Groups protest Afghan surge
Posted On: Tuesday, Dec. 1 2009 05:20 AM
By Rebecca LaFlure
Killeen Daily HeraldAnti-war groups from across the state are calling upon President Barack Obama to immediately withdraw troops from Afghanistan in response to his anticipated announcement tonight to send more forces.
A coalition of Texas peace and justice organizations met Monday at Under the Hood Café, an outreach center for soldiers in Killeen, to voice their opposition to the Afghan war, arguing that increased troop strength would escalate the violence.
"The price of war is paid for by our sons and daughters in the U.S. military. We are speaking for them," Hadi Jawad, from the Dallas Peace Center, said Monday during a news conference. "It's fundamentally unfair to ask so much of such a small group of people."
Obama will address the U.S. Military Academy at West Point at 7 p.m., when he is expected to announce that he is sending 30,000 to 35,000 more troops to Afghanistan.
Anti-war protesters staged demonstrations across Texas Monday and their actions will continue today. Thirty-one organizations statewide have signed on their support to withdraw troops, including Under the Hood Café, the Crawford Peace House, Waco Friends of Peace, Veterans for Peace and Christians for Peace.
They propose that the United States leave Afghanistan within one year and negotiate with Afghan leaders to peacefully rebuild the country.
"We've wasted $3 trillion on bombs and bullets. … It's time for an exit strategy and to bring our troops home," said Sylvia Benini, director of the Austin Center for Peace and Justice.
Peace group representatives expressed disappointment in a president they say was elected on an anti-war platform. Some questioned why the United States should continue to pour billions of dollars into fighting a war when the money
could be used to fund universal health care or help rebuild the broken economy.
Charlie Jackson, founder of Texans for Peace, said sending more troops would increase anti-American sentiment throughout the region and destabilize Pakistan.
"The same mistakes we made in Vietnam, to escalate military troop strength, are expected to be made here," Jackson said.
Cynthia Thomas, director of Under the Hood and an Army spouse, said she's most concerned soldiers will continue to return home with post-traumatic stress disorder and other health problems following multiple deployments.
"After the Iraq surge, we were losing about two soldiers a week," Thomas said in tears. "It's going to get worse. … Violence brings on more violence."
Contact Rebecca LaFlure at
rlaflure@kdhnews.com or (254) 501-7548.