Military Resistance 12B5
“Just Over Half Of Americans Disapprove Of The President’s Job Performance”
“Nearly Six In 10 Say They Are Uncertain, Worried Or Pessimistic About What He Will Do With The Remainder Of His Presidency”
“Disapproval For Congress, Too, Is Near Its All-Time High”
Jan. 28, 2014 By Neil King Jr. and Patrick O’Connor, Wall Street Journal [Excerpts]
Since the rise of modern polling in the 1930s, only George W. Bush has begun his sixth year in the White House on rockier ground than Mr. Obama.
Large majorities of respondents said they want the White House and lawmakers to focus on job creation and early-childhood education, and a slimmer majority favored increasing the minimum wage.
The survey found that just over half of Americans disapprove of the president’s job performance, with 43% approving, a trough that remains little changed since the early summer.
Nearly six in 10 say they are uncertain, worried or pessimistic about what he will do with the remainder of his presidency.
Disapproval for Congress, too, is near its all-time high.
ACTION REPORTS
Outreach To New York National Guard
From: Alan S
To: Military Resistance Newsletter
Sent: February 07, 2014 \
Subject: 2/6/14 Outreach to New York National Guard
Yesterday at one of NYC's commuter terminals I encountered 4 soldiers and gave them each a Military Resistance Newsletter, Military Resistance intro card [see below] and DVDs of Authority & Expectations and Sir! No Sir! with the exception of one, a young private, who already had the DVDs so he knew about Iraq vet Wray Harris's attack on politicians (among others) [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyfkLubnyBw] in Authority & Expectations.”
We met not long ago at another terminal at which he was receptive to receipt of material. Also, he wanted to know how I felt about a 9/11 conspiracy. I told him anything was possible but if U.S. government agents had indeed planned and/or executed such a plot and if it had gotten out the resulting debacle would have made other government scandals seem like child's play. After all, I reasoned, high treason isn't looked upon kindly here or anywhere else. He nodded thoughtfully.
Yesterday, the private seemed glad to see me again and was very grateful to receive a copy of Soldiers in Revolt GI Resistance during the Vietnam War plus a Military Law Task Force Newsletter which delighted him even more.
The private wishes to be as well informed as possible. He's a history buff you see.
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ACTION REPORTS WANTED:
FROM YOU!
An effective way to encourage others to support members of the armed forces organizing to resist the Imperial war is to report what you do.
If you’ve carried out organized contact with troops on active duty, at base gates, airports, or anywhere else, send a report in to Military Resistance for the Action Reports section.
Same for contact with National Guard and/or Reserve components.
They don’t have to be long. Just clear, and direct action reports about what work was done and how.
If there were favorable responses, say so.
If there were unfavorable responses or problems, don’t leave them out. Reporting what went wrong and/or got screwed up is especially important, so that others may learn from you what to expect, and how to avoid similar problems if possible.
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The Military Resistance Organization Mission Statement:
1. The mission of Military Resistance is to bring together in one organization members of the armed forces and civilians in order to give aid and comfort to members of the armed forces who are organizing to end the war of empire in Afghanistan. The long term objective is to assist in eliminating all wars of empire by eliminating all empires.
2. Military Resistance does not advocate individual disobedience to orders or desertion from the armed forces. The most effective resistance is organized by members of the armed forces working together.
However, Military Resistance respects and will assist in the defense of troops who see individual desertion or refusal of orders as the only course of action open to them for reasons of conscience.
3. Military Resistance stands for the immediate, unconditional withdrawal of all U.S. and other occupation troops from Afghanistan.
Occupied nations have the right to independence and the right to resist Imperial invasion and occupation by force of arms.
4. Efforts to increase democratic rights in every society, organization, movement, and within the armed forces itself will receive encouragement and support.
Members of the armed forces, whether those of the United States or any other nation, have the right and duty to act against dictatorships commanding their services, and to assist civilian movements against dictatorship.
