Their War, Our World: Building The Student Resistance
The Campus Antiwar Network's East Coast Conference

April 4-6th
Hunter College, New York City

Come one, come all! As we enter our 6th year in the occupation of Iraq, our leaders refuse to present an exit strategy or even a truthful representation of what's happening on the ground. Though we keep being told violence is down, US air strikes are up, and in 2007 sectarian killings "ethnically cleansed" Baghdad, turning it from 65% Sunni to 75% Shia. A poll conducted by the British Ministry of Defense found that 82% of Iraqis are "strongly opposed" to the occupation, and "less than 1% of the population believes coalition forces are responsible for any improvement in security." Resistance to the war has emerged on three fronts: Iraqi civilians defending their country against foreign invasion and continued devastation, enlisted US troops refusing to participate in an illegal and bloodthirsty war, and American civilians (particularly the student movement, who feel that effect of the war daily -- as military recruiters continue to haunt our campuses and tuition is raised as the cost of the war depletes funds for education). As of yet, the US government has refused to recognize these forces of resistance as legitimate, but with continued and heightened pressure in the form of independent, grassroots activism, we can hope to create the change we wish to see.