Provoking a potential military conflict with China isn't in anyone's interest--especially if there is nothing concrete to gain from it.

The Nakba, meaning catastrophe in English, marked the 1948 mass expulsion of over 700,000 Palestinians from geographic Palestine and the destruction of over 400 Palestinian towns and villages following attacks by Zionist militias. The Nakba continues today as Palestinians continue to be displaced from their historic homeland. We must re-affirm our government's 1948 commitment to the right of return for all Palestinian refugees to their homeland who choose to do so. The urgency of this recognition is made clear by the current efforts of the Israeli regime to continue the Nakba by seeking to displace over 1,300 Palestinians from the communities of Masafer Yatta, where Palestinian families have lived continuously for centuries. Masafer Yatta is but one of many communities at risk. We applaud Congressman Huffman’s signing a statement that recognizes what Israel is doing in Masafer Yatta as “inconsistent with international humanitarian law, according to Articles 49 and 147 of the Fourth Geneva Convention." This effort at ethnic cleansing must not be tolerated and we must demand accountability and allow no complicity from the United States in furthering this crime against humanity. There is no room for Nakba denial in the United States today, just as there is no room for Holocaust denial or a revisionist history of slavery and racism in the United States as some reactionary voices would impose on us. Hard truths must be addressed honestly if we are to create a better future for us all. We must deal with the historical roots of what is happening as Israel continues to displace and oppress the Palestinian people, imposing upon them, as numerous human rights organizations have concluded, an apartheid regime. Recognizing the Palestinian Nakba is the truth that will set us free to pursue a new foreign policy based on building justice leading to reconciliation and creating genuine peace for all the people of historic Palestine. Congressman Huffman, cosponsor H.Res. 1123.

Join this campaign for negotiation, not escalation in Ukraine to press for an end to the war in Ukraine. Wars end in diplomatic agreements, so rather than prolonging the deadly fighting to risk nuclear catastrophe, global famine and further environmental degradation, let us call for a diplomatic agreement and ceasefire.

