End the Occupation of Iraq Now! Join the Not in Our Name Earth Flag Contingent a

March 20: global day of action
End the occupation! US out of Iraq now!

Not in Our Name
Statement

One year ago on March 20th the United States government began its bombing and invasion of Iraq. Since that day there has been nothing but death, destruction and horror as this "war on terror" shows itself to be terror for people of the world.

Now on March 20, 2004, we must stand together globally to resist the immoral, unjust and illegitimate U.S. military occupation of Iraq. Last year millions around the world demonstrated in powerful anti-war actions that exposed and isolated the U.S. government as never before. A much stronger and more unified resistance to the war and occupation is needed NOW more than ever!

In the name of "liberating" the Iraqi people the U.S. continues its cruel military occupation. Without exception, every rationale uttered to justify this illegitimate "pre-emptive" attack has since been discredited. What has been the cost of these lies? Thousands of Iraqis have been killed and millions suffer from loss of basic human services caused by the war, on top of ten years of economic sanctions. Billions of dollars have gone to fund this war and occupation, and over 500 GI's have been killed and thousands disabled.

In the midst of this, large numbers of Iraqis continue to resist and speak out against the occupation. The whole world needs to stand in solidarity with them. The Iraqi people need to know that there are people here in this country that are opposed to the military occupation they do not want and who support their demand for self-determination and self-governance, free from U.S. dictates.

March 20 is a day to build on all the resistance of last year, to strengthen and expand a broad and determined movement capable of stopping this course of war and repression, and to let people around the world know that this government does not speak for many millions in this country. In April 2002 when the Not in Our Name Project was launched, we said: "We acknowledge that we in this country have a special responsibility to resist what our own government is doing, from military interventions to supplying arms used to shoot down and terrorize people from Palestine to the Philippines."

We must resist and stop the U.S. from using Iraq as a base to expand U.S. empire in the Mid-East and worldwide. Our actions can have an impact on how long the U.S. continues to brutalize Iraq and can help encourage resistance around the world, including in the U.S. and among U.S. military personnel and their families.

March 20 is a day to say NOT IN OUR NAME, a day to tell Bush & Co. that he will NEVER get a "permission slip" from us to wage war on the world, to squash dissent and shred civil liberties at home, to demonize and attack Arabs, Muslims and South Asians. March 20 is a day to build our strength for the future - for the most massive resistance ever, more than a million people in the streets of NYC at the time of the Republican National Convention to say NO to the whole Bush agenda!

Our outrage has not disappeared. This war is not over. On March 20 we must raise up our earth flags and take to the streets to show solidarity with the people of the world. Once again, our voices need to be heard internationally. We must stand together in all corners of the country and across the globe to say:

Not in Our Name!
End the Occupation!
U.S. Out of Iraq Now!