Raytheon Anti-war Campaign

The Raytheon Anti-war Campaign to End Massachusetts’ Wars in the Middle East 

The war in Yemen seems far away. But it’s right in our backyard: Massachusetts-based Raytheon Company is a key player in the war crimes being committed in this epic human disaster.

The push for sanctions and possible war with Iran seems to come from Washington, Saudi Arabia and Israel. But a key player in that effort is right in our neighborhood. Massachusetts-based Raytheon will play an important role in such a catastrophic war.

The war and the danger of new wars is right here, in our cities and off Routes 128, 93, 2 and 3. Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham and has facilities in Cambridge, Burlington, Woburn, Tewksbury, Andover, Billerica, Marlborough and Northborough. 

Remnant of a wing assembly that is mounted on a US-made GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided 500-pound bomb found at the Arhab water drilling site, Sanaa governorate, where at least 31 civilians were killed in an airstrike on September 10, 2016. According to the manufacturing date as well as the national stock number, this wing assembly was produced by Raytheon Company, a US defense contractor, in October 2015. © 2016 Priyanka Motaparthy / Human Rights Watch

In Yemen 

Raytheon provides Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates with the bombs and technology that are a major cause of thousands of deaths and the physical destruction responsible for:

• A raging cholera epidemic with 2,100 dead of cholera so far and 900,000 infected.
• Millions are on the edge of war-caused famine – including 400,000 children.
• Terror from the sky caused by 16,749 air raids so far – 15 every day (sources: Doctors without borders; Save the Children; World Health Org; OCHA; UNICEF)

Raytheon’s weapons, technology, deepening relationship with the brutal Saudi regime, and influence in the U.S. State Department have made war crimes possible.

As the host to this behemoth of the military industrial complex, Massachusetts is the technology hub for Saudi Arabia’s war