Back in June of 2003, ROP coordinated a weeklong Walk for Truth, Justice and Community that involved thousands of Oregonians. Walkers and their supporters were outraged by current policies entrenching not just wars abroad but also wars at home. We marched from our starting point in Salem to take over the Governor’s office with veterans and military families at the front of the room. We were there to demand that the Governor show some backbone regarding the role of the Oregon National Guard and other Oregon resources being deployed in the war/occupation. Later that week, he delivered his strongest statement yet in opposition to the war in Iraq. The war has spiraled into an occupation with no sign of an end. Let’s turn up the heat in Oregon to prevent further deployments.
Oregon peace and justice groups in June of 2008 join with similar groups across the nation for parallel state efforts to reduce the flow of resources to the wars/occupations. Let’s gather signatures that show just how fed up Oregonians are with the so called war on terror. And then let’s plan a time to reconvene (with or with out a formal invitation) back in the Governor’s office in Salem.
Here’s what it says on the petition:
To the elected officials in the state of Oregon: We, the undersigned, urge you to take the steps necessary to prevent the further deployment of Oregon’s National Guard to Iraq and Afghanistan.
- The Authorization for Use of Military Force in Iraq (2002) is based on Iraq having weapons of mass destruction, harboring Al Qaida members responsible for 9/11, and enforcing UN resolutions against Saddam Hussein’s regime, reasons which were never or are no longer valid.
- The Authorization for Use of Military Force of September 2001, which launched the "War on Terror," is overly broad and has allowed the US to occupy Afghanistan and conduct airstrikes on other countries while chipping away Americans’ human, civil and constitutional rights.
- Oregonians have shown a desire to bring the troops home: 61 elected officials from 27 counties signed a letter to President Bush in September, 2007; the Oregon State House and Senate passed resolutions in March and May, 2007; the cities of Corvallis, Portland and Eugene passed similar resolutions in 2006 and 2007; thousands of Oregonians have written letters, postcards and emails, made phone calls, marched and protested.
- Governor Ted Kulongoski told the Oregonian in October, 2006 that he believes the continued presence of U.S. troops in Iraq "is making things worse" and that the U.S. should set a strict timetable for getting out.
- Legislation to de-federalize the Guard due to the expiration of the Iraq AUMF has been introduced in Vermont, New Jersey, and several other states.
- Oregon needs its National Guard to respond to forest fires and natural disasters and for search and rescue missions.
Download a copy of the petition to ciruclate in your community.