RIMPAC dramatically contributes to the destruction of the ecology and aggravation of the climate crisis in the Pacific region. RIMPAC war forces will blow up decommissioned ships with missiles endangering marine mammals such as humpback whales, dolphins and Hawaiian monk seals and polluting the ocean with contaminates from the vessels. Land forces will conduct ground assaults that will tear up beaches where green sea turtles come to breed. We reject the massive expenditure of funds on war-making when humanity is suffering from lack of food, water and other life-sustaining elements. Human security is not based on military war drills, but on care for the planet and its inhabitants. 2022 RIMPAC includes military forces from Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Ecuador, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Peru, the Republic of Korea, the Republic of the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tonga, the United Kingdom and the United States. 8 of the 26 RIMPAC participating countries are members of the North ATLANTIC Treaty Organization (NATO) -- Canada, Colombia, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy the United Kingdom and the United States -- while 4 participating countries are Asia-Pacific “partners” of NATO: Australia, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand. This means that 45% of RIMPAC participants have NATO ties, demonstrating that NATO is becoming a Pacific military force. The Pacific Peace Network members currently come from countries/islands across the Pacific including Guåhan, Jeju Island, South Korea, Okinawa, Japan, Philippines, Northern Mariana Islands, Aotearoa (New Zealand), Australia, Hawai’i and the United States. Endorsed by: Hawai'i Hawai'i Peace and Justice Veterans For Peace, Chapter 113-Hawai'i Women’s Voices Women Speak Oahu Water Protectors, Hawai'i World Can't Wait Hawai`i Students and Faculty for Justice at the University of Hawai'i) 350 Hawaii Our Revolution Hawaii Hawai’i Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines Malu 'Aina Center For Non-violent Education & Action, Big Island, Hawai'i Philippines Asia Europe Peoples Forum Philippine Initiative on Critical and Global Issues Peace Women Partners. Inc. Philippines Philippine Women Network for Peace & Security STOP the War Coalition Philippines United States Campaign for Peace, Disarmament and Common Security CODEPINK: Women For Peace Environmentalists Against War Veterans For Peace, Phil Berrigan Memorial Chapter, Baltimore, Maryland Veterans For Peace, San Diego chapter Veterans For Peace, New York City chapter 34 Roots Action Australia Independent and Peaceful Australia Network (IPAN) Just Peace Queensland Pacific Youngsolwara Pacific Prutehi Litekyan: Save Ritidian Youngsolawara Pacific Our Common Wealth 670 South Korea Inter-Island Solidarity for Peace of the Sea Jeju Committee Gangjeong Peace Network Association of Gangjeong Villagers Against the Jeju Navy Base, Gangjeong International Team People Making Jeju a Demilitarized Peace Island Seongsan Committee against the Jeju 2nd Airport Project Catholic Climate Justice Action Center for Deliberative Democracy and Environment Jeju branch of Service Industry Labor Union St. Francis Peace Center Foundation The Frontiers Columban Justice and Peace Jeju Green Party Gangjeong Catholic Mission Center Canada Canadian Voice of Women for Peace (vowpeace.org) The Women’s International League for Peace & Freedom-Canada (wilpfcanada.ca) International International Peace Bureau World Beyond War Pacific Peace Network No to NATO Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN CANCEL RIMPAC Send your art-graphics, poems, songs about the dangers of RIMPAC to the Virtual Exhibition CANCEL RIMPAC-ONLINE EXHIBIT-OPEN CALL for submissions of visual art, poetry, chant, and musical performance. Email image, video, or text submissions along with your name, age, title, and media to: [email protected] Submission deadline: June 30, 2022 See the beautiful website: https://www.youngsolwarapacific.com/cancel-rimpac-exhibition.html RESOURCES Friday, July 22, 2022, 3PM HST. CANCEL RIMPAC Webinar sponsored by the Pacific Peace Network with speakers from all over the Pacific (Saturday, July 23, 2022 in Asia and the Pacific) Register at: bit.ly/cancelrimpac Video of 35 of 38 RIMPAC ships leaving Pearl Harbor for war practice in Hawaiian waters. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp6sWvRcdS4 Sunday, July 24 5pm HST "Not Your Paradise: Gendered Violence and RIMPAC" Register in advance : https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_bEb Star Advertiser-OPED- Militarization of fragile Pacific leaves destruction and death by Koohan Paik-Mander https://bit.ly/3PEQLm5 END THE KOREAN WAR AND STOP THE US-CHINA ARMS RACE BY Youkyoung Ko https://bit.ly/3AYyhJ5 WITH RIMPAC, SOUTH KOREA EXPANDS ITS MILITARY FOOTPRINT BY CHOI SUNG-HEE https://bit.ly/3yUBsyO US AND NATO ESCALATE TENSIONS WITH ASIA-PACIFIC WAR GAMES BY ANN WRIGHT https://bit.ly/3PvpzGq THE FEMINIST RESPONSE TO RIMPAC AND THE U.S. WAR AGAINST CHINA BY CHRISTINE AHN https://bit.ly/3PmYbdV Commondreams- Largest Ever US-NATO Naval War Drills in Pacific a Threat to Both Peace and Marine Life. https://bit.ly/3RPfUwu COLLECTIVE POEM ON "A World Without RIMPAC" Thirteen indigenous poets from Oceania - from Hawaiʻi, Aotearoa, and Guahan - Wrote & recorded a poem calling for the Cancellation of RIMPAC and for the restoration of ea: life, breath, and sovereignty. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGmMOiLXBoI&t=11s CANCEL RIMPAC statement by Women's Voices, Women Speak: https://bit.ly/3yRKr3R STAR ADVERTISER-RIMPAC, Marcos, and war against China By Seiji Yamada, Richard Rothschiller and Arcelita Imasa June 15, 2022 https://bit.ly/3uZXsXT