This applies whether a political dictatorship is imposed by force of arms or a political dictatorship is imposed by those in command of the resources of society using their wealth to purchase the political leadership.
5. Military Resistance uses organizational democracy.
This means control of the organization by the membership, through elected delegates to any coordinating bodies that may be formed, whether at local, regional, or national levels.
Any member may run for any job in the organization. All persons elected are subject to immediate recall, by majority vote of the membership.
Coordinating bodies report their actions, decisions and votes to the membership who elected them, and may be overruled by a majority of the membership.
6. It is not necessary for Military Resistance to be in political agreement with other organizations in order to work together towards specific common objectives.
It is productive for organizations working together on common projects to discuss differences about the best way forward for the movement.
Debate is necessary to arrive at the best course of action.
Membership Requirements:
7. It is a condition of membership that each member prioritize and participate in organized action to reach out to active duty armed forces, Reserve and/or National Guard units.
8. Military Resistance or individual members may choose to support candidates for elective office who are for immediate withdrawal from Afghanistan, but do not support a candidate opposed to immediate, unconditional withdrawal.
9. Members may not be active duty or drilling reserve commissioned officers, or employed in any capacity by any police or intelligence agency, local, state, or national.
10. I understand and am in agreement with the above statement. I pledge to defend my brothers and sisters, and the democratic rights of the citizens of the United States, against all enemies, foreign and domestic.
------(Signed
(Date)
------(Application taken by)
Military Resistance:
Box 126, 2576 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10025-5657
888-711-2550
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Military Resistance:
Box 126, 2576 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10025-5657
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FORWARD OBSERVATIONS
“At a time like this, scorching irony, not convincing argument, is needed. Oh had I the ability, and could reach the nation’s ear, I would, pour out a fiery stream of biting ridicule, blasting reproach, withering sarcasm, and stern rebuke.
“For it is not light that is needed, but fire; it is not the gentle shower, but thunder.
“We need the storm, the whirlwind, and the earthquake.”
“The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppose.”
Frederick Douglass, 1852
The past year – every single day of it – has had its consequences. In the obscure depths of society, an imperceptible molecular process has been occurring irreversibly, like the flow of time, a process of accumulating discontent, bitterness, and revolutionary energy.
-- Leon Trotsky, “Up To The Ninth Of January”
FYI: Military Resistance Website Visits:
Top Ten Locations Of Visitors Ranked 1-10
[January 2014]
1 United States
2 China
3 Netherlands
4 Germany
5 Great Britain
6 Canada
7 Ukraine
8 France
9 Saudi Arabia
10 Romania
Readers from an additional 62 have also accessed.
Source: AWStats
“How Will Members Of The Armed Forces Know That The Revolutionary Movement Is So Determined To Win That It Makes Sense To Refuse Orders To Attack It And Instead To Defend It?”
“One Indication That The Revolutionary Movement Is Determined Is If It Uses Arms In Self Defense When It Makes Sense To Do So”
[Excerpt from: The History of the Russian Revolution By Leon Trotsky, Volume One: The Overthrow of Tzarism: February 23-27, 1917]
“THE LEADERS OF THE WORKERS FUMED, LOOKED FOR FIREARMS, DEMANDED THEM FROM THE PARTY.
“AND THE ANSWER WAS: THE SOLDIERS HAVE THE FIREARMS, GO GET THEM”
The Vyborg section [revolutionaries] staged a meeting near the barracks of the Moscow regiment. The enterprise proved a failure.
Is it difficult for some officer or sergeant major to work the handle of a machine gun? The workers were scattered by cruel fire.
A similar attempt was made at the barracks of Reserve regiment. And there too: officers with machine gun interfered between the workers and soldiers.
The leaders of the workers fumed, looked for firearms, demanded them from the party.
And the answer was: “The soldiers have the firearms, go get them.”
Either the machine gun will wipe out the insurrection, or the insurrection will capture the machine gun.
