GP ADVISORY: Updates on Green Party at Encampment to End the War

GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES
http://www.gp.org

For Immediate Release:
Friday, September 28, 2007

Contacts:
Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, 202-518-5624,
mclarty@greens.org
Starlene Rankin, Media Coordinator, 916-995-3805,
starlene@gp.org
Deanna Taylor, Co-chair, Green Party Peace Action
Committee (GPAX), 801-631-2998,
deesings@xmission.com
Ann Wilcox, GPAX, 202-441-3265,
wilcox_ann@yahoo.com

Greens, urging immediate withdrawal of all US
forces from Iraq, blast Clinton, Obama, and
Edwards for refusing to guarantee withdrawal of
all combat troops from Iraq by 2013

• Reports, upcoming events at the Encampments to
End the War in DC and other cities

WASHINGTON , DC — Green Party leaders
participating in the week-long Encampment to End
the War in Washington, DC and other cities across
the US pressed their demands for an immediate
withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, with a plea to
Congress to cancel further war spending.

The events, which will culminate in a march and
rally on Saturday, September 29, have been
organized by the Troops Out Now Coalition
<http://www.troopsoutnow.org>, of which the Green
Party is a member.

On Friday, video interviews with Greens at the DC
encampment will posted on line at the blog page
<http://gpax.wordpress.com> of the Green Party’s
Peace Action Committee (GPAX).

Summary of Green positions on the war:

• The Green Party of the United States has called
for full and immediate withdrawal of US troops
from Iraq and Afghanistan, the occupation of
which is entering its sixth year; the party
opposes a US military attack on Iran and warns
Americans not to believe the new flood of
deceptive war propaganda.

• Greens stress that Congress could end the war
quickly if Democrats refused to move on bills for
war funding, including the latest request for
nearly $190 billion the Pentagon says is
necessary to keep combat troops in Iraq for
another year. Greens urge Congress to divert
federal funds from war spending to human needs
and services in the US, including restoration and
rebuilding in the Gulf Coast.

• The Green Party has called for the impeachment
of President Bush and Vice President Cheney for
numerous abuses of power, including misleading
the American people about the reasons for
invading Iraq. Greens have called the invasion a
criminal breach of the US Constitution and
international law, motivated by desire for
political and corporate dominance in the region,
control over Iraqi oil and other resources, and
cooperation with Israel’s aggressive strategic
objectives.

• Greens have sharply criticized Democratic
leaders for supporting the invasion, offering
vague and delayed timetables for troop
withdrawal, approving bills for continued war
spending, and retreating from impeachment. Green
leaders strongly condemned recent statements by
presidential aspirants Hillary Clinton, Barack
Obama, and John Edwards that they could not
promise the removal of all US combat troops from
Iraq by 2013
<http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070927/ap_on_el_pr/democrats_debate>,
warning that the Iraq War (as well as the threat
of war with Iran) will continue whether a
Democrat or Republican is elected in 2008.

Updates from various Encampments to End the War:

• WASHINGTON, DC: GPAX
<http://www.gp.org/committees/peace> and the DC
Statehood Green Party
<http://www.dcstatehoodgreen.org> have set up a
tent at the encampment site on the Mall near the
Reflecting Pool. Sarah “echo” Steiner, Florida
Green and national Green Party co-chair, will
co-emcee the September 29 rally, which is set to
follow a mass march. Malik Rahim, former Green
city council candidate in New Orleans and
organizer of the Common Ground Collective
<http://www.commongroundrelief.org>, and Jared
Ball, candidate for the Green Party’s
presidential nomination
<http://www.jaredball.com>, will speak at the
rally. On September 26, DC Statehood Green
leaders led a discussion on DC statehood,
affordable housing, and preserving neighborhood
libraries threatened with closing. Mr. Rahim
spoke on Thursday, addressing the national
response to Hurricane Katrina and rebuilding the
Gulf Coast. Greens also joined a September 25
demonstration in front of the White House against
a military attack on Iran, organized by the
Troops Out Now Coalition. DC contact: Ann
Wilcox, 202-441-3265, wilcox_ann@yahoo.com

• LOS ANGELES, CA: Greens have joined other
groups setting up a tent city in front of the
Federal Building, 300 North Los Angeles Street.
Utah Green Deanna Taylor, who serves as co-chair
of GPAX, and Sedinam Kinamo Christin
Moyowasifza-Curry of the Green Party of
California will speak at a September 29 rally
outside the Federal Building, which will take
place after a Mass March to Bring the Troops
Home. Ms. Curry has announced her Vice
Presidential candidacy and is a member of the
party’s Black Caucus
<http://gpblackcaucus.blogspot.com>. Contact:
Deanna Taylor, 801-631-2998,
deesings@xmission.com

• SYRACUSE, NY: Greens will participate in a
“Soldiers & Civilians Speak Out” antiwar march
and rally on September 29, an event initiated by
New York Iraq Veterans Against the War and hosted
by the Syracuse Peace Council & SEIU-1199.
Rebecca Rotzler, former Deputy Mayor of New Paltz
and former national co-chair of the Green Party,
will speak at the main rally. A Green Party
rally to kick off the Green feeder march to the
main rally will feature Bob Gumbs, veteran and
Green Party member who has announced his
candidacy for the 15th Congressional District in
the US House (Charles Rangel’s seat), as well as
local Green activists Gary Bonaparte and Aggie
Lane.. More information:
<http://www.upstateantiwar.net>,
<http://www.syracusegreens.org>. Contact: Howie
Hawkins, Syracuse Green Party, 315-425-1019,
hhawkins@igc.org

MORE INFORMATION

Green Party of the United States
http://www.gp.org
202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN
Fax 202-319-7193
• Green Party News Center
http://www.gp.org/newscenter.shtml
• Green Party Speakers Bureau
http://www.gp.org/speakers
• 2007 national Green Party meeting in Reading,
Pa.: video footage, blog and media coverage
http://www.gp.org/meeting2007/

Green Party Peace Action Committee (GPAX)
http://www.gp.org/committees/peace
GPAX Blog http://gpax.wordpress.com

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