You are hereBlogs / War Criminals Watch's blog / 4-10-14 Public Hearing on Petraeus at CUNY

4-10-14 Public Hearing on Petraeus at CUNY

By War Criminals Watch - Posted on 11 April 2014

On April 3, 2014 CUNY students, faculty and staff, together with concerned individual and organizations (such as War Criminals Watch), came together to hold a public hearing to investigate charges that former General David Petraeus was responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity as Iraq/Afghanistan war commander and former CIA chief. The hearing discussed definitions of war crimes and crimes against humanity, and considered evidence regarding Petraeus’ actions.

Why was this hearing held? Because beginning last fall, CUNY’s Board of Trustees hired ex-general Petraeus to teach a course titled “Are We On The Threshold of a North American Decade?” at the Macaulay Honors College. Is his appointment part of an increasing militarization of CUNY, and if so, what does this mean for those who study and work at the City University? The public considered the facts of the case.

Presider Attorney:

Bina Ahmad, attorney

Presenters:

Jeena Shah, Center for Constitutional Rights

Claude Copeland, Iraq Veterans Against the War

Debra Sweet, director of World Can't Wait

Sándor John, professor of Latin American history at Hunter College

Tags

Petraeus

Syracuse Mass Protest Against Drones

Submitted by War Criminals Watch on Tue, 04/29/2014 - 7:07am.

by Debra Sweet Sunday I was in Syracuse, NY for a mass protest against drones, and of the outrageous "orders of protection" granted by a local judge against specific protesters, aimed at keeping them away from Hanock Air Force Base, from where drone operations in Afghanistan are piloted. We began at Tucker Missionary Baptist Church with almost 500 as Cornel Westspoke about poverty, racism and drones. "How does virtue stand up to brute force?" he asked, quoting WEB Dubois? One way Cornel answered is that we cannot allow the victims of US imperialism to be invisible.

We left the church and gathered in a parking lot adjacent to the base, but out of sightline of the base, because more than 40 people subject to the orders of protection were warned they would be arrested if they approached the base -- or even if they could be seen from the base! Rae Kramer, one of those under the orders, spoke about years of work in supporting victims of domestic violence, the very women for whom "orders of protection" were created in response to advocates' struggle. Ironically, those actual orders are often violated, or unenforced. But to use the same framework to cast political protesters as a danger to the commander of the base is an outrageous attack on the free speech and assembly rights of the people who are risking their freedom to stop US drone war through holding signs on public property.

Most of the focus on yesterday's protest, though, was on past victims, and possible targets of the US drone war. We head this message from Afghanistan:

Last year, Raz Mohammad, a young man from MaidanShahr, Wardak Provice, Afghanistan, submitted a request for an Order of Protection for his family and community after his young brother-in-law was killed in a drone strike. Raz said:

“On Friday,the 30th of May, 2008 my brother-in-law was killed by a drone, along with four of his friends. My brother-in-law was a student and was innocent. Accountability from the U.S. military for this incident was non-existent.

This incident created a situation which was beyond imagination.

It affected the minds of my sister and all members of my family. When my nephew was 5 years old, he asked his mother, “Where is father?” My sister replied, “Your father was killed by a computer.” These negative effects on all of us persist till today.

I am worried for my family and the people of MaidanShahr. I request that the U.S. courts protect my sister, my family and my village.

I wish that U.S. will be able to save all humanity from drones.” **Translated by Hakim Young

World Can't Wait was there with a model Reaper drone (the same model piloted from Hancock AFB computers). There were hundreds of photos of past and potential vicitms from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen & Somalia, carried in a solemn procession which ended in a "free speech zone" behind barricades. The military filmed us from every direction, erected a tower 35' above the gathering, where shooters were posted, and lined up armed guards on hits perimeter. While we read our own "orders of protection" for the victims of their base. "NO MORE inappropriate touching" of children and people by the U.S!

4-10-14 Public Hearing on Petraeus at CUNY

Connect.

Speaking Events

CHOOSE LANGUAGE

Support This Site

Buy Books

Get Gear

4-10-14 Public Hearing on Petraeus at CUNY

Connect.

Speaking Events

CHOOSE LANGUAGE

Support This Site

Buy Books

Get Gear

User login