As constituents of Congresswoman Barbara Lee, we are disappointed by her recent vote for an additional $40 billion for the war in Ukraine, thus funneling billions more taxpayer dollars to the Pentagon and war profiteers. While we realize some of the money was earmarked for humanitarian aid, we are still deeply concerned that continued weapons shipments only discourage a negotiated settlement. We deplore this vote mainly for two reasons: It is adding fuel to the fire in Ukraine. It will prolong the war, resulting in more Ukrainian and Russian deaths. It risks escalating and widening the war – up to and including nuclear war. The billions in US taxpayers’ dollars are desperately needed to address vital human needs at home, such as health care, housing, education, and the danger of climate change. In late January of this year, Congresswoman Lee issued a joint press release with Rep. Pramila Jayapal that said “there is no military solution to this crisis.” In March, following the Russian invasion and after voting for billions for Ukraine, Lee and Jayapal issued a joint statement cautioning: “Alongside this resolution, we must reaffirm the urgent need for diplomacy and de-escalation at this dangerous and unpredictable moment” ”support for diplomacy is the most direct means we have of trying to bring peace to Ukraine in light of continued fighting and mounting harm to Ukrainian civilians” “We must …work relentlessly toward de-escalation” Shortly after 9/11, Barbara Lee was the only member of Congress to vote against the Authorization for Use of Military Force, a blank check for endless war. At that time she said: “Some of us must say, let's step back for a moment. Let's just pause, just for a minute and think through the implications of our actions today, so that this does not spiral out of control.” But in May 2022, she voted in lockstep with every Democrat in Congress behind President Biden’s war policy without voicing such questions or concerns and without mentioning the need for diplomacy and de-escalation. As co-chair of the Defense Spending Reduction Caucus, Rep. Lee has fought for reducing the bloated military budget (calling for reductions of over 30%) and using that money to help meet the needs of poor and working people. But now she appears to be on board with massive and endless funding for the war in Ukraine. At the current rate, US government funds for the Ukraine war are four times the current budget to fight climate change. According to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, it would cost $20 billion to end homelessness in the United States. The increase in aid to Ukraine provided by Congress is staggering and now approaches Russia's entire military budget. It matches the escalatory rhetoric from the Biden Administration, which now says a US goal is to use the war in Ukraine to weaken Russia. We have supported Rep. Lee in the past in large part because of her opposition to the military-industrial complex and her advocacy for peace. We are deeply concerned about her stance lining up behind the forces of militarism, providing billions more to the war machine and putting us all at risk of a catastrophic war with Russia. We need to stop this war which is accelerating the advent of the 2 existential dangers we are facing. Nuclear War and Climate Change,

We believe that Rep. Huffman knows better, we cannot win peace without justice. He should reject the false promises of the Trump-negotiated “Abraham Accords” that only give weapon deals to undemocratic Arab regimes and diplomatic cover to Israel’s violations of international law. He therefore must rescind his support for HR 2748. If Rep. Huffman wishes to work for peace in the Middle East, he can speak up about very recent examples of Israel’s growing disregard for international laws and norms. Daily the Israeli government reminds us they want no part of any peaceful and just resolution. In October of last year, Israel effectively outlawed six prominent Palestinian human rights groups by declaring them terrorist organizations, a major escalation of its decades-long crackdown on political activism in the occupied territories. A resolution introduced by Rep. Betty McCollum condemning this extremist reactionary step has yet to be cosponsored by Rep. Huffman. Criminalizing human rights organizations should NOT be normalized. Israel military police to close "investigation" into death of Palestinian (and U.S. citizen) Omar Assad who was detained in January 6th, 2022 without charges, despite soldiers admitting they forcibly covered his mouth, cuffed him and left 78 year-old out in the cold, looking "sleepy" and unresponsive, didn't bother to call a medic. Even U.S. citizens are allowed to be subject to Israeli military brutality and still Congress demands this be “normalized”? Israeli military brutality and disregard for human life should NOT be normalized. On January 19th, 2022, at 3 a.m. in the morning, the Israeli military demolished the home and evicted the Salhiya family in the occupied East Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah, in a statement released on Thursday by the UNRWA. “In a matter of hours, the Salhiya’s house and possessions were destroyed, erasing all traces of their nearly 40 years of history in the neighborhood. Having already lost their place of residence as a result of the 1948 conflict, the Salhiya family is now again displaced, seeking refuge one more time.” Tens of Palestinian refugee families in different parts of Sheikh Jarrah alone (over 200 persons, many of whom are children) currently face an imminent threat of eviction by the Israeli authorities. Ethnic Cleansing should NOT be normalized. Rep. Huffman must repudiate his support of HR 2748 and instead work for justice that will bring peace. Sign this petition and call his Washington DC office today (202) 225-5161 and say “NO on HR 2748, no normalization with human rights violations!”

