Madison-Rafah Journal

Dear Members and Friends of MRSCP,

The U.S. Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation has forwarded this call from the United for Peace and Justice group for an urgent national effort to speak out against a military attack on Iran by the U.S., Israel or both.

They suggest five actions below…but in particular, we want to ask you to please participate in the FIRST one: phone calls to Congress and Senators Feingold and Kohl. On Monday, peace groups in Milwaukee will be raising this issue with a march on the offices of Feingold and Kohl (as well as Rep. Gwen Moore) so this is a GREAT time to reinforce the message!

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Bush is ratcheting up the rhetoric on Iran. He says "All options are on the table." Congress is considering a resolution to blockade Iran – an act of war.

What can we do to stop it?

Join us as we hear from a panel of experts:

• History of US policy – Joe Elder
• US covert operations – Allen Ruff
• Middle East context – Tsela Barr
• The nuclear issue – Jeff Patterson
• Why we shouldn’t go to war – Majid Sarmadi

Discussion and brainstorming on working for a peaceful world will follow. Bonnie Block will moderate.

Tuesday July 15, 2008
7:00 – 9:00 pm
Lowell Hall, Room B1-A/D
610 Langdon St., Madison

Co-sponsored by: Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Madison Pledge of Resistance, United Nations Association-Dane County Chapter, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, Health Writers, Madison-Rafah Sister City Project and more.

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"The Reality of Arms Control: From the Trenches"
Madison Committee on Foreign Relations
Wednesday, April 16, 5:30-7:30 pm
Edgewater Hotel, Rigadoon Room, 666 Wisconsin Ave, Madison

Registration and a fee required — for more information see wage.wisc.edu.

Sponsors: Madison Committee on Foreign Relations; UW-Madison Center for World Affairs and the Global Economy (WAGE) and Middle East Studies Program.

"Intelligence Failure: Why Did So Many People Think There Were Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq?"
Thursday, April 17, 12-1:30 pm
Grainger Hall Room 4151, 975 University Avenue, UW-Madison

Free and open to the public.

Sponsors: UW-Madison Center for World Affairs and the Global Economy (WAGE), Middle East Studies Program, and Global Studies; Madison Committee on Foreign Relations, and The Madison Institute.

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UPCOMING EVENTS from The Madison Institute (TMI), A Policy Study Center in the Progressive Tradition:

The Progressive Roundtable
"Book Review: Two Books by Scott Ritter"
Saturday, March 15, 2008
9:00 a.m. - Noon
Meriter Maingate, 333 W. Main Street, Madison, WI
(See background on Scott Ritter under the forum announcement below.)

TMI Board Members Fred Johnson and Paul Beckett will review two of Ritter's books: Waging Peace: The Art of War for the Anti-War Movement and Target Iran. This will be followed by a group discussion.

Forum
Scott Ritter: "Waging Peace: Citizenship in a Time of Unjust War"
Saturday, April 19, 2008
9:00 a.m. - Noon
Wisconsin State Historical Society Auditorium
UW-Madison Campus

Mr. Ritter is a former Marine Intelligence Officer and former lead weapons inspector in Iraq for the United Nations. He is also the author of "Waging Peace: The Art of War for the Anti-War Movement" and his latest work, "Target Iran". At this forum he will touch on issues such as supporting the troops without supporting the mission, the role of the media in shaping views and how citizens could counter, the Constitution as a citizens center of gravity, and some practical ideas for how citizens can "Wage Peace".

Mr. Ritter's presentation will be followed by a panel discussion.

(Read on …)