February 27 - March 2, 2009
American University, Washington, D.C.
Security without Empire:
National Organizing Conference on Foreign Military Bases

Many of us have a new sense of hope as we think about new possibilities in the Obama years. We also understand that if we and the world are to get the changes we need, we need to learn more and step up our organizing.

This certainly applies to U.S. and international efforts to close the foreign military bases that make wars from Afghanistan and Iraq to Colombia and the Philippines possible, oppress "host" nations and communities, and divert our tax dollars from addressing essential human needs.

The Project on Military Bases, a coalition of fifteen national and community based organizations has organized "Security With Empire: National Organizing Conference on Military Bases", which will be held at American University, February 27- March 2 in Washington.

We will also be joined by leading anti-bases activists from Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and Europe. The conference will provide a unique opportunity to learn about the dangers, "abuses and usurpations" that come with foreign military deployments, and to join in the process of organizing to win the closure and withdrawal of these bases.

Together we will
Share information about U.S. military bases and resistance
Develop strategies and expand the U.S. anti-bases movement
Raise the visibility of the U.S. and international anti-bases movements
Apply pressure on Congress to close and reduce the number of foreign bases
Speakers will include leading U.S. peace activists, scholars, and our allies from the Czech Republic, Ecuador, Germany, Guam, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Okinawa, and South Africa. Additionally, we have arranged twenty workshops to allow participants to explore issues and campaigns more deeply and to develop new strategies.

Among the sponsoring groups are the Global Network, Veterans for Peace, FOR, CodePink, AFSC, United for Peace & Justice and Peace Action. Bruce Gagnon and GN affiliate Tim Rinne (Nebraskans for Peace) will be doing a workshop on space issues at the conference.

Monday, March 2, will be a lobbying day on Capitol Hill, in which we encourage as many conference attendees as possible to participate.

The conference will begin with a protest vigil at the Pentagon on Feb 27 from 4-5 pm at the Pentagon Metro stop (take yellow or blue Metro line to get there).

For more information contact: GGold@afsc.org or (617) 661-6130.
www.projectonmilitarybases.org