Socialist Party USA (NYC Local) Panel at the Left Forum 2009!

Not our war: Afghanistan and the Challenges for the Global Peace Movement

The global tide of political opinion has clearly turned against the continuing US occupation of Iraq. Current US President Barack Obama campaigned on a pledge to build a roadmap for the removal of troops. However, the future of the US-led occupation of Afghanistan is far less certain. Obama has promoted an increase in troop size while hawkish pundits present the region as the real location of the war against terrorism. Yet, as European Social-Democratic and Socialist parties prepare electoral alliances to combat the global economic recession, one issue continues to be a point of contention – support for the occupation of Afghanistan. This panel seeks to bring important features of this European debate on Afghanistan to the US in order to foster a dialogue between anti-war activists. Building links across the Atlantic may be a key part of re-energizing the anti-war movement and exposing the weaknesses in the arguments for a continuance of war and
occupation.

Chair:
Kristin Schall, Chairperson, NYC Local of the Socialist Party USA

Panel:
Helmuth Markov, MEP European Parliament, Die Linke
David McReynolds, Anti-war activist, War Resisters League, Socialist Party USA
Jonas Sjostedt, ex-MEP European Parliament, Swedish Left Party

Sunday April 19th 10 am – 12am
Room TBA
The Left Forum
Pace University (across from City Hall)
One Pace Plaza New York, NY 10038

Directions:
http://leftforum.org/?q=2009/directions

** Please note that $15 weekend passes can be purchased for the Left Forum 2009 by going through this website:
http://www.leftforum.org/friends