WarCriminalsWatch Events

We heartily invite you to attend the panels described below.  They not only provide historical background and context to the issues facing us and the world today, they are action-oriented, grappling with how to challenge how people think. Come, participate and help plan mass action to stop the crimes of your government.

Vast Surveillance of Whole Populations: The NSA Revelations One Year Out

Session 2 on Saturday, May 31st from 12:00 pm - 1:50 pm in Room 1.85

The US government collects billions of bytes of “metadata” on phone calls, emails, bank traffic, text messaging, chats -- content, recipients, etc. – storing everything for future use, if not needed immediately.  Edward Snowden and others in the field say the amount of data collected doubles every two years. The ramifications of this data collection and storage process goes beyond issues of civil liberties and abstract rights.  It leads to how the US ruling interests can control whole populations – in this country and throughout the world – with the threat that whoever you are, if you act, or even think about acting in a way that this or a future government doesn't like, you could be targeted. How can this be countered? How do we organize ourselves to engage in visible protest? 

Bringing CUNY into the US War Machine – Students and Faculty Rise Up

Session 3 on Saturday, May 31st from 3:20 pm - 4:50 pm in Room 3.8

CUNY has restored ROTC on a number of campuses after it was driven out by protest 40 years ago. General David Petraeus, architect of the “surge” in Iraq, one-time CENTCOM and CIA Director, is teaching at Macaulay Honors College. The US military is shifting recruiting to diverse urban campuses like CUNY, saying that in 15 years it needs officers who “reflect the geographic and demographic diversity of the country.” What is the challenge for those who want to stop unjust wars? How did students and professors at Rutgers University, a NJ state institution, force the withdrawal of Condoleezza Rice as commencement speaker?

Imperialist Wars & Global Ecological Degradation

Session 4 on Saturday, May 31st from 5:00 pm - 6:50 pm in Room 1.65

With 1100+ bases, the US military is the single largest user of fossil fuels in this century, while at the same time it fights wars and engages in occupations both to ensure strategic access to those resources and deny rivals control.  In its military operations, it uses weapons of mass destruction, such as Agent Orange (in Vietnam) and depleted uranium (in the former Yugoslavia and in Iraq) which cause horrendous suffering including cancer and birth defects and remain over time as potent environmental toxins.  The ecological effects of war, such as the burning of oil fields and the destruction of large urban constructions, spreads poisonous fumes and dust, with devestating effects on land, humans, flora and fauna.

Larry Everest, author of Oil, Power & Empire: Iraq & the US Global Agenda
Dr.  Mozhgan Savabieasfahani, environmental toxicologist
Moderator: Debra Sweet, World Can’t Wait

US “Dirty” Wars, Targeted Killing & Secret Operations Supercede Military Occupations – But Are Still Illegitimate

Session 5 on Sunday, June 1st from 10:00am - 11:50am in Room L2.85

More than twelve years into the “war on terror,” the CIA and Pentagon war planners are increasing emphasis on special operations and targeting killing, with open discussion of targeting US citizens. International law has gone by the wayside, as have constitutional protections of citizens.

Medea Benjamin, CODEPINK
Ed Kinane, Upstate Coalition To Ground the Drones
Ben Kuebrich, Syracuse Students Against Drones
Nick Mottern, kNOwdrones.org
Paki Wieland, peace activist
Moderator: Debra Sweet, World Can’t Wait