Mountain View Voices For Peace
Voces de Mountain View Por la Paz
from independence to empire

The Struggle for Independence from Empire


In 1776 the resistance movement in the thirteen colonies fought for American independence against the British empire.

Even then there were British citizens who agreed with the colonists that the occupation in the New World was unjustified.
Some were bold enough to speak out against their own government and in support of the American colonists' right to sovereignty.

In 2008—232 years after the American Revolution—the United States itself is occupying Iraq, in violation of the very ideals that America was founded upon. And the Iraqi resistance is fighting against the American empire for Iraqi sovereignty.

Are we, as Americans, brave enough to do the right thing and speak out against our own government's neo-colonizing the Middle East, and support the Iraqi people in defeating the United States' occupation of their country?

Until the U.S. grants Iraq full sovereignty and withdraws military personnel and bases, the Iraqis are justified in attacking Americans in Iraq. The U.S. will continue to disgrace itself until the American people demand a conclusion to this occupation.

What is Mountain View's share of the cost of the war
and occupation in Iraq?


$203.1 million through May 2008!


This is a 15% increase since the beginning of the year.

For this amount of taxpayer dollars, the city could pay for:

  • 83,597* People with Health Care OR
  • 361,889 Homes with Renewable Electricity OR
  • 3,629 Public Safety Officers OR
  • 2,869 Music and Arts Teachers OR
  • 30,524 Scholarships for University Students OR
  • 20 New Elementary Schools OR
  • 608 Affordable Housing Units OR
  • 75,924 Children with Health Care OR
  • 24,295 Head Start Places for Children OR
  • 2,917 Elementary School Teachers OR
  • 2,565 Port Container Inspectors
* Mountain View has a population of 70,708

IS THIS OKAY WITH YOU?

Download the flyer with this information.

Visit National Priorities Project to see the costs and tradeoffs for other cities and states

MVVP marks the grim milestone
of over 4000 U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq

March 24, 2008


4000

A solemn candle light vigil was held on the corner of El Camino Real and Castro St. in downtown Mountain View.
See all photos

Winter Soldier: Iraq & Afghanistan
presented by Iraq Veterans Against the War

March 13-16, 2008


Winter Soldier: Iraq and Afghanistan featured testimony from U.S. veterans who served in those occupations, giving an accurate account of what is really happening day in and day out, on the ground.

The four-day event brought together veterans from across the country to testify about their experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan - and presented video and photographic evidence. In addition, there were panels of scholars, veterans, journalists, and other specialists that gave context to the testimony. These panels covered everything from the history of the GI resistance movement to the fight for veterans' health benefits and support.

The event is video archived at Winter Soldier. Additional information at War Comes Home

war costs

Nobel laureate estimates cost of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan


By Kevin G. Hall
McClatchy Newspapers

WASHINGTON � When U.S. troops invaded Iraq in March 2003, the Bush administration predicted that the war would be self-financing and that rebuilding the nation would cost less than $2 billion.

Coming up on the fifth anniversary of the invasion, a Nobel laureate now estimates that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are costing America more than $3 trillion.

That estimate from Noble Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz also serves as the title of his new book, "The Three Trillion Dollar War," which hits store shelves Friday.

Read the full article


Faces of the fallen, both American and Iraqi

"Eyes Wide Open"


See the American Friends Service Committee short movie on ending the Iraq war!