This document does not seek to address or detail the political differences between organizations and groups. They exist and they have been detailed often. At this moment, there needs to be an effort at clear perspective that focuses on one simple question: What will end the war and occupation of Iraq and what should the US anti-war movement do?

It is clear that the anti-war movement is not sufficiently strong at the moment to bring this criminal and despised war to an end. Every organization must ask why is this so and most importantly what can be done to change the situation immediately.

The first question to ask and answer is: Can a people's movement in the United States overcome the commitment of the White House, Congress and the Pentagon to authorize, extend and finance the war and occupation in Iraq?

If you or your organization answers the question negatively then the rest doesn’t really matter. Perhaps, individuals can bear witness and continue to protest, but it will be little more than an individual statement.

If the answer to the question is yes, however, we must assess various
factors and craft a strategy that will be fundamentally different from the
current path of the anti-war movement.

Historically, wars come to an end either because one side wins and one
side loses, or the people rise in revolution (usually as a result of a
military defeat or pending defeat), or both sides exhaust each other over
a protracted period.

What is the military situation in Iraq? The US cannot achieve military
victory in Iraq. Its multiple opponents in Iraq are not militarily strong
enough to decisively defeat the US military in the short term. If the
Iraqi population, however, were able to overcome sectarian divisions
introduced with the US occupation it is possible that Iraq could witness a
repeat of a nationwide uprising such as the 1958 Revolution that drove the
British military out of Iraq. But the flames of division are being whipped
up every day and function as a deterrent to such a spontaneous national
uprising against the occupiers. Finally, the US military is stretched thin
but is clearly able to continue the occupation for some time, and the
anti-U.S. opponents in Iraq are not exhausted yet by the protracted
conflict. If anything they are gathering strength and energy as the
occupation forces cannot take the strategic initiative away from guerrilla
forces.

Given this complex reality, or realities, we believe that the U.S. antiwar
movement must take strategic and bold initiatives that change the
political climate in this country. To succeed, these initiatives must be
based on a correct assessment of where we are.

The ANSWER Coalition wants to offer its own brief assessment of the
political equation in the United States. We are also offering a proposal
to all of the major anti-war coalitions and groups and to all of those
organizations that function on a local level

Assessment of the political situation as it regards the Iraq war

1) The people of the country have turned decisively against the
continuation of the war. Most recognize that the war was based on lies and
most no longer believe the president and the generals when they assure
them that victory is still possible.
2) The military situation is worsening rather than improving in light of
the so-called surge. The number of US war dead in May 2007 spiked to the
third highest month since the initial invasion in 2003. The numbers of
Iraqi dead is about 3,000 each month. Two million Iraqis have fled the
country and another two million are internal refugees.
3) The US is unable to secure its political control over the region as is
evident by what is happening in Lebanon, Iran and Syria and its
intensified destabilization campaign towards the Palestinian people.
4) The Bush administration is increasingly isolated, at home and abroad,
because of its failure in Iraq and its inability to regain the military
initiative even with tens of thousands of more troops. The Pentagon
anticipates occupying Iraq for decades, as it has Korea and other
countries.
5) More and more U.S. soldiers, marines, veterans and the families of
service members are either disillusioned or completely opposed to the
continuation of the war and occupation.
6) The Democratic-controlled Congress voted overwhelmingly to extend and
finance the war and occupation. The calculation of the Democratic Party
leadership and the vast majority of its elected officials in Congress is
based on avoiding at all costs taking responsibility for a pullout from
Iraq which will be perceived as a defeat for the United States in this
strategic oil-rich region. They believe that they can secure an electoral
advantage in 2008 by having the war drag on and have the public hold the
Republicans responsible for the war. Moreover, the Democratic Party is
feeding from the same corporate financing trough as the Republicans and
they share the Bush government’s broad objective of U.S. domination in the
Middle East. Congress, under the current circumstances, is completely
committed to not ending the war in Iraq in the next two years and probably
for much longer than that.

Assessment of the weakness and strength of the antiwar movement

1) There have been a growing number of anti-war protests on the national,
regional and local level during the past six months.
2) The antiwar protests are being joined and, in some cases, initiated by
the people who have not been involved in past demonstrations.
3) A growing sentiment of opposition and disgust to the war, occupation
(and the politicians) is building among rank and file service members and
some officers.
4) A large amount of energy and activity was directed at Congress with the
hope that the Congress would heed their constituents' desire to end the
war. When the Congress instead voted against its constituents and with
Bush to extend the war there was a huge wave of anger, frustration and
desperation but with few available or recognized channels for effective
action.
5) Although the antiwar sentiment is growing among the general population,
the size and intensity of the demonstrations, protests and acts of
resistance does not at all measure up to the vast magnitude of feelings
against the Iraq war among the general population.
6) The single biggest reason for this dichotomy is the fact that the
anti-war movement is badly splintered rather than working together or in a
united fashion so as to marshal, stimulate and mobilize a truly massive
outpouring of the people.

Proposal to build a truly mass outpouring of the people

If every anti-war coalition and organization came together on a particular
day, and with enough advance notice, under the simple demand End the War
Now it would be easily possible to mobilize one million people. The
political mood in the country exists to make this happen.

So as to facilitate the greatest degree of coordination between
organizations to build a massive outpouring, the ANSWER Coalition is not
unilaterally setting a date for this potentially million-strong march and
rally. However, we recommend holding it sometime in November of 2007, or
on March 22, 2008--the fifth anniversary of the war." In order to have
such a huge demonstration, enough time must be given to allow the
organizations and coalitions to come together and for intensive national
outreach and organizing.

This period of time between now and the demonstration would not be a
period of quiet, it would be a time of intensifying anti-war activity and
education at the local and regional level culminating in this mass action.
Unfortunately, unless the political relationship of forces changes inside
the United States or in Iraq, the war and occupation will continue through
November and beyond. We are proposing a specific tactic that can
contribute to shifting the equation.

The aim is not just one more demonstration but the largest antiwar
demonstration in US history.

A mobilization of one million people marching on Washington DC would be
the best possible trigger for an avalanche of grassroots organizing
throughout the country and among service members and their families and
veterans. It is time for something bold and broad. Something that sends an
unmistakable message to the powers that be that the people of the United
States have entered the field of politics in such a way as to become an
irresistible force.

Each group and movement should maintain its political independence. Each
group can inscribe on its banners a variety of slogans or ideas or demands
but what will allow us to unite for the largest mobilization of all the
people is the simple unifying demand. Whatever differences that exist
between groups, and there are many and they are important, are not
sufficient justification for preventing us from coming together in a show
of force that will change the direction of this country. The lives of too
many people, all victims of a criminal war, are too precious for our
movement to tolerate anything that prevents us from reaching our potential
to end the war in Iraq. With determination, maturity and mutual respect
our diverse anti-war movement can unite.

We would like to hear from everyone in consideration of this proposal. If
you, your friends, or your organization support the proposal for a unified
mass demonstration aiming to bring 1 million people onto the streets of
Washington DC, please join with us and sign on, which you can do by
clicking this link or visiting www.answercoalition.org/. This
movement has grown strong because of its grassroots base. Let’s hear from
everyone who supports this exciting possibility.

During the next week, people like you and thousands of others can
circulate this proposal, discuss it with your organization, family and
friends, and be part of the effort to make it a reality. We look forward
to hearing from you and working together.

Proposal by the A.N.S.W.E.R. (Act Now to Stop War & End Racism) Coalition,
May 31, 2007