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No Blood For Oil
By Paul Wright
As we go to press with this issue of PLN the United States is preparing to attack Iraq in the Persian Gulf. There's a large number of veterans from past imperialist adventures still in prison throughout the United States today. PLN does not support the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait nor the regime of Saddam Hussein. By the same token, we also vigorously oppose American interference in the Middle East and do not believe that restoring a feudal monarchy and maintaining Exxon's level of profits is worth the life of one American soldier (already some 90 have died without a shot being fired) to say nothing of the carnage and destruction that will be wreaked upon the Arab population of the region. George Bush's hypocrisy in this whole sordid adventure is readily apparent; Israel occupies the nation of Palestine and territory that is part of Egypt, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan this has been repeatedly condemned by the United Nations, the U.S. hasn't sent troops but they have sent money and weapons: to the Israelis. We hear Bush talk about sanctions not working thus making a need for the use of military force, yet we don' t hear Bush calling for the invasion of South Africa after years of sanctions have failed to dismantle apartheid. But the South African regime, like Iraq before August 2, 1990, is not a threat to American interests.
The January 3rd, 1991, edition of the "Seattle Times reports that the military is prepared to reinstitute the draft to fill up the ranks of the military with more cannon fodder in the event of massive casualties in the middle east. The U.S. has never fought a major military conflict without resorting to a draft. Those who do the fighting in these campaigns are working class youth. The best example of this is Vice President Dan QuayIe, he used his family connections to wangle a position with the Indiana National Guard when American youth were fighting and dying in rice paddies in South East Asia.
In the event of a draft young men (women are exempted) will have to make a choice to resist or to be drafted and go fight for corporate interests. It seems like an easy choice: a jail cell beats the hell out of dying in a desert 8,000 miles from home just so the United States can control the oil supplies of it's economic competitors in Europe and Japan. We will provide complimentary subscriptions of "PLN" to all jailed conscientious objectors and draft resisters on request and urge others to support those with the courage to resist this military adventure.
We would also like to encourage our readers, especially those who are veterans, to write to the soldiers in the Middle East and share your thoughts on the matter with them. If you don't know anyone in particular you can write to:
Any Service Member Operation Desert Shield FPO, New York, NY 09866-0066 If you would like more information about veterans who are opposed to military intervention and who support GI resistance write to: Vietnam Veterans Against the War Anti-Imperialist, 4710 University Way N.E., #1612, Seattle, WA 98105, (206) 292-1624.
As we go to press with this issue of PLN the United States is preparing to attack Iraq in the Persian Gulf. There's a large number of veterans from past imperialist adventures still in prison throughout the United States today. PLN does not support the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait nor the regime of Saddam Hussein. By the same token, we also vigorously oppose American interference in the Middle East and do not believe that restoring a feudal monarchy and maintaining Exxon's level of profits is worth the life of one American soldier (already some 90 have died without a shot being fired) to say nothing of the carnage and destruction that will be wreaked upon the Arab population of the region. George Bush's hypocrisy in this whole sordid adventure is readily apparent; Israel occupies the nation of Palestine and territory that is part of Egypt, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan this has been repeatedly condemned by the United Nations, the U.S. hasn't sent troops but they have sent money and weapons: to the Israelis. We hear Bush talk about sanctions not working thus making a need for the use of military force, yet we don' t hear Bush calling for the invasion of South Africa after years of sanctions have failed to dismantle apartheid. But the South African regime, like Iraq before August 2, 1990, is not a threat to American interests.
The January 3rd, 1991, edition of the "Seattle Times reports that the military is prepared to reinstitute the draft to fill up the ranks of the military with more cannon fodder in the event of massive casualties in the middle east. The U.S. has never fought a major military conflict without resorting to a draft. Those who do the fighting in these campaigns are working class youth. The best example of this is Vice President Dan QuayIe, he used his family connections to wangle a position with the Indiana National Guard when American youth were fighting and dying in rice paddies in South East Asia.
In the event of a draft young men (women are exempted) will have to make a choice to resist or to be drafted and go fight for corporate interests. It seems like an easy choice: a jail cell beats the hell out of dying in a desert 8,000 miles from home just so the United States can control the oil supplies of it's economic competitors in Europe and Japan. We will provide complimentary subscriptions of "PLN" to all jailed conscientious objectors and draft resisters on request and urge others to support those with the courage to resist this military adventure.
We would also like to encourage our readers, especially those who are veterans, to write to the soldiers in the Middle East and share your thoughts on the matter with them. If you don't know anyone in particular you can write to:
Any Service Member Operation Desert Shield FPO, New York, NY 09866-0066 If you would like more information about veterans who are opposed to military intervention and who support GI resistance write to: Vietnam Veterans Against the War Anti-Imperialist, 4710 University Way N.E., #1612, Seattle, WA 98105, (206) 292-1624.
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