C-Span to broadcast A.N.S.W.E.R. event: IRAQ - GEORGE W. BUSH'S "VIETNAM"?

C-Span to broadcast A.N.S.W.E.R. event: IRAQ - GEORGE W. BUSH'S "VIETNAM"? Panel Discussion on the National Campaign to End the Occupation and Bring the Troops Home Now

Tens of Thousands to Participate in the National March on Washington to Bring the Troops Home Now! and to End the Occupation of Iraq

The people in Iraq want the U.S. occupation to end. The U.S. soldiers in Iraq want to come home. On Saturday, October 25, tens of thousands of people in the U.S., joined by delegations from countries around the world, will go back into the streets to demand End the Occupation, Bring the Troops Home Now!

On Wednesday, September 3rd, 2003, the ANSWER (Act Now to Stop War & End Racism) Coalition held a panel discussion/press conference entitled Iraq: George W. Bush's "Vietnam"? at the National Press Club in Washington DC. The panel featured former U.S. attorney general Ramsey Clark, Catholic Bishop Thomas Gumbleton, family members of U.S. GIs, and other leaders of the anti-war movement, who collectively discussed the growing mood in the United States to bring U.S. troops back from Iraq and to end the occupation.

International press from around the globe attended the conference including media from Japan, Turkey, Sweden, Germany, Canada and many others. The event was reported on the Reuters and the Associated Press news services (see articles below) and on C-SPAN, as well as in newspapers and television internationally.

The announcement of the new People's Anti-War Referendum at http://www.VoteNoWar.org that enables people to Vote to Bring the Troops Home Now, and communicate directly to Congress and the White House, was broadcast on national television from the press conference.

The criminal occupation of Iraq is becoming the biggest political crisis of the Bush administration. The body count is growing each day. Nearly 1,200 U.S. soldiers have been seriously wounded in the second most underreported story of the year. The U.S. death count is now 286 and the number of dead and wounded rises every day. The most underreported story is the staggering number of Iraqis who have been killed. Tens of thousands of Iraqis have perished, the country is in ruins, people have been deprived of the most essential services necessary to sustain life -- electricity, water, food and medicine. By acting now, by building a huge and global grass roots movement, the U.S. occupation of Iraq can be brought to an end and U.S. soldiers can be returned to their families and loved ones.

The October 25 mass March on Washington can only succeed with the commitment of all who believe in peace. Thousands of volunteers are passing out leaflets, putting up posters and stickers, in order to spread the word. Organizing centers around the country are arranging buses and car caravans to travel to Washington, D.C.

Such a national undertaking also requires funds. You can make a donation to help this movement grow. Visit http://www.VoteNoWar.org/donate.html to make an online donation through its secure server, or for information to write a check.

*C-SPAN COVERAGE*

C-Span plans to broadcast this event several times. You can look at C-Span's schedule at http://inside.c-spanarchives.org:8080/cspan/fullschedule.csp for broadcast times (you should press "refresh" or "reload" on your browser to make sure you have the current schedule).

It is currently scheduled to run at approximately 6 am EST (3 am PST) on C-Span 2 on Thursday 9/4 (tomorrow). Please check the full schedule regularly for additional planned broadcast times and note that the schedule is subject to change.

The program is called "U.S. Policy Toward Iraq" sponsored by Act Now to Stop War & End Racism (A.N.S.W.E.R.) and featuring Ramsey Clark and Thomas Gumbleton.

*REUTERS COVERAGE*

From: American Casualties in Iraq Stir U.S. Peace Movement
By Laura MacInnis

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Peace activists said on Wednesday that increasing concerns about American casualties in Iraq had spurred the U.S. anti-war movement back into action after months of relative quiet.

The ANSWER Coalition, headed by former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark, said it planned to stage a protest in Washington on Oct. 25 to demand the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq.

More U.S. soldiers have died occupying Iraq since President Bush declared major combat over on May 1 than were killed during the war itself. Hundreds more have been wounded.

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Organizers declined to predict how many people would attend the Oct. 25 demonstration, but said more than 100 groups had endorsed the event.

*ASSOCIATED PRESS COVERAGE*

rom: Anti-War Protest Planned for Washington

WASHINGTON - ...."We're getting people never touched by politics, but who are agonizing over the occupation" of Iraq, said Brian Becker, co-director of the International Action Center, one of the groups in the protester coalition. He said the families of the troops in Iraq are "so angry and so upset that we expect they and many members of their communities will be joining us to say, 'Bring the troops home.'"

Organizers said at least 50 buses will bring people to Washington from around the United States and Canada.

Full article

*INTERNATIONAL PRESS COVERAGE*

International press in attendance included media from Sweden, Germany, Japan, Canada and Turkey among others. Also check for local and other national coverage.

*SPEAKERS AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE*

- Ramsey Clark, former U.S. attorney general
- Bishop Thomas Gumbleton, Auxiliary Bishop, Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit
- Gloria Jackson, mother of U.S. soldier stationed in Iraq
- Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, attorney and co-founder, Partnership for Civil Justice; A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition Steering Committee
- Mahdi Bray, Executive Director, Muslim American Society Freedom Foundation
- Brian Becker, Co-Director, International Action Center; A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition Steering Committee
- Peta Lindsay, A.N.S.W.E.R. Youth & Student Coordinator, Howard University student
- Omar Matadar, spokesperson, Muslim Student Association
- Efia Nwangaza, Not in Our Name Project
- Teresa Gutierrez, Co-Director, International Action Center; A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition Steering Committee
- Caneisha Mills, Howard University student, Youth & Student A.N.S.W.E.R.
- Chuck Kaufman, National Co-Coordinator, Nicaragua Network; A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition Steering Committee

PHOTOS of the press conference will be available soon at: http://www.internationalanswer.org