End the Wars at Home and Abroad

7/25/20

The antiwar movement’s slogan, “End the wars at home and abroad” has never been more meaningful. As we see the federal forces in Portland and other cities with unmarked uniforms snatching people from the streets, we know that these is similar to tactics used by US forces in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other countries where they operate.

Troops in Iraq

Troops in Portland

These federal forces have entered the scene on top of the already rampant police violence and brutality that has been both the cause, and the response, to the mass rebellion that has brought people into the streets with the cry of “Black Lives Matter.” Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrations have taken place in more than 2000 US cities and towns and inspired actions in more than 60 countries. The murder of George Floyd, in the midst of the US government’s criminal response to the COVID-19 crisis, was the last straw for millions of people who are finally saying “enough”.

The police murder of George Floyd along with the murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Rayshard Brooks and countless others, have exposed the deep systemic racism in this country. We support the demand of the protests for an end to racist policing and for Black community control of the police. And we add the demand to also defund the US military, which today has forces in around 172 countries and are occupying many of these countries, just as the militarized police occupy Black communities in the US.

The recent vote by both the Democrats and the Republicans in congress to not even cut the military budget by 10%, a budget that is higher than that of the 8 countries with the next highest military budgets combined, indicates that the US is unwilling to stand down from its wars abroad or at home without a concerted fight.

We demand:

End police killings of Black people and all people of color!

Remove all federal troops from our cities!

End police repression of demonstrations!

Democratic community control of the police!

Defund the military and use the funds for human needs!

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