[Lnc-business] Email Ballot 2017-18: Unity Statement

Mon Aug 28 03:33:59 EDT 2017

Alicia raises good points.  Here are the two I am finding compelling and
may persuade me to change my vote.

===environmental damage through wars of aggression and occupation===

It names this as a principal cause.  On further reflection, that claim is
dubious and has the undertones of a certain environmentalist agenda we
would not support.

===For one thing, it is an agreement to "commit ourselves to working
together by forming a Coalition Against U.S. Foreign Military Bases".
We're joining an organization and promising various future cooperative
endeavors.===

That is also very persuasive.  Thank you Alicia.

-Caryn Ann

On Mon, Aug 28, 2017 at 1:26 AM Alicia Mattson <agmattson at gmail.com> wrote:

> I vote no.
>
> This is not just a resolution calling for closing foreign military bases.
>
> For one thing, it is an agreement to "commit ourselves to working together
> by forming a Coalition Against U.S. Foreign Military Bases".  We're joining
> an organization and promising various future cooperative endeavors.
>
> Also, it contains a number of claims that I don't believe stand up to
> scrutiny.  I am not convinced that "military bases are the principal
> instruments of ... environmental damage".  Nor do I believe that the world
> cannot continue to support life if we don't close the bases, as is
> suggested by the phrase, "the closure of U.S. foreign military bases is one
> of the first necessary steps toward a ... sustainable world."
>
> In item number 3, what is a "threat of...economic expansion" and why is it
> bad?  Also, it seems to suggest that all espionage is improper.
>
> This resolution is about other subjects as much as it is about our
> military policy, and just because it has some things we may agree with,
> it's not enough for me to sign onto the entire statement.
>
> -Alicia
>
>
>
>
> On Mon, Aug 28, 2017 at 12:06 AM, Alicia Mattson <agmattson at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> We have an electronic mail ballot.
>>
>>
>> *Votes are due to the LNC-Business list by September 7, 2017 at
>> 11:59:59pm Pacific time.*
>> *Co-Sponsors:*  Vohra, Bittner, Harlos, Demarest
>>
>> *Motion:*  The Chair is authorized by the LNC to sign the following
>> petition on behalf of the LNC:  http://noforeignbases.org/
>>
>> --------------------Resolution Text--------------------
>>
>> Coalition Against U.S. Foreign Military Bases
>>
>> Unity Statement
>>
>> We, the undersigned peace, justice and environmental organizations, and
>> individuals, endorse the following Points of Unity and commit ourselves to
>> working together by forming a Coalition Against U.S. Foreign Military
>> Bases, with the goal of raising public awareness and organizing non-violent
>> mass resistance against U.S. foreign military bases.
>>
>> While we may have our differences on other issues, we all agree that U.S.
>> foreign military bases are the principal instruments of imperial global
>> domination and environmental damage through wars of aggression and
>> occupation, and that the closure of U.S. foreign military bases is one of
>> the first necessary steps toward a just, peaceful and sustainable world.
>> Our belief in the urgency of this necessary step is based on the following
>> facts:
>>
>> 1.  While we are opposed to all foreign military bases, we do recognize
>> that the United States maintains the highest number of military bases
>> outside its territory, estimated at almost 1000 (95% of all foreign
>> military bases in the world). Presently, there are U.S. military bases in
>> every Persian Gulf country except Iran.
>>
>> 2.  In addition, the United States has 19 Naval air carriers (and 15 more
>> planned), each as part of a Carrier Strike Group, composed of roughly 7,500
>> personnel, and a carrier air wing of 65 to 70 aircraft — each of which can
>> be considered a floating military base.
>>
>> 3.  These bases are centers of aggressive military actions, threats of
>> political and economic expansion, sabotage and espionage, and crimes
>> against local populations. In addition, these military bases are the
>> largest users of fossil fuel in the world, heavily contributing to
>> environmental degradation.
>>
>> 4.  The annual cost of these bases to the American taxpayers is
>> approximately $156 billion. The support of U.S. foreign military bases
>> drains funds that can be used to fund human needs and enable our cities and
>> States to provide necessary services for the people.
>>
>> 5.  This has made the U.S. a more militarized society and has led to
>> increased tensions between the U.S. and the rest of the world. Stationed
>> throughout the world, almost 1000 in number, U.S. foreign military bases
>> are symbols of the ability of the United States to intrude in the lives of
>> sovereign nations and peoples.
>>
>> 6.  Many individual national coalitions — for example, Okinawa, Italy,
>> Jeju Island Korea, Diego Garcia, Cyprus, Greece, and Germany — are
>> demanding closure of bases on their territory. The base that the U.S. has
>> illegally occupied the longest, for over a century, is Guantánamo Bay,
>> whose existence constitutes an imposition of the empire and a violation of
>> International Law. Since 1959 the government and people of Cuba have
>> demanded that the government of the U.S. return the Guantánamo territory to
>> Cuba.
>>
>> U.S. foreign military bases are NOT in defense of U.S. national, or
>> global security. They are the military expression of U.S. intrusion in the
>> lives of sovereign countries on behalf of the dominant financial,
>> political, and military interests of the ruling elite. Whether invited in
>> or not by domestic interests that have agreed to be junior partners, no
>> country, no peoples, no government, can claim to be able to make decisions
>> totally in the interest of their people, with foreign troops on their soil
>> representing interests antagonistic to the national purpose.
>>
>> We must all unite to actively oppose the existence of U.S. foreign
>> military bases and call for their immediate closure. We invite all forces
>> of peace, social and environmental justice to join us in our renewed effort
>> to achieve this shared goal.
>>
>> ---------------End of Resolution Text---------------
>>
>> -Alicia
>>
>>
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-- 
*In Liberty,*
*Caryn Ann Harlos*
Region 1 Representative, Libertarian National Committee (Alaska, Arizona,
Colorado, Hawaii, Kansas, Montana, Utah, Wyoming, Washington) - Caryn.Ann.
Harlos at LP.org <Caryn.Ann.Harlos at LP.org>
Communications Director, Libertarian Party of Colorado
<http://www.lpcolorado.org>
Chair, LP Historical Preservation Committee

A haiku to the Statement of Principles:
*We defend your rights*
*And oppose the use of force*
*Taxation is theft*
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