Ground the Drones
Everyone is invited to join CODEPINK in it's Campaign of Non-violent Actions to Ground Killer Drones, End US Militarism and Perpetual War. The drone era of perpetual war began in 2001 with the US invasion of Afghanistan. In 2003 the US invaded Iraq for a second time causing millions of causalities, creating millions of refugees and civil war. These wars had a domino affect on five other countries spreading death and destruction on a continental scale. Since 2009 CodePink, along with dozens of protesters, have been arrested at drone bases worldwide: at Creech Air Force Base, because it is the brain of the US's worldwide killer drone network, at Germany Ramstein AFB, the relay station of the killer drone network and at Beale and many other drone bases that extend the killer drone network worldwide. We demand that the US government stop the indiscriminate killing, injury, and trauma to civilians in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Somalia, Iraq, Yemen, Syria, and Libya caused by drones and endless wars.
Drone Map
CodePink, drone whistle-blowers and independent researchers all dispute the government’s claim that the use of drones is a surgically precise and effective tool that makes the US safer by enabling “targeted killing” of terrorists, with minimal downsides or collateral damage. This argument is a cover up in the face of facts. There is huge collateral impact; thousands of non-combatants, even American citizens, have been killed in covert drone missions along with the destruction of hospitals, schools, mosques infrastructure, towns and cities. The threat of terrorist attacks in the west are increasing as is the growing stream refugees around the world. Drone attacks, the face of US Militarism, are causing widespread civilian trauma not only in the Middle East, but in the US and Europe, as revenge attacks increase. No one feels safe or secure. Peace is nowhere in site.
Many peace & justice groups, including Nevada Desert Experience, Veterans for Peace, Voices for Creative Non-Violence as co-sponsor Shut Down Creech, with CodePink are calling for the US government to conduct a fundamental re-evaluation and halt of all targeted killing practices. They understand that the present strategy is losing the war and drone attacks cause suffering and that suffering is being turned into hatred and backlash against the U.S. and it’s western allies. In November 2015, four Air Force drone veterans who were based at Creech wrote to President Obama: “We came to the realization that the innocent civilians we were killing only fueled the feelings of hatred that ignited terrorism and groups like ISIS while also serving as a fundamental recruitment tool similar to Guantanamo Bay. This administration and its predecessors have built a drone program that is one of the most devastating driving forces for terrorism and destabilization around the world.”
CODEPINK'S Campaign of Non-Violent Actions against the worldwide killer drone network and endless wars are trying to halt US Global Militarism and the remote killings that has destabilized the Middle East, created millions of civilian causalities, refugees and heightened feeling of insecurity in the west. The world desperately needs U.S. foreign strategy to become one of restraint, cooperation, rebuilding and mutual security. Twice a year CODEPINK has a national gathering at Creech AFB in an effort to Shut Down Creech. CODEPINK Bay Area also demonstrates monthly with Occupy Beale AFB in Northern California, in an effort to interrupt business as usual. Periodically CODEPINK Germany marches at Ramstein and CODEPINK Japan demonstrated against US Militarism at US bases in Japan.
This year we hope to double the number of people attending anti-drone actions, to demand the US government to Ground Killer Drones and End Endless Wars! CODEPINK demonstrates because we want our government to stop the killing and start the rebuilding of hospitals. schools, towns and people’s lives. We hope you can join us and help spread the word that drone strikes perpetuate endless war. It does not make us safer nor will it bring peace!
Please join us to make 3rd Annual Shut Down Creech International Mass Mobilization Against Drone Warfare an even more powerful stance against illegal drone killing and endless wars!
Sept. 30 – October 6: 4th Annual SHUT DOWN CREECH
A Mass Mobilization to end remote controlled murder with drones by the U.S. Empire.
We are committed to using peaceful nonviolent resistance to put an end to drone killing and global warfare! The U.S. drone program is a critical tool used to dominate and terrorize disadvantaged communities for global control and domination. We invite you to come for all or part of the week.