Nine nations collectively have approximately 13,100 nuclear weapons in their arsenals The detonation of even a small number of these weapons could have catastrophic human and environmental consequences Mayors in the United States will bear an overwhelming burden to manage the resources needed to address the impact of a nuclear explosion.

SIGNED BY Ann Wright - Col. U.S. Army (Retired), resigned U.S. State Department official in Afghanistan and member of the CODEPINK anti-drone war delegation to Pakistan in 2012. Matthew Hoh - Former U.S. Marine officer and resigned U.S. State Department official in Afghanistan. Kathy Kelly – Peace activist who has made 30 trips to Afghanistan and Co-coordinator BanKillerDrones.org. Brian Terrell – Peace activist who has made multiple trips to Afghanistan and board member of BanKillerDrones.org Medea Benjamin – Co-founder of CODEPINK, organizer of the anti-drone war protest delegation to Pakistan in 2012. Leah Bolger - Commander, U.S. Navy (Retired) , President, World Beyond War and a member of the CODEPINK anti-drone war protest delegation to Pakistan in 2012. Chelsea Faria – Board member, BanKillerDrones.org and a member of the CODEPINK anti-drone war delegation to Pakistan in 2012. Judy Bello – Upstate (NY) Drone Action and a member of the CODEPINK anti-drone war delegation to Pakistan in 2012. Mairead Maguire, Nobel Peace Prize Winner, 1976 and visitor to Afghanistan in 2012. David Swanson – Executive Director, World BEYOND War. The Rev. Dr. Emma Jordan-Simpson – Executive Director, Fellowship of Reconciliation (USA). Garett Reppenhagen, Executive Director, Veterans For Peace. Richard A. Falk, Professor Emeritus of International Law, Princeton University. Joe Lombardo, Coordinator, United National Antiwar Coalition. Phyllis Bennis – Institute for Policy Studies. Dr. Christine Schweitzer, Federation for Social Defence (Germany). Chris Cole, Director, Drone Wars UK. Debra Sweet – Director, World Can’t Wait. Susan Schnall – President, Veterans for Peace, New York City chapter, Veterans for Peace national board member. Maurice Carney - Friends of the Congo. Nada Khader - Executive Director, WESPAC Foundation, Westchester County, NY. Frank Brodhead – Coordinator, Concerned Families of Westchester (NY). Jack Gilroy – Veterans for Peace, Upstate (NY) Drone Action. Robert M. Smith – Brandywine Peace Community, Philadelphia, PA. Peace Action of Broome County, NY. Veterans for Peace of Broome County, NY. Friends of Franz & Ben. Ed Kinane and Ann Tiffany – Upstate (NY) Drone Action. Malachy Kilbride – Peace organizer. Janice Sevre-Duszynska – Baltimore Nonviolence Center. Susan H. Smith – Fellowship of Reconciliation (USA). Joy First – Peace organizer. Max Obuszewski – Baltimore Nonviolence Center and Baltimore Peace Action. Nick Mottern – Co-coordinator, BanKillerDrones.org SOURCES 1. >> https://www.defenseone.com/policy/2021/06/now-over-horizon-protection-afghanistan-will-fly-existing-hubs-acting-air-force-secretary-says/174595/ >> https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/2665540/pentagon-press-secretary-john-f-kirby-holds-a-press-briefing/ 2. >> https://www.c-span.org/video/?512340-1/defense-department-fiscal-year-2022-budget-request&live= >> https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-172830 4. >> https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/09/us/politics/afghanistan-airstrikes-us-troop-withdrawal.html 5. >> https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/06/us/politics/cia-afghanistan-pakistan.html >> https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/03/us/politics/biden-drones.html >> https://bankillerdrones.org/dangers/https:/bankillerdrones.org/dangers/ 6. >> https://www.iadllaw.org/files/BOMBING OF AFGHANISTAN IS ILLEGAL AND MUST BE STOPPED by Marjorie Cohn.pdf 7. >> https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N21/037/72/PDF/N2103772.pdf?OpenElement 8. >> https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/06/21/afghanistan-pakistan-imran-khan-peace-security-cooperation-us/ >> https://thehill.com/opinion/national-security/557714-biden-and-nato-must-face-the-consequences-of-americas-withdrawal 9. >> https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/6/11/turkeys-troops-should-leave-afghanistan-under-2020-deal-taliban >> https://military.wikia.org/wiki/Hamid_Karzai_International_Airport

