race relations, and the dedication of this park is a triump for all Texans.

Texas, world's 7th largest polluter

Texas, with a population of just 24 million people, is the 7th largest polluter in the world. Texans - you and I - pump more than 670 million metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year, according to a data from the US Energy Information Administration. The world is watching us with horror and amazement.

Texas pollutes more than California or Great Britain and ranks up there with China, India and Australia as poor stewards of the environment. Many Texans, including Governor Rick Perry, dispute the science surrounding global warming (and evolution) and resist efforts to create sensible solutions to pollution. "Texas political leaders read "environmental protection as government activism" and want no part of it," said Jim Henson, director of the Texas Politics Project at U.T.

Even in Austin, Debbie Howden, a real estate agent, said her family of six has two pickup trucks and three 4x4s, but describes the impacts of transportation emissions as a "necessary evil". She said: "I would definitely put size and safety over the emissions thing."

Texan Alvin Ailey remembered

One of the nation's premier dance artists hailed from the little town of Rogers and is stil remembered in Texas.

Alvin Ailey, founder of the American Dance Theatre in New York, became an international celebrity and populuarize modern dance around the world. His work lives on in New York and also in an upcoming performance at the Azalee Marshall Cultural Activities Center in Temple.

(ARCHIVES: January 4, 2008) The state of hate in Texas

There are more than 55 active hate groups in Texas, according to the most recent listing of the Southern Poverty Law Center's (SPLC) Intelligence Project and during 2007 hate incidents around the state ranged from Klu Klux Klan rallies in Austin and Stephenville to vandalizing of Muslim family's car in San Antonio.

The City of Farmer's Branch passed a law restricting targeting immigrants and in December in Arlington, a African-American couple is assaulted by an elderly white neighbor and the new home they were building is painted with racist graffiti. Last year a Hispanic student in Spring who had a swastika carved on his chest after he was beaten and sexually assaulted by attackers screaming "white power". Racist songs, rallies and videos proliferate.

On the surface it might seem that Texas is fertile ground for bigotry, intolerance and hate.

But the good news is that Texas has actually seen a reduction in hate crimes and there is growing evidence that Texans reject the voices of haters. Perhaps the very diversity that comes with being the second largest state in the nation, also leads to more tolerance and acceptance of differences.

In a year when hate crimes rose throughout the U.S. they actually dropped in Texas, according to the FBI. Hatred against Jews, Gays, Muslims, Mexicans, and foreigners of every kind was actually down here - and every Texan should be proud. as Recent FBI statistics show that Texans are relatively more tolerant that many other parts of the nation with Texas' hate crimes falling to the lowest levels in seven years, despite the foul rhetoric of instigators on radio and television and even as the state grew.

While politicians and hatred-mongers vie against people because of their religion, race, sex or culture, Texans are firmly saying"No" to hatred, bigotry and intolerance. The statistics tell a heartening story.

Of the 7,722 hate crimes in the U.S. last year, "only" 245 were reported in Texas. Houston actually had the lowest number of hate crimes of all major cities, in part because it has "become much more diverse over the decades and seems to be more accustomed and respectful of differences," according to Jack Levin, a Boston sociology professor who grew up in Houston.

Texas is becoming a multi-cultural state that celebrates - rather than denigrates - its diversity. Or maybe it harkens back to the frontier when a man or woman was welcome so long a he [sic] was productive and willing to work for the common good of the community. Either way, more and more Texans are living up to the state motto of "friendship".

This history of Texas has made the state a welcome place for immigrants from Eastern Europe, Pakistani mountains, Vietnam villages … and even from such far-off places as Michigan and Pennsylvania.

Now it is becoming common, in even small towns and suburbs, to see people wearing exotic garb, marrying across ethic lines, working side by side with little regard of race, sex, age or disability, and practicing all of the faiths of the world.

Despite all of our many differences, we share one thing in common - we are all Texans.

We believe that every person is an individual of self worth. We hold that differences of opinion, philosophy and politics are o.k. so long as no one is forced to practice the belief of another. We know that a friendly smile and wave on a lonely road can alleviate. And, we'd rather work together for the common good of the world that let dark forces of evil take hold.

But there are still a few of our neighbors who haven't gotten that message quite yet. There are still too many small groups of hate mongers - ranging from the white separatists to so-called Christian nationalists - to relax our guard. One of the fastest growing problems is the so-called "immigrant problem".

The pandering of a few politicians has fostered a particular backlash against those with southern origins. Nearly 64% of Hispanics said their lives had been made more difficult by the political fight over immigration and the failure of Congress to address the situation of illegal immigrant status in a meaningful like providing enough visas to all who want to come here to work and a path for citizenship for families already living here.

There is still work to do if Texas is to become a state where all are free to work, live, learn and grow together. Everyone needs to become allies of those who are targets of hate, wherever it comes from.Friendly Texans must continue to speak out against voices of evil, those who stir up hatred against their neighbor. At the same time, continue to promote and celebrate the qualities of diversity. Let's make the lone star state an icon for peace and social justice. Join us!

Biggest MLK March on for Jan 21 in San Antonio

100,000 participants are expected to join in the nation's largest MLK March, in San Antonio on January 21. This year's 3-mile event promises to be even better than before, with lots of activities for children, food, and speakers from around the state and country.

Although San Antonio has a smaller African-American population that most major urban cities, that hasn't stopped residents for building the largest march in the country. This march has grown over the years as people concerned about peace and social justice - from antiwar groups to migrant workers - have joined together to continue MLK's legacy. Texans from around the state are urged to visit San Antonio, enjoy the city, and contribute to making the MLK march even bigger than before.

May delagations to Mexico

The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) hosts delegations to the Mexico border area as a social justice activity to learn about conditions through face-to-face encounters with maquiladora workers. Delegates tour industrial parks and meet with workers to learn about the injust practices they are struggling against.

The project is called Austin Tan Cerca de la Frontera (ATCF) and costs $200-300. Trips are scheduled to Reynosa, March 15-16, Ciudad Acuña, May 23-25 and Nuevo Laredo, October 10-12. Consider joining these delegations and learning more about your neighbors.

Chiapas and Tobasco needs help

The Mexican states of Chiapas and Tobasco struggling like never before and needs Texans' help.

Election complaints and political unrest have been compounded by recent floods that have left hundreds of thousands homeless, without work and hungry.This fall, floods in the state capital of Tobasco, Villahermosa, damaged more than 373,300 homes. This week additional floods washed away scores of home and destroyed many crops.

Save the Children, Caritas Mexico and other organizations are assisting with the efforts, but need your help, too.

The International Service for Peace, SiPaz, reports that Oxaca, in Chiapas, is still without a legitimate government and federal officials have been cutting electricity as residents refuse, or are unable, to pay their electricity bills.

Mayors, workers and business leaders against wall

Apache land owners on the Rio Grande told Homeland Security to take a hike. Mayors from Brownsville to El Paso have been writing editorials. Business leaders, workers and activists have formed coalitions to stop the abomination of a wall along the border with Mexico.

The Texas Border Coalition - a wide range of civic and business groups - is taking the lead in trying to halt the building of the border wall that Congress recently funded. "Our lands are not for sale," say Texas property owners.

Youth Arts Action Delegation to Colombia

Young activists are invited to join a delegation to go to Colombia during Spring Break and meet with other youth activists there. An exchange delegation plans to visit Colombia March 22-30 and Texans for Peace is sponsoring a scholarship of $250 to help pay the costs of a youth from Texas.

The exchange will be a space for sharing skills and experiences, workshops, creative theater. The delegation will visit and work with COs and youth activists in Bogotá, Medellín, and rural communities in eastern Antioquia. The aim is for US participants to both offer and receive skills, stories, experience interactively.

Spanish skills are not necessary for US participants, but highly desirable. Participants will stay in the homes of Colombian youth activists. For additional information, contact Texans for Peace or Liza Smith at the Fellowship of Reconciliation's Task Force on Latin America and the Carribean. liza@igc.org

PETA asks peace groups to go meatless

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is asking peace and social justice groups to adopt policies of only serving vegetarian meals at events and fundraisers.

In doing so, peace organizations will be better able able to address environmental issues, costly oil use for transportation and animal feeds, reduce religious tensions, help Texans develop healthier lifestyles and reduce unecessary deaths and ... reduce violence against animals.