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> Mon. Mar. 17, 2003
Pacifica's Peace Watch
Today's Stories:
An Analysis of Developments at the UN Dilip Hiro
Israel Kills American Student with Bulldozer
Rally at the US Capitol
Thousands Rally For Peace at the Washington Monument
Roundtable Discussion
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The Bush administration abandons efforts to find a peaceful
solution through the U-N as Britain withdraws its resolution
seeking an alternative to war.
Bush told Saddam Hussein to flee Iraq or face a U.S.-led
invasion, abandoning U.N. diplomacy to brace Americans for
war within days. The president, commander in chief of 250,000
U.S. troops poised at the borders of Iraq, plans to address
the nation at 8 p.m. EST.
Speaking earlier this morning at the U-N Sec. General Kofi
Anan, says the U.S. recommended that the inspectors be withdrawn.
Tape: U-N Secretary General Kofi Anan
Over the weekend Bush, Spain’s president and British
Prime Minister Tony Blair huddled on the tiny island off Portugal
- - - the Azores to plan their strategy.
Tape: George Bush
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Story: An Analysis of Developments at the UN
Dilip Hiro
Dilip Hiro, - author of “Iraq in the Eye of the Storm”
spoke with Peace Watch this morning from London where he reacted
to the events over the last 24 hours - - - the meeting in
the Azores, Sec. of State Colin Powel’s statement and
the President’s upcoming address to the nation tonight.
Tape: Dilip Hiro, - author of “Iraq in the Eye of
the Storm”
[top]
Story: Israel Kills American Student with Bulldozer
During this weekend’s Anglo-American press conference
held with the leaders of Spain and Portugal in the Azores,
President Bush failed to mention Mid-East peace progress as
a possible byproduct of an invasion of Iraq. British Prime
Minister Tony Blair alluded to moving forward on a so-called
“roadmap to peace” But there is little hope today
for peace in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories,
where Israeli troops killed 10 Palestinians, including an
infant and a 13-year-old boy, in raids on the Gaza Strip.
Also killed was the first non-Palestinian opponent of Israel’s
pre-war escalation in the occupied territories.
Yesterday in Rafah, an Israeli bulldozer driver who looked
her in the eye after she had clearly identified herself in
front of a Palestinian residence crushed Rachel Corrie, a
23-year-old American peace activist and college student from
Olympia, Washington, to death. Jeff Halper is the coordinator
of the Israeli Committee Against the Demolitions. In an interview
with Peacewatch producer Robert Knight on “Wake Up Call”
at Pacifica station WBAI in NY, Halper noted that this weekend’s
tragedy and the ongoing Palestinian crackdown is directly
related to Israel’s growing role in the US-led invasion
of Iraq
Tape: Jeff Halper, coordinator of the Israeli Committee
Against the Demolitions, speaking with Robert Knight on WBAI’s
“Wake Up Call”
[top]
Story: Rally at the US Capitol
As the Bush administration is harnessing its might to attack
Iraq, the activists are stepping up their actions to stop
the war machine. This morning, approximately 200 from United
For Peace rallied on the West Lawn of the Capitol, holding
signs and puppets.
Tape:
52 were arrested when they crossed the police line in an
act of civil disobedience. The crowed cheered in support of
those being arrested, as police tied the plastic handcuffs.
Ryme Katkhouda,
Peacewatch producer from WPFW in Washington DC, caught up
with the women arrested after they were put on a bus; first
she spoke with Medea Benjamin, an organizer with Global
Exchange and Code Pink.
Tape:
This event, organized by United for Peace and Justice, was
the kickoff event for what is supposed to be a week of lobbying
and direct action. Thanks to Katya Kruglak, from the DC-Radio-COOP
and the IMC-DC for
help on this report and Josh Chaffin of Independent Media
Center
[top]
Story: Thousands Rally For Peace at the Washington
Monument
Over the weekend tens of thousands rallied at the foot of
the Washington Monument in the nation’s capitol as president-select
Bush plotted a military advance with his allies. Damu Smith
of Black Voices for Peace issued a call to action.
Tape: Damu Smith founder of Black
Voices for Peace
[top]
Story: Roundtable Discussion
Today, president Bush declared that the time for diplomacy
is over. Today Peacewatch convened a roundtable discussion
with leaders of labor, media and the US. Legislatures to explore
what options, if any are open for opponents who want to stop
a war on Iraq.
We are joined by US Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee, of Houston,
TX, Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, Co-founder, and constitutional
rights attorney for, Partnership for Civil Justice who is
working with Ramsey Clark for Articles of Impeachment against
Bush, Michael Eisenschur, Coordinator of the Labor Committee
For Peace & Justice in the Bay area and US Labor Against
the War, David Brock, author of Blinded by the Right and former
so-called “media hit man” for the conservative
right, and Ambrose Lane, Sr., host of “We Ourselves”
on Pacifica Station WPFW.
As we explore the question of what’s next, now that
the US has withdrawn the proposed UN resolution calling for
the use of force against Iraq; is war inevitable? Rep. Sheila
Jackson-Lee.
Tape: US Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee, of Houston, TX, Mara Verheyden-Hilliard,
Co-founder, and constitutional rights attorney for, Partnership
for Civil Justice, draft articles of impeachment may be downloaded
at www.votetoimpeach.org,
Michael Eisenschur, Coordinator of the labor committee For
Peace & Justice in the Bay area and US Labor Against the
War, www.uslaboragainstwar.org,
David Brock, author of Blinded by the Right, and Ambrose Lane,
Sr., host of “We Ourselves” on Pacifica Station
WPFW
Credits
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