Statement from Veterans for Peace, February 24, 2022
Veterans For Peace condemns the invasion of Ukraine. Our mission remains the same. We are committed to a sustainable and just peace. As veterans we know increased violence only fuels extremism. We have watched, and in some cases been firsthand witnesses to how the people of Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Yemen, etc. have had their countries and lives destroyed by U.S. and Russian military involvement.
For the United States and Russia, the only sane course of action now is a commitment to genuine diplomacy with serious negotiations – without which, conflict could easily spiral out of control to the point of further pushing the world toward nuclear war. Genuine diplomacy is a commitment to compromise and maintaining open lines of communication.
We reject punitive sanctions that harshen the lives of people across the region. The sanctions that Biden is proposing are not tools of diplomacy, nor are they nonviolent methods of foreign policy; they do NOT target those responsible for war, but affect vulnerable civilian populations by limiting access to basic necessities.
The U.S. has a responsibility to pursue genuine diplomacy to push for an immediate ceasefire and to apply pressure on other nations to do the same.
Veterans For Peace recognizes that this current crisis did not just happen in the last few days, but represents decades of policy decisions and government actions that have only contributed to the building of antagonisms and aggressions between countries. We must respond to this current crisis, and continue our focus on addressing the causes of war; by redirecting the military budget towards human needs, pushing for the global abolition of nuclear weapons and eliminating the ability of corporations to profit from war.
What can you do?
- Hit the streets in your local community to call for GENUINE diplomacy.
As evidenced by protests across the globe, we know that the vast majority of the global community does not want war. We know that war will have disastrous consequences for the people of Ukraine and throughout the region. Many people across the country, Europe and Russia are taking action the week of March 1-7th. Join an action or plan one of your own. - Join the International Emergency Online Rally: No War in Ukraine – No to NATO
Organized by Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, CODEPINK, Stop the War Coalition, No to NATO Network the online rally will feature many speakers. February 26, 2022 at 12pm (EST), 11am (CST), 9am (PST) - About Face: DemilitarizeU: Ukraine & Russia
Join About Face: Veterans Against the War for an in-depth panel discussion with Ukraine & Russia activists & AF members with direct knowledge and lived experiences. The event will be livestreamed on their Facebook, Twitter, or Youtube, Saturday, Feb 26, 2pm(EST), 1pm(CST), 11am(PST) - Join the War Industry Resisters Network’s next meeting.
Veterans For Peace has been part of a network planning a week of action April 17th-24th that will target local war companies and their corporate control over US foreign policy.
Our next planning call is Wednesday, March 2nd at 6:30pm (EST), 5:30pm (CST), 3:30 (PST). Our call will begin with a presentation by Christian Sorensen on the U.S. militarization of Eastern Europe in recent years and Elizabeth Beavers, a driving force behind the Cut the Pentagon campaign, who will give us a rundown of some of the companies that will benefit the most in the most recent budget. - Read and distribute our Nuclear Posture Review.
This most recent crisis illustrates it is more important than ever to implement measures that would reduce the risk of nuclear war, such as implementing policies for No First Use and taking nuclear weapons off hair-trigger alert. Join the Veterans For Peace Nuclear Abolition working group as they see to apply pressure ahead of Biden’s release of the administrations own Nuclear Posture Review.