No attack on Syria!

Sept. 2 — Anti-war, anti-imperialist and Syrian-American organizations inside the U.S. all see the coming week as the last chance to mobilize popular resistance to a military strike on Syria. Polls show the people are very worried about the political and economic consequences of another costly war, but this sentiment must be organized to affect the outcome.

After postponing the U.S. attack on the Syrian people until a debate in Congress, which will open on Sept. 9, the administration has launched a “full-press campaign … for Congressional approval of its plan to carry out” a strike against the Syrian people. (New York Times, Sept. 1) The anti-war movement aims to press back.

Along with the dozens of protests held last week in the U.S. and hundreds of others worldwide, the anti-attack forces have called three major actions in the next week. These involve local and regional protests on Saturday, Sept. 7, and, at the initiative of Syrian-American groups, a convergence on Monday, Sept. 9, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.

IAC calls ‘Hands off Syria!’ action Sept. 7

Under the slogan of “Hands off Syria! Not another war!” the International Action Center called on its supporters to build for and attend local demonstrations and a major regional action on Sept. 7 at 42nd Street and Seventh Avenue in New York at 1 p.m. The call urges activists: “Let’s make our voices heard before the U.S. Congressional war vote.” Readers can go to iacenter.org to endorse, support and find an action near them.

Among other actions that day is one called by the Answer Coalition for Washington, D.C., before the White House at noon.

Sara Flounders, a co-coordinator of the IAC, said her group was also supporting an initiative by the Syrian American Forum to hold a “Hands off Syria, Don’t bomb Syria” march on Washington on Sept. 9, when Congress is due to reconvene. The group, which also supports the Sept. 7 demonstrations, is organizing buses from the Midwest, South and other areas, including New York. See syrianamericanforum.com.

The United National Antiwar Coalition has endorsed these and other actions, including a coordinated day of varied actions directed at Congress on Friday, Sept. 6, from 4 to 6 p.m. See unacpeace.org.