In February 2021, President Joe Biden’s aides launched a formal review of the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay. We ask that this process be sped up to close a shameful historical chapter marked by torture, sexual abuse, cruel and unusual punishment -- all of which have tainted U.S. standing at home and abroad. Funding commitments in the American Rescue Plan would solidify the closure of the facility. Reuters reported: “Aides involved in internal discussions are considering an executive action to be signed by Biden in coming weeks or months, signaling a new effort to remove what human rights advocates have called a stain on America’s global image.” Asked whether Biden would shut the high-security prison located at the Guantanamo Naval Station by the time his presidency ends, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters: “That certainly is our goal and our intention.”

Please sign this letter which we will forward so President Biden sees a spike of opposition to the U.S. nuclear weapons posture. March 1 is the anniversary of the 20Mton H-bomb test known as "Bravo" that made human guinea pigs out of the people of Rongelap downwind from the Bikini Atoll in 1954 and also sparked the Japanese antinuclear movement because a Japanese fishing vessel was likewise caught directly in the fallout. We want to communicate our grave concerns about the nuclear posture of the United States. As a nuclear armed state, every overt and covert military operation overseen by the United States is backed up by its first-strike capable nuclear arsenal, making them potential violations of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and other international agreements.

1. Our bloated military budget is larger than the NEXT 10 countries together and is only supporting the already wealthy Military-Industrial-Banking complex. 2. This money is critical to supporting the ongoing wars, civilian deaths and casualties around the world and is creating hatred and violence. Did you know American soldiers were killed in Africa recently? 3. By law, the Pentagon is supposed to provide Congress with a yearly audit. They have broken the law annually and TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS are missing - over $21,000,000,000,000 as of the last investigation. 4. The Military is the largest single source of pollution and planetary degradation. No global plan to end our environmental crisis can succeed without dealing with this. 5. Either we are spending our money on Life or Death. As a so called ethical culture of religious and moral values how can we sanction killing people, all in defenceless 3rd world countries, who have not attacked us? If you condemn abortion but not our endless wars you are at best a hypocrite. 5. Did you know virtually every conflict since 1945 was triggered or promoted by the United States? Is this the country you want to be associated with? 6. Curtailing military spending will decrease our historic budget deficits.

It is imperative that we pursue peace and global cooperation in the face of climate catastrophe and human suffering from multiple U.S. wars, occupations and drone attacks. Flournoy, a Pentagon advisor in the Clinton and Obama administrations, calls for the US to send more military equipment to Saudi Arabia to police the Middle East while the US pivots to Asia to ramp up a Cold War with China. In her essay, “How to Prevent a War with Asia,” Flournoy claims the way to prevent a nuclear confrontation with China is for the U.S. to increase military spending on cyber warfare, artificial intelligence and drones, as well as troop deployments to the South China Sea to conduct roving war games near two nuclear powers, China and North Korea. This is a prescription for tremendous human suffering. Flournoy supported the surge in Afghanistan, regime change in Syria and the disastrous military intervention in Libya. She sits on the Board of Booz Hamilton, a consultancy for military contractors and during her 2013-2016 tenure with Boston Consulting expanded military contracts from $1.6-$32 million dollars (American Prospect). It is a fundamental conflict of interest to choose a Secretary of Defense so closely tied to war profiteers. We need a Secretary of Defense, untethered to the weapons industry, who will embrace diplomacy and reject a new arms race with China. One possible candidate is Thomas Countryman, Board Chair, Arms Control Association, former United States Assistant secretary of State for International Security and Adviser to Diplomacy Works. Thank you.