But out of this complicated web of material and psychic forces one conclusion emerges with irrefutable clarity: the more the soldiers in their mass are convinced that the rebels are really rebelling – that this is not a demonstration after which they will have to go back to the barracks and report, that this is a struggle to the death, that the people may win if they join them, and that this winning will not only guarantee impunity, but alleviate the lot of all – the more they realize this, the more willing they are to turn aside their bayonets, or go over with them to the people.
In other words, the revolutionaries can create a break in the soldiers’ mood only if they themselves are actually ready to seize the victory at any price whatever, even the price of blood.
And the highest determination never can, or will, remain unarmed.
YOU’RE INVITED:
Comments, arguments, articles, and letters from service men and women, and veterans, are especially welcome. Write to Box 126, 2576 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10025-5657 or email : Name, I.D., withheld unless you request publication. Same address to unsubscribe.
OCCUPATION PALESTINE
Zionnist Forces Fire On Palestinians Protresting Their Endless Occupation Of Palestine:
30 Wounded By “Live And Rubber-Coated Steel Bullets”
09/02/2014 Ma'an
RAMALLAH -- Dozens of Palestinians were injured on Friday as protesters clashed with Israeli military forces in villages across the West Bank.
Demonstrations against the Israeli occupation took place in Kafr Qaddum, Beit Ummar, al-Jalazun, and Silwad on Friday afternoon.
Israeli forces responded with force injuring more than 30 protesters with live and rubber-coated steel bullets as well as dozens more with excessive firing of tear gas.
Five Israeli soldiers were also reported injured in the clashes after being struck by rocks.
Kafr Qaddum
In the Qalqiliya area village of Kafr Qaddum, four people, including a child, were injured during a weekly protest against the annexation of local land by Israel.
Saqer Obeid, 58, was injured after being struck in the head by a tear gas canister and Mahmoud Riyadh Eshtewi, 5, was struck with a tear gas canister in the leg.
Kamil Barham, 23, and Nasser Hasan, 43, were shot with steel bullets in the hand and foot, while dozens suffered from excessive tear gas inhalation.
Murad Eshtewi, a local coordinator for a popular resistance committee, said the protest started after Friday prayers, with hundreds of villagers and activists marching through the village.
Israeli soldiers and border police units raided the area and fired tear gas, stun grenades and steel bullets at the protesters.
An Israeli army spokesman said “40 Palestinians hurled rocks at Israeli security forces, who responded with riot dispersal means.”
Protests are held every Friday in Kafr Qaddum against Israel's closure of a main road linking the village to its nearest city, Nablus. The road has been closed since 2000.
Beit Ummar
In Beit Ummar, two Palestinians were injured and one detained during clashes with Israeli military forces.
Israeli forces fired tear gas at Palestinians congratulating a local man who had been released from an Israeli jail after eight years.
An Israeli soldier was hit by a rock, a local popular resistance committee member said.
Al-Jalazun
Meanwhile, 12 Palestinians were injured with live gunfire and two were struck in the head by tear gas canisters in the Ramallah refugee camp of al-Jalazun.
Dozens of other people were injured by rubber-coated steel bullets and four Israeli soldiers were injured when youths threw back a tear canisters at them.
An Israeli spokesman said “300 Palestinians were throwing rocks, firebombs and burning tires. Israeli forces responded with riot dispersal means.”
Live fire was used against main instigators, he added.
Silwad
More than 10 Palestinian youths were injured by rubber bullets and nearly 50 suffered from excesive tear gas inhalation during clashes with Israeli forces near the village of Silwad north of Ramallah.
Four Israeli soldiers were also injured during the clashes, according to military sources, and had to be evacuated by ambulance after being struck by rocks.
Protests erupted after noon prayers on the outskirts of town, but turned into clashes that continued into the center of town as large numbers of soldiers raided and chased youths through the village roads.
The internationally recognized Palestinian territories of which the West Bank and East Jerusalem form a part have been occupied by the Israeli military since 1967.