121Contact

Oct 25 2011 Phyllis Bennis Speaks, Brooklyn for Peace Listens, will you?

It was a stunning display of Phyllis Bennis'  intimate knowledge of Middle East machinations, aspirations, and failed American efforts to get it right. A darn good performance, considering that she'd already spoken at two events earlier in the day. 

I felt at home in the  audience, organized by Brooklyn for Peace, as a grey-haired, over 60, liberal activist. I suspect there were more than a couple of old-line socialists in the crowd...a few lefty, commie, pinko keepers of the flame. About 50 of us sat in front room of the Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture, across from Prospect Park. 

She focused mainly on how past US Middle East policy (create stability by support for dictators, control the oil and water, unflinching support for Israel) is now empty since 'the people' have thrown the dictators out, or are in the process of doing so. She did not describe a detailed US policy going forward, but concentrated instead on the importance of US civil society keeping the pressure on politicians to steer away from the 'problem, therefore use force'  mentality.

She did, however prescribe a broad conceptualization of future policy that would help guide the world to more peaceful tomorrows: end the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and stop the military support of Israel which come to some US$3 billion/year. She called for US civil society to demand, and US government to admit,  the discourse has changed. We must move from the militaristic, simplistic "support the dictators at all cost" mode of thinking. It just doesn't work.

Some point that caught my attention:

• Although Obama takes credit for pulling the troops ouf of Iraq the American civil society movement had more to do with it, and the Iraqi people are the most responsible. Maliki found almost no internal support for keeping troops there, although he would dearly love the occupation, and it's tacit support for his regime, to stay... "after all, Gaddafi was our guy."

• Obama's "we stand with the fruit sellers" is a painful distortion, given that we supported/continue to support so many dictators in the Middle East; those same powers that led to the self-immolation of a fruit seller in his misery of oppression.

• Even if we remove all Department of Defense troops from Iraq by the end of the year, as the SOFA demands, the State Department has already signed contracts that will put 5-10,000 mercenaries on the ground, not under DoD control. Many contracts are right now being moved from Dod to the State Department to avoid counting the troops uner the SOFA agreement.

• Afghanistan is now holding about a quarter of a million occupation forces: 100 thousand US military, 100,000 US mercenaries, and the rest from NATO countries.

One of my favorite moments was her acknowledgement (I love people who validate my own ideas) that U.S. media, in fact most Western media outlets ignore the facts of peace movements in the Middle East. Palestinians have been peacefully active for at least 10 years. Their Palestine Spring had no positive media attention. The first intifada was, in fact, a peace movement. There are many Budrus-like activities that take place in Palestine each and every day.

[Iraq has a fast-growing civil society that embraces non-violence. All the Arab and non-Arab nations of the Middle East have withing them non-violent movements that are pressuring their governments to transform into more democratic regimes, even Saudi Arabia! b]

Now what? The moral equations have failed to move the American public to pressure the US government to alter policy. Dead children, collateral damage, the destruction of Iraq, ... none of this has led to widespread moral outrage. What is moving people today? It's the economy.

Civil society in America must hammer home the relationship between the costs of war and the failure of the US economy to recover quickly. The US$10 billion/month that feeds the war machine could go a long way to helping create jobs, increase technical education, decrease class-size (by hiring more teachers), and repair our failing infrastructure (creating more jobs in the process). The list is longer, but the aim is clear. Make the economic facts known.

In the Q/A session that followed her talk she was asked if she was worried about the Islamists taking over the Egyptian government. Her response was a succinct, "I am not afraid of the Islamists. I am concerned that the people of Egypt  get what they want." We may not like their chosen path, but if it is democratically chosen then let us support it, deal with it, and move forward.

Bennis closed by saying, "US civil society has to speak up, and keep speaking. I know it is frustrating...but the discourse must change. You can't give up. Let them know, "We are not going away."

 

 

 

Oct 12 2011 Iraq, the ICSSI and more peaceful tomorrows

Oh, sure. He laughed at me and made a few jokes about me to my newly met colleagues. But how was I to know the cops don't even carry guns here? Erbil,like most of Iraqi Kurdistan, is peaceful. I did see a couple of the police officers with sidearms but that's about it. The only soldiers I saw were at the entrances to the many, many ministries and at Erbil International Airport. I'm thinking there's probably a Ministry of Ministries.

My emails to Ali, in Samawah, certainly contained more than a hint of my nervousness about my first trip to Iraq. The first hours of deciding were filled with mental videos of me; in a cross-fire (but not wounded); near to an exploding car (but far enough away to not be injured); and, of course, me as a kidnapping victim. I'd heard that Erbil was safe and the few I knew how had been there told me not to worry. Ali promised to meet me at the airport. So I worried anyway, and decided to go.

 Baghdad 2005 and Mosul 2011 were on my mind. What the hell happened to Mosul anyway. This past year has been a horrendous slide. Hanna'a tells me of her folks not letting her go out of the house except for school, or maybe shopping, but never alone. Long boring hours listening to the same music over and over, cleaning the already clean house, and staring at the walls. Tears threaten to run from her eyes as she drops back into the details of her uncle's kidnapping, still fresh after only 10 days. There were desperate calls from him as other prisoners of this gang were shot and killed, had hands amputated, had heads cut off as he was forced to watch. "We sold everything. All the family sold. They let him go, but his is ruined," she sobbed...

where was I? Oh, yeah,

I'd been invited to take part in the 2nd ICSSI conference in Erbil, Iraq. Some 150 Iraqis activists, and peace and social workers, along with about 100 'internationals' of various organizations (from huge, like the UN, to tiny like 121Contact) attended. We were there to assist the Iraqi NGOs as they planned campaigns for the coming year.

The sessions of large and small groups ran incredibly smoothly and you could hardly feel the Kurdistan/Iraq tension. The Iraq/USA tension was another matter. We were only three Americans at the conference and a couple of times the anti-USA anger came out sideways at us. But we can take it, and the difference between the US government and its people, and the American peace workers was quickly pointed out by our Iraqi defenders.

Don't get me wrong. The Iraqi/Kurdish divide exists, and there are some private comments attested to this; some more agitated than others. 

"Look," a man from the southern city of Basra said, "When you land in Erbil there's no Arabic. Only Kurdish and English. Look, here on every Iraqi passport...look! Arabic, English, and Kurdish." His voice keeps rising as he nearly shouts, "Why should I carry Kurdish with me everywhere?" I'm glad we're down the road, out of earshot.

Security was tight at the conference, but not so tight that someone wasn't able to walk off with my Nikon. Yes, I left it alone on a ledge as we all rushed in from our tea break to watch a marvelous performance by young Iraqi actors. They were great. I couldn't understand more than a stray word, here and there, but I got it! Or so the producers told me as I recapped the themes. I hope they weren't just being polite.

On the other side I met a few Iraqi Kurds who once were happy to accept the intellectual capital fleeing from the South but are now resentful of the competition in jobs,housing, and attention. In my narrow focus I said to greg, "They'll have to deal with this." He answered, "Maybe not." And then recited a list of "peaceful separatism regions" where mild anti-other-snobbishness takes the place of bullets and bombs...Catalonia, Extreme Northern Italy, Sardinia, Quebec, ...

I learned a lot this trip. I watched experienced hands in Global civil Society movements, some part of the WSF, gently (sometimes not so gently) nudge the leaders of Iraq's NGOs to take charge of their own projects, recognize that they are part of a struggle larger than Iraq, and work together on common causes even though they don't agree on everything.

If I wasn't so tired I'd say more about the Iraqi youth at the conference. They are a movement unto themselves. Facebook and twittered and music'd into a world their folks don't have a clue about. They've opened channels among young Iraqis in all parts of Iraq.

"OK. OK," Mohammed said to the UN guy. "We don't need more of your surveys and your statistics. If you want to know the problems facing Iraqi youth just ask me. Let us have some input into what is decided. You can spend some of your money helping instead of collecting more informations." These young people who are activists hold onto hope. They see change that others are unaware of. They have crossed divides of political violence, and they intend to continue to build the new Iraq in a non-violent way.

Iraq may not get there tomorrow. There will be serious setbacks, but lookout! They will get there. Inshallah.

 

 

 

April 19 2010 Baghdad, Iraq comes to New York University

Haider Hamza, Iraqi photo-journalist (seated at right), and 121Contact founder Bruce Wallace (kneeling at left) brought "the reality of the US occupation of Iraq-through the eyes of Iraqis" to New York University students today.

Invited by Professor Anthony Nicotera (standing at right), they presented to the American students photographs, along with the words of Iraqi students, illustrating, often in grim detail, the consequences of the U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq.

emails from Baghdad students illuminated the effects of the occupation on every day life, and death, in Iraq's capital city. As is typical of these presentations the students were shocked by how little they had known of the depth of the devastation the occupation has brought to the innocent civilian population.

Many pledged to answer the emails from Baghdad-and so to open more communication through the walls of political violence.

To inquire about bringing a 121Contact event to your group write to: mail@121Contact.org

April 20 2009 121Contact at NYU - students move toward peaceful tomorrows

121Contact at NYU

Bruce Wallace April 20 2009

 

A breath of fresh air! After about 3 dozen events we found ourselves at Professor Nicotera’s NYU Peace Education class, filled with intelligent, knowledgeable students. We were not disappointed. They were as attentive as last year’s students at our first NYU presentation.

 

They were only around 12 years old on 9/11/01 and 9/11 doesn’t mean the same thing to them as it does to us, but they clearly understood the consequences to innocent Iraqis resulting from our invasion and occupation. They asked intelligent questions. They wanted to know about alternate news sources; they evidenced the compassion one would hope to find in today’s college students.

 [click to enlarge]

This is the work we love to do: one-to-one contact with young people that enables them to feel in touch with young Iraqis; to understand them not as ‘the other’, but as young adults very much like themselves.

 

As usual we didn’t talk much politics. We did touch upon the relentless attempts by the U.S. military to isolate the Iraqis as much as possible which effectively prevents internal peace movements from forming widespread bases from which to  deter violence. We did talk about the staggering numbers of deaths, widows, and orphans that have resulted from our decision to use violence in Iraq. We spoke about the ongoing hell that most Iraqis live in today. We spoke about the hatred for Americans this occupation continues to engender,  and how that will persist for generations.

 

And they clearly understood the profound sense of isolation that results from the trauma of prolonged exposure to violence and loss. They asked if they could write to Iraqi students, and we were happy to say ‘Yes.’ It didn’t take long before they started to write. The first of their emails were waiting for me when I got back home.

 

We hope to get answering emails back to them as soon as possible so that another group of students can begin to break through the walls of political violence and find the hearts of the people on ‘the other side’.

 

It is in students like these that the world will find its way to more peaceful tomorrows.

 

 

 

Mar 19 2009 Lees-McRae College visits St. Paul/St.Andrews Church

We had a wonderful opportunity to speak to visiting students from Lees-McRae College in North Carolina. Thanks to Amanda Elliot, Youth  Pastor, and Charlie, the tour chaperon, a group of students heard the words of Iraqi students and teachers. They came to New York on a 'service trip'; an alternative Spring Break in which no one was required to drink 'till they puked and all were happy to help out at the food bank of the church.

       

Hosted by St. Paul/St.Andrews Church,86th Street off B'way in Manhattan, the students had just returned from a tour of Ground Zero. They heard from us of the wonderful work of September Eleventh Families for Peaceful Tomorrows, and its many offshoots of peace work grown out of the pain and anger of 9/11 family members who have made the conscious decision to turn feelings into actions for peace.

We'll be speaking in the next few weeks at Manhattan's John Jay college of Criminal Justice and NYU.

[Yo! Iraqi students: keep sending your words to us and we will read them to the students at these events. Speak your mind. Tell them of your feeling about the invasion and occupation. They are keenly interested in what life is like under the occupation, and aware of the fact the American media does little to tell your truth.]

It continues to shock me, even after all these speaking events, that many of our intelligent young people are still under the impression that Iraq attacked us on 9/11. It continues to feel good that they are receptive to, and understanding of a more rational view of recent historical events. It was great to have a chance to engage them, bring them the truth in Iraqi student writings, and let them see another view of American actions in Iraq.

In loving kindness,

Bruce and Noor

Jan 29 2009 NYC Understanding Islam through Virtual Worlds

This looks like it will mesh nicely with our work in Second Life.

http://www.meetup.com/metaversemeetup/calendar/9469198/

Carnegie Council Senior Fellows Joshua S. Fouts and Rita J. King will present findings from their Understanding Islam through Virtual Worlds project. After a year of exploring digital Islamic communities, Fouts and King conclude that engaging with people in virtual worlds who self-identify as Muslim can be part of a broader public diplomacy strategy to foster inclusive perspectives on religion, society, and coexistence.

Virtual platforms, while they involve real people, do not involve physical contact, making them a useful medium to explore productive responses to conflict without the threat of violence or intimidation. The U.S. government has recently taken note of these trends, as evidenced by the State Department's move toward Public Diplomacy 2.0 and the Army's presence in the virtual world of Second Life.

Policy Innovations Managing Editor Evan O'Neil will moderate. Wine reception to follow.

Thursday, January 29, 2009, 6-7:30PM
Global Policy Innovations
Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs
170 East 64th Street
New York, NY 10065-7478
(212) 838-4120

Events: WAR AND ITS CONSEQUENCES

We're out there again speaking the truth about the consequences of the US occupation of Iraq.

Monday November 3

Peace Day at the High School for Global Citizenship
883 Classon Avenue, Brooklyn NY  Contact: [Not open to the public. ]

   Iraqi orphans at Al Menar

Monday Nov 10 10:30AM

Ethnicity and War: Bruce Wallace and Sreca Perunovic  31-10 Thomson Avenue Long Island City, N.Y. In the Little Theater, contact: Sreca Perunovic 718-482-7200. This is part of the November 10-11  War and its Consequences Conference at LaGuardia Community College

July 2 2008 Peace Boat in NYC: Iraqi teacher to speak

NEW EVENT: JULY 14 2008
Noor, a Baghdad schoolteacher, will speak at a Peace Boat event centering on Ground Zero in Manhattan. We'll meet at 10AM at St. Paul's Chapel. http://www.peaceboat.org/english/wtpb/index.html

Mar 27 2008 Speaking Events: Iraq and Collateral Damage

Hi,
It seems that we've neglected to post our event schedule for a while. I apologize for not keeping you better informed. Our recent and near-future events are closed to the public. They are at Universities and High Schools and take place in classroom and auditorium settings.

Our primary funding comes from these events. You can help by looking for people and organizations interested in hearing N speak about life in Baghdad today.

Peace to you and yours,
Bruce and N