Demonstration Against U.S. Bombing of Syria This Sat. at Noon on Palmer Square in Princeton
The Princeton-based Coalition for Peace Action will hold an emergency demonstration on Saturday, September 7 from noon to 1 p.m. on Palmer Square in Princeton to protest the plan for the United States to bomb Syria.
Anyone who oppose the bombing and advocates for peaceful alternatives such as fact-finding, prosecuting users of chemical weapons as war criminals in the International Criminal Court, and sanctions is welcome to attend.
Confirmed speakers include Archbishop Mor Cyril Aphrim Karim of the Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch, the Rev.Vince Gartland of St. Ann’s Roman Catholic Church in Lawrenceville, Professor George Hunsinger of Princeton Theological Seminary, and the Rev. Robert Moore of the Coalition for Peace Action. Jeff Laurenti, former Executive Director, United Nations Association, will also speak.
The Coalition is urging all supporters to call their two U.S. Senators and U.S. Representative to express their opposition the bombing. President Obama is seeking Congressional approval, and votes in the U.S. Senate and House are expected soon after Congress re-convenes on September 9.
The Coalition is also co-sponsoring an Interfaith Hour of Prayer for Peace in Syria Saturday at 7 p.m. at St. Ann’s in Lawrenceville (call 609-882-6491 for more information).
“Syria is in a very messy civil war, and, as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs General Dempsey has said, there is no military action by the US that can solve that,” said the Rev. Robert Moore, executive director of the Coalition. “A diplomatic surge to pursue the international peace conference for which Secretary Kerry earlier gained Russia’s backing makes much more sense, and holds the only real promise for a peaceful resolution.
“If we do hurt the Assad regime militarily, rebels including Al Qaida might gain the upper hand. More U.S. military action in the currently very unstable Middle East could re-ignite hatred toward the U.S. and possibly trigger more terrorist attacks. Already, Iran is warning of just such attacks, and their allies in Hezbollah have numerous missiles a short distance from Israel,” Moore said. “Besides starting negotiations with all sides in Syria, another strong action the US and its allies could pursue—if UN inspectors confirm chemical weapons use by Syria—is to bring charges against the Assad regime in the International Criminal Court. War criminals are now being successfully tried and convicted, and that seems a much better way to seek appropriate punishment.”
For further information, call the Coalition for Peace Action at (609) 924-5022 or visit their web site www.peacecoalition.org.
Krystal Knapp is the founding editor of Planet Princeton. Follow her on Twitter @krystalknapp. She can be reached via email at editor AT planetprinceton.com. Send all letters to the editor and press releases to that email address.
Has everyone written to Rush Holt to remind him that “leaning towards a no vote” is not the same as voting NO?