From: harelb@math.cornell.edu (misc.activism.progressive co-moderator)
Subject: The Decline of America: Intervention, Militarization, and Wars
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: daemon@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: misc.activism.progressive on UseNet ; ACTIV-L@UMCVMB
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1992 03:59:31 GMT

The Decline of America: Intervention, Militarization, and Wars


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Definition of "Foreign Aid:"

        "The transfer of money from poor people in rich countries to
        rich people in poor countries"
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Topic 341       MCC: U.S. Foreign and Military Poli
jon     misc.activism.progressive        1:04 pm  Jan 17, 1992
(at kracken.uci.com)    (From News system)

   Janurary, 1992:

   For the first time since 1983, the U.S. overtook the Soviet Union
   as the world's number one supplier of weapons to countries in
   poverty.  The Library of Congress notes that a record $18.5 billion
   in arms transfers to the third world was made last year, over twice
   the amount of the previous year.

   The U.S. is also THE BIGGEST supplier of arms to the volatile
   Middle East, with $30.7 billion in sales between 1987 and 1990.

   U.S. foreign and military policy is still tied to assumptions of
   the Cold War.  The U.S. military continues to spend some $160
   billion annually to protect Western Europe from Soviet attack.  The
   doctrine of nuclear deterrence remains.  Administration policy
   assumes undiminished high levels of military spending.

   U.S. foreign and military policy should be thoroughly reformed in
   light of last year's developments.  The Gulf War experience should
   not set a precedent of solving international conflicts by resorting
   to war.  Repeated military intervention in the third world must be
   changed to a respect for sovereignty and self-determination.  Our
   militarized national budget must be converted to civilian needs.

   Mennonite Central Committee Peace Section recommends:

      - The return of all foreign-based troops and weapons to their
        countries of origin.

      - The termination of all nuclear weapons testing. (*)

      - Declaring as policy that the U.S. will never (again) be the first
        to use nuclear weapons.

      - Demobilization of large portions of military forces, with
        provisions for education and employment of troops released.

      - Stopping draft registration.


   [From January-February "Washington Memo"]

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(*) I.e., stopping what the America Peace Test accurately decribes as
the moral "violation of the Soviet (Commonwealth) testing moratorium"
and who [APT] aims to make this policy "visible and to show widespread
public support for US moratorium and resistance to continued US
testing."

    American Peace Test will alert groups planning response activities
    and compile a list of planned activities.  Please contact David
    Solnit or Reinard Knutsen at (702) 386-9834 if you have any
    questions, would like to talk to us and/or would like to be
    included on the Alert Network. (please have your alert phone #s
    and if possible a fax contact #.)


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