A coordinated nonviolent day of action will be planned in the latter half of the week.
BIG CHANGES This Year:
1. We’re “flip flopping”! SHUT DOWN CREECH, (SDC), the “mass mobilization drone resistance” week is moving to the autumn. Weather is milder, and less windy in the Nevada desert in the fall. The “smaller” CODEPINK organized week was in the spring this year (April 1- April 7), and will continue to be in the spring in future years.
2. Camp Justice at SDC is moving to our beloved Goddess Temple Grounds, and will no longer be set up across from the base. This will make camping and peacemaking much easier and friendlier: with running water, showers, Peace Pavilion meeting area and lots of shade all at our fingertips! This makes for happier campers, and better energy for planning and executing a sustainable peaceful resistance!
3. Special Request: Sponsorship for 4th Annual Shut Down Creech: We are inviting every peace & justice organization and chapters across the country to sponsor and send at least one representative to SDC. Let’s make 2018 SHUT DOWN CREECH larger than ever. Dear Veterans for Peace chapters and other peace organizations: Won’t you please consider sponsoring one member this year to participate in the 4th Annual SHUT DOWN CREECH, Sept. 30-October 6?
For more information on housing, meals, transportation and more visit us at: ShutDownCreech.blogspot and be sure to register using SDC2018 Registration Form. Join our Facebook page for updates and more info! And follow us on Twitter at @ShutDownCreech .
FMI: Please contact:
Toby Blomé: ratherbenyckeling@comcast.net
Eleanor Levine: eastbaycodepink@gmail.com
Together we are PEACE! SHUT DOWN CREECH NOW!
Connecting With Our Peace Partners.
CodePink joins Afghan Peace Volunteers on Our Journey to Smile to say Enough! Abolish War for a Borderfree Green World!
The Afghan Peace Volunteers came together in August, 2014 and launched The Borderfree Nonviolence Community Centre in Afghanistan. "We work nonviolently with the human family across all borders to abolish the socioeconomic, environmental, educational and military wars that are being waged in Afghanistan and the world today. We reject hatred, revenge and killing because we believe that nonviolent friendships can change Afghanistan and the world. The Mission of the Afghan Peace Volunteers is the creation of a people's movement to build a critical mass of Borderfree nonviolent relationships and alternatives for a green, equal and nonviolent world without war, a key goal being the abolition of war. On the 21st of September 2015, the International Day of Peace, the Afghan Peace Volunteers launched a campaign to abolish war called #Enough!
"Our hope is to encourage all members of the human family to sign an agreement never to wage war again. In ‘The People’s Agreement to Abolish War’, we’ll work to ban wars person by person. It’s not a petition, because we don’t need permission to live without war. And we won’t wait for the elite, as they’re the ones who keep waging wars. We’ll wear the Borderfree Blue Scarf to remind ourselves that ‘all human beings live under the same blue sky."
#Enough! We, the people of the human family, agree to abolish war. Please Read and Sign the Enough!
On the 21st of September 2016, the International Day of Peace, the Afghan Peace Volunteers grew their #Enough! movement with Earth GEN ( Green, Equal, Nonviolent )
- Green : Eliminate the human causes of global warming
- Equal : Build a nonviolent, cooperative economy where the basic needs of all are met ( especially of the most vulnerable people )
- Nonviolent world without war: Abolish war and weapons, nurturing a non-violent, critical pedagogy.
" We believe that revolution for a better world is grounded in nonviolent relationships that nurture equal relationships with nature & all human beings through local communities that connect with the human family worldwide, working together as a strong 99% to build a green, equal and nonviolent world without war. A critical mass movement is needed to heal ourselves, the Earth and humanity. Love can open every border!”
CodePink also dreams of an open sky free of killer drones so we Dance, Resist, Love and work with our peace partners to build a critical mass movement to abolish war and create a green, equal, nonviolent world! Join US!
May 26
