Washington, DC, March 30, 2019
No to NATO! Close All U.S. Bases Abroad! Hands Off
Venezuela! These were the peoples' slogans that rang loud and clear on
the occasion of the 70th anniversary of NATO's founding. The NATO Summit
in Washington, DC was met by demonstrations and other actions by the
people demanding NO to NATO and the closing of all U.S./NATO bases
worldwide. A main rally and march took place on March 30, followed by
conferences, concerts and an additional action on April 4 near the State
Department. The firm stand taken opposed NATO as a harmful, aggressive
military and political bloc that stands against the interests of the
peoples. Commanded by the U.S., NATO has played a major role in the wars
against Afghanistan, Libya and Syria and was largely responsible for
the destruction and dismemberment of Yugoslavia twenty years ago.
Politically NATO acts to impose what are called liberal democratic
institutions and it organizes "training sessions" for elections and
"institute building." This is despite the fact that the democratic
systems in the U.S., Canada, Britain and other
countries are crisis-ridden, dysfunctional, corrupt and reverting to
increasingly totalitarian methods of rule.
The actions and conferences targeted the U.S. as the
main
force pushing war and militarization worldwide, including demands that
all NATO countries utilize U.S. weaponry. They also
denounced U.S. efforts to impose regime change on Venezuela and
vigorously opposed military intervention against that country, which is
standing up to pursue its own path and rejecting U.S. dictate. The
slogans Hands Off Venezuela! No Sanctions, No Military Intervention!
were chanted throughout the actions. The importance
of standing together as one, opposing all U.S.
aggression and all aggressive wars and NATO's participation in them,
stood out at the various activities. So too did the demand to close all
U.S. bases abroad, including bringing an end to AFRICOM, the U.S.
command in Africa where operations by special forces and other military
actions by the U.S. are taking
place.
 
Delegations from Vancouver and Belgium were among those participating in the
Washington, DC march, March 30, 2019.
Delegations from Belgium, Canada, Germany and Russia
joined
those from many cities across the U.S. While NATO was being promoted as
the source of peace and security, the demonstrators made clear that it
is the united stand of the peoples for rights that provide security.
None were going to be drawn into the conflicts about whether the U.S.
should withdraw, or whether more war funding should take place. On the
contrary, the demand was No to NATO, No to U.S. Wars and Regime Change,
stop militarization, oppose war funding and demand funding for the
rights of the people. The importance of united actions in the U.S. and
with the anti-war forces internationally was repeatedly addressed.
A spirited meeting celebrating the second anniversary of
the
Black Alliance for Peace concluded the events, with a strong stand for
rights at home, ending AFRICOM, closing all U.S. bases abroad and no
compromise with the warmongers, whether white or black. African
Americans in their majority have long stood against war and the Alliance
is working to strengthen and
organize that resistance. Participants resolved to step up the fight for
rights at home and abroad and to organize more united actions.
Washington, DC, March 30, 2019
 
 
 
 
 
 
Washington, DC April 4, 2019
 
 
 
New York City, March 30, 2019
 
Minneapolis, MN, March 30, 2019
 
Other Actions on the Occasion of NATO's Founding Canada
Halifax
Montreal, QC
Ottawa
Toronto
 
Regina
Calgary
Vancouver
 
 
Europe
Belfast, Ireland
London, England
Edinburgh, Scotland
Copenhagen, Denmark
 
(TML Weekly, April 6, 2019 - No. 12)
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