CODEPINK

Peace Economy: Yemen

Published August 21, 2017 | By Tim Reese

Tens of thousands of people attend a protest rally in the Yemeni capital Sana’a on May 12, 2017 to voice their outrage at the US-backed Saudi war on the impoverished Arab country. (Photo by al-Masirah) The Yemen war economy that stretches back decades between Shia and Sunni has evolved into a regional power struggle between Shia-ruled Iran and Sunni-allied Saudi Arabia and it’s ally the US. This conflict has become an epic tragedy of destruction and starvation. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations reports that the scale of the food crisis in Yemen is staggering with 17 million people – two thirds of the population – severely food insecure and seven million of these on the verge of famine. “The need for long-term political solutions for achieving sustainable peace in Yemen is unquestionable, but there is much we can do now to fight hunger and malnutrition. We save lives by saving livelihoods,” Graziano da Silva said of FOA. It is time for a peace economy between Shia and Sunni, between America and Iran to save Yemen and the Middle East. The Yemen people want peace not more destruction. Continue reading →

Cities say no to $54 Billion for War

Published July 4, 2017 | By editor

CODEPINK SF Bay Area invites everyone to join CODEPINK’s campaign to say no to Trump proposed $54 Billion increase in military spending. Our goal is to encourage people to tell their elected representatives to divest from a war economy and to invest in a peace economy. Thanks to the work of many of our local CODEPINK communities we had a tremendous victory at the U.S. Conference of Mayors! The Conference, representing 253 attending mayors from big cities like New York and Los Angeles to small rural townships, unanimously passed a resolution opposing Trump’s call for an additional $54 billion to the Pentagon budget. Instead of slashing anti-poverty and environmental programs to increase war spending, the mayors urged Congress and the President to move funding in the opposite direction, out of the military and into human and environmental needs.

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Support SJ Resolution 42 to block weapons to Saudi Arabia.

Published June 13, 2017 | By editor

“I support CODEPINK and their call to Stop the Saudi/US Arms deal — a deal going to a dictatorship to kill innocent people in places like Yemen. I call on the American people to support CODEPINK’s ask to stop the Saudi Arms deal.” —Linda Sarsour, founder of Mpower and co-chair of the Women’s March. Any minute now, the Senate may be voting on SJ Resolution 42 to block the Saudi arms deal. The petition you signed has already had an impact. Now we are asking you to please make two calls to your two senators using this number: 855 68 NO WAR. Say: Please support SJ Resolution 42 to block weapons to Saudi Arabia.

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Killer Drones and the Militarization of U.S. Foreign Policy

Published June 8, 2017 | By editor

BY ANN WRIGHT

In the eyes of many around the world, diplomacy has taken a back seat to military operations in U.S. foreign policy. The drone program is a prime example. The militarization of U.S. foreign policy certainly didn’t start with President Donald J. Trump; in fact, it goes back several decades. However, if Trump’s first 100 days in office are any indication, he has no intention of slowing down the trend. During a single week in April, the Trump administration fired 59 Tomahawk missiles into a Syrian airfield, and dropped the largest bomb in the U.S. arsenal on suspected ISIS tunnels in Afghanistan.

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Peace Economy Not War Economy

Published June 3, 2017 | By editor

Codepink GoldenGate invites everyone to join in Codepink’s campaign opposing the $54 Billion increase in military spending by telling companies that build weapons for the military that increased military spending is not making us safer, it runs up the debt and it only profits a few. CodePink GoldenGate paid a visit to General Dynamics to tell them make peace, not weapons! (story below) Marillyn Hewson, CEO of Lockheed Martin, a company whose annual report boasts of being “…proud to stand with our international partners to enhance their capabilities to protect the lives of citizens and build a brighter future…”, it seems like a good time to tell Marillyn Hewson that selling weapons to the repressive Saudi regime will not protect lives of Yemeni citizens nor build a brighter future, it will only intensify, prolong the war and the suffering of women and children.

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