PEACE Iowa

Peace Education and Action Center of Eastern Iowa

Promoting international peace through education, intercultural communication, public witness, citizen involvement, and personal choices

On March 19, 2003, the U.S. launched an invasion of Iraq. 18 years later, U.S. troops are still in Iraq. The Pentagon says the number is 2,500. No way to verify that. Lots of U.S. contractors there too. Why are we there? The rotation of reasons resembles a roulette wheel, with the last one being to prevent a resurgence of ISIS. In response to an attack in Irbil on Feb. 15 which killed one U.S. contractor, we launched attacks with seven 500 lb. bombs on a Shiite militia base in Syria, the same militia which helped defeat ISIS a few years ago. But the attack on the militia was a great opportunity to blame Iran, whom we blamed for the death of the contractor in Irbil.

We have spent trillions in the last 18 years on our war in Iraq. Over 4,000 U.S. military members have died, and hundreds of thousands more suffer from PTSD and TBI. We have killed several hundred thousand Iraqis and have decimated Iraqi infrastructure. It is time to end our military presence in Iraq. It seems our only purpose there is to have US personnel there as sitting ducks, so when they get attacked, we can escalate our pressure on Iran.

Our invasion of Iraq in 2003 was based on lies. Our continued military presence there serves no useful purpose for Iraq or U.S. This is not a partisan issue, just an issue of common sense and humanity. Support the troops! Bring them home.

The Golden Rule Across Cultures Brahmanism ...  This is the sum of duty: Do naught unto others which would cause you pain if done to you. Mahabharata 5:1517 Buddhism ...  Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful. Udana Varga 5:18 Christianity ...  So whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them; for this is the law and the prophets. Matthew 7:12 Confucianism ...  Surely it is the maxim of loving-kindness: Do not unto others that you would not have them do unto you. Analects 15:23 Islam ...  No one of you is a believer until he desires for his brother what which he desires for himself. Sunnah Judaism ...  What is hateful to you, do not to your fellowmen. That is the entire Law; all the rest is commentary. Talmud, Shabbat 31:a Judeo-Christian ...  You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against your countrymen. Love your fellow as yourself: I am the Lord. Leviticus 19:18 Taoism ...  Regard your neighbor's gain as your own gain, and your neighbor's loss as your own loss. T'ai Shag Kan Ying P'ien Zoroastrianism ...  That nature only is good when it shall not do unto another whatever is not good for its own self. Avesta: Dadistan-i-dink 94:5 «·»

PEACE Iowa volunteers Georgiane and Nancy at our booth at the 2019 Iowa City Soul & Blues Fest.


The first visitors to name 3 countries on an unlabeled map of Africa at our booth at the 2019 Iowa City Soul & Blues Fest.