The ANSWER Coalition, of which the Party for Socialism and Liberation is a member, is among a growing list of signatories to the following statement. Below are points of unity for a newly formed Ad Hoc Coalition to oppose the U.S.-led aggression against Syria.
U.S. Hands Off Syria
An Urgent Message for Peace on the Eve of Wider War
We raise our voices against the violence of war and the enormous pressure of war propaganda, lies and hidden agendas that are used to justify this war and every past U.S. war.
We, the undersigned organizations and individuals, endorse the following Points of Unity and will work together as an Ad Hoc Coalition to help put an end to the regime change intervention by the United States, NATO and their regional allies and the killing of innocent people in Syria:
- The continuation of the war in Syria is the result of a U.S.-orchestrated intervention by the United States, NATO, their regional allies and reactionary forces, the goal of which is regime change in Syria.
- This policy of regime change in Syria is illegal and in clear violation of the United Nations Charter, the letter and spirit of international law and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
- This policy of forced regime change is threatening the security of the region and the world and has increased the danger of direct confrontation between the United States and Russia, with the potential of a nuclear catastrophe for the whole world.
- War and U.S. and EU sanctions have destabilized every sector of Syria’s economy, transforming a once self-sufficient country into an aid-dependent nation. Half the Syrian population is now displaced. A UN ESCWA report reveals these U.S. sanctions on Syria are crippling aid work during one of the largest humanitarian emergency since World War II. The one third of Syrians refugees in surrounding Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey have been hit hard by U.S. cuts to UNICEF. This forces desperate refugees to struggle to reach Europe.
- No foreign entity, be it a foreign government or an armed group, has the right to violate the fundamental rights of the Syrian people to independence, national sovereignty and self-determination. This includes the right of the Syrian government to request and accept military assistance from other countries, as even the U.S. government has admitted.
- Only the people of Syria have the inalienable right to choose their leaders and determine the character of their government, free from foreign intervention. This right cannot be properly exercised under the conditions of U.S.-orchestrated foreign intervention against the Syrian people.
- Our opposition is to forced regime change in Syria by U.S.-backed foreign powers and their mercenaries. It is not our business to support or oppose President Assad or the Syrian government. Only the Syrian people have the right to decide the legitimacy of their government.
- The most urgent issue at present is peace and putting an end to the violence of foreign intervention that has resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people and the displacement of millions of Syrians both internally or as refugees abroad.
Based on these Points of Unity, we, as individuals and organizations—in an Ad Hoc Coalition—agree on the following demands and commit ourselves to working together to help achieve them:
- An immediate end to the U.S. policy of forced regime change in Syria and full recognition and compliance by the U.S., NATO and their allies with principles of international law and the U.N. Charter, including respect for the independence and territorial integrity of Syria.
- An immediate end to all foreign aggression against Syria, and serious efforts toward a political resolution to the war.
- An immediate end to all military, financial, logistical and intelligence support by the U.S., NATO and their regional allies to all foreign mercenaries and extremists in the Middle East region.
- An immediate end to economic sanctions against Syria. Massive international aid for displaced people within Syria and Syrian refugees abroad.
Only in a peaceful and independent Syria, free of foreign aggression, can the people of Syria freely exercise their sovereign rights, express their free will and make free choices about their government and their country’s leadership.
We invite all supporters of peace and peoples’ right to self-determination around the world to join hands of cooperation in this effort to achieve these most humanitarian demands.
We need jobs, healthcare, education and an end to racist police violence here at home, not U.S. wars abroad!!
Organizational Signers (in alphabetical order):
- Albany Park, North Park, Mayfair Neighbors for Peace and Justice (Chicago)
- Alliance for Global Justice
- Al-Awda — Palestine National Right to Return Coalition
- All-African People’s Revolutionary Party (GC)
- American Party of Labor
- ANSWER Coalition
- Antiwar Committee — Chicago
- Antiwar Committee — Minneapolis
- Antiwar Committee — Tampa
- Antiwar Committee — Tucson
- Antiwar Committee — Utah
- Arab Americans for Syria
- Arab Women Progressive League
- Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace
- Black is Back Coalition for Social Justice, Peace and Reparations
- BAYAN – Philippine Coalition
- Citizens of the World — Canada
- Coalition of Arab Canadian Professionals and Community Associations
- Columbus Campaign for Arms Control
- The Committee to Stop FBI Repression — NYC
- Conselho Português para a Paz e Cooperação / Portuguese Council for Peace and Cooperation
- CT 9/11 Truth
- Dallas Left Alliance
- Democracy TV Berlin, Germany
- Deutscher Freidenkerverband, Berlin, Germany
- Ecumenical Peace Institute Clergy and Laity Concerned
- El Movimiento Meicano Por la Paz Y el Desarollo (MOMPADE) — Mexico
- FLC-CGIL Trade Union University of Florence (Italy)
- Foro Contra la Guerra Imperialista y la OTAN (Spain)
- Hamilton Coalition to Stop the War (Hamilton, Ontario, Canada)
- Hands Off Syria (Australia)
- HEAL
- Houston Peace Council
- Houston Communist Party
- International Action Center
- International League of Peoples Struggle – U.S.
- Los Alamos Study Group — AZ
- Malcolm X Center
- Michigan Emergency Committee Against War & Injustice
- Mobilization Against War & Occupation (MAWO) — Canada
- Mütter gegen den Krieg Berlin-Brandenburg
- New Jersey Peace Council
- No Nukes No War — CT
- Northeast Iowa Peace and Justice Committee
- Northeast Philly for Peace and Justice
- One State Assembly
- Orange County Healthcare For All!
- PädagogInnen für den Frieden, Hamburg, Germany
- Peace Forum Sangerhausen, Germany
- Peace Roots Alliance — Tennessee
- Peoples Organization for Progress
- Pittsburgh Anti-Imperialist League
- Peoples Opposition to War, Imperialism & Racism — POWIR (Florida)
- Popular Resistance
- Popular Committee in Defense of Syria
- Trudy Quaif, Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace
- Queers Without Borders — Hartford CT
- Return Now Coalition
- Socialist Action — Ligue pour l’Action Socialiste, Canada
- South Asian Fund For Education, Scholarship & Training (SAFEST)
- South Coast People For Peace and Justice
- Southern Human Rights Organizers’ Conference – SHROC
- St. Pete for Peace
- Stop the War Machine
- Students for a Democratic Society — SDS
- Students for a Democratic Society at University of Houston
- Swedish Peace Council
- Syria Solidarity Movement
- Syrian American Forum
- Syrian American Will Association – SAWA
- Syrian Social Club Community in the UK (Dr. Issa Chaer, Co-founder)
- The Expatriates Association of Syrians in Canada
- United National Antiwar Coalition — UNAC
- United Steelworkers Local 8751
- Unleashed (Anarcho-Liberation)
- Upstate New York Drone Action
- U.S. Peace Council
- Veterans For Peace Chapter 111, Bellingham, WA
- Virginia Defenders for Freedom, Justice & Equality
- Women Against Military Madness — WAMM
- World Peace Council (WPC)
Individual Signers (in alphabetical order):
- Jim Abourezk, Former U.S. Senator, South Dakota
- Robert Anderson, Co-Director, Stop the War Machine
- Christopher Assad, The Expatriates Association of Syrians in Canada
- Abayomi Azikiwe, Pan Africa News Wire
- Ajama Baraka, Human Rights Defender
- Judith Bello, Member of Admin Committee, UNAC
- Vanessa Beeley, Independent Journalist and Photographer
- Toby Blomé, CODEPINK, SF Bay Area Chapter,* California, USA
- Bob Brown, Organizer, All-African People’s Revolutionary Party (GC) — USA
- Kim Bryan, General Secretary,* Socialist Labour Party (Great Britain)
- Mark Burton, Member of the Board, Alliance for Global Justice
- Candida Rosa Perez Flores, Campamento Contra La Junta,* San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Alfonse Casal, National Spokesperson, American Party of Labor
- Frank Chapman, Field organizer, Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression*
- Ramsey Clark, Former U.S. Attorney General & Human Rights Attorney
- Gerry Condon, National Board Vice President, Veterans For Peace*
- Cheryl Curtis, Ct 9/11 Truth
- Kenneth Dalton, Veterans For Peace, Chapter 21,* New Jersey, U.S.A.
- Nicolas J S Davies, Author of Blood On Our Hands: The American Invasion and Destruction of Iraq, Florida, USA
- Henry Duke, M.D., Medical Director, Orange County Healthcare For All!
- Sandy Eaton, South Shore Coalition for Human Rights — Massachusetts,* USA
- Chris Ernesto, St. Pete for Peace
- Maria Ilda Figueiredo, Chairperson, Conselho Português para a Paz e Cooperação / Portuguese Council for Peace and Cooperation
- Margaret Flowers, M.D., Green Party Candidate for Senate; Co-Director, It’s Our Economy*
- Bruce Gagnon, Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space*
- Peter Gerlinghoff, Speaker, Peace Forum Sangerhausen, Germany
- Bradley Geyer, Veterans for Peace-Chapter 175,* Janesville WI; Iraq Veterans Against War,* Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3589*—Jefferson, WI
- John Gilbert, Secretary, FLC-CGIL Trade Union University of Florence (Italy)
- Steven Gillis, Financial Secretary, United Steelworkers Local 8751
- Daniel Gilman, President, Veterans For Peace Chapter 92,* Greater Seattle
- Greg Godels, Co-Director, Pittsburgh Anti-Imperialist League
- Socorro Gomes, President, World Peace Council (WPC)
- Trevor Goodger-Hill, Citizens of the World, Canada
- Evelyn Haas, Member of Executive Committee, Northeast Philly for Peace and Justice
- Abbas Hamideh, al-Awda Steering Committee*
- Joan Hoff, Research Professor of History, Nontana State University,* Bozeman
- Herbert Hoffman, Veterans for Peace,* Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Trevor Goodger-Hill, Citizens of the World, Canada
- Martha Grevatt, UAW Local 869,* Michigan, USA
- Joachim Guilliard, Forum against Militarism and War,* Heidelberg, Germany
- Joseph Hancock, Movement for People’s Democracy
- Sue Harris, Peoples Video Network
- Klaus Hartmann, President, World Union of Freethinkers / German Freethinkers Association
- Patrick Higgins, Students for a Democratic Society at UH
- Jaribu Hill, Human Rights Defender
- Joe Iosbaker, Anti-War Committee — Chicago
- Lars Jørgensen, Researcher, Homo Sociologicus, Denmark
- Geraroid Kilgallen, Member of Steering Committee, Irish Anti-War Movement*
- Ali Mallah, Steering Committee, Syria Solidarity Movement
- Margaret Kimberly, Editor and Senior Columnist, Black Agenda Report
- John Kiriakou, former CIA counterterrorism officer and former senior investigator, Senate Foreign Relations Committee
- Cheryl Kozanitas, Board Member, Peace Action of San Mateo County,* California
- Ray Laforest, Haiti Support Network
- John Laforge, Co-Director, NukeWatch
- Ed Lehman, Vice President, Regina Peace Council*
- Alfred Marder, President, U.S. Peace Council
- George Martin, Liberty Tree
- Ray McGovern, former CIA analyst and Presidential briefer
- Rev. F. Mark Mealing, Ph.D., Anglican church of Canada,* Meadow Creek, Canada
- Gregory Mello, Executive Director, Los Alamos Study Group
- Monica Moorehead, US Presidential Candidate, Workers World Party
- Nick Mottern, Knowdrones.com
- Elizabeth Murray, Deputy National Intelligence Officer for the Near East, National Intelligence Council (ret.)
- Navid Nasr, Editor-in-Chief, Balkans Post,* Croatia
- Agneta Norberg, Chairwoman, Swedish Peace Council
- Efia Nwangaza, Founder/Director, Malcolm X Center
- Jon Olsen, Co-Chair, Maine Green Independent Party*
- Manuel Pardo, Secretary, Foro Contra la Guerra Imperialista y la OTAN (Spain)
- Nasrin Parsa, Producer, Democracy TV Berlin, Germany
- Brigitte Queck, Vorsitzende, Mütter gegen den Krieg Berlin-Brandenburg, Potsdam, Germany
- Barry Ranger, Co-Chair, Northwest Iowa Peace and Justice Committee
- Neal Resnikoff, Albany Park, North Park, Mayfair Neighbors for Peace and Justice / March 19th Anti-War Coalition (Chicago)
- Hartmut Ring, PädagogInnen für den Frieden, Hamburg, Germany
- Chris Robinson, Membership Secretary, Green Party of Philadelphia*
- Coleen Rowley, retired FBI agent and former Minneapolis Division Legal Counsel
- Herbert Rubisch
- Cindy Sheehan, Anti-War Gold Star Mother
- Stansfield Smith, Chicago ALBA Solidarity Committee*
- Pete Schoonmaker, Veterans For Peace,* Seattle, WA
- Angel Smith, HEAL, Seattle, WA
- Mark Stansbery, Co-Coordinator, Columbus Campaign for Arms Control
- Steven Starr, Senior Scientist, Physicians for Social Responsibility,* Missouri, USA
- Jane Stillwater, President, Century of the Child
- Claudio Tamagnini, International Solidarity Movement,* Italy
- Jay Tharappel, Committee Member, Hands Off Syria, Sidney, Australia
- Will Thomas, NH Veterans For Peace*
- James Thompson, Chairperson, Houston Peace Council
- James Thring, Founder, Ministry of Peace,* London, UK
Iraklis Tsavdaridis, Executive Secretary, World Peace Council (WPC) - Amal Wahda, Arab Women’s Progressive League
- William H. Warrick, M.D., Veterans For Peace Chapter #14,* Gainesville, Florida
- Joseph Wasserman, Co-Chair, No Nukes No War
- C. T. Weber, Legislative Committee Chair, Peace and Freedom Party of California*
Caroline Yacoub, County Council, Green Party of Santa Clara County* - Omali Yeshitela, Chair, Black is Back Coalition for Social Justice, Peace and Reparations
- Kevin Zeese, Co-Director, Popular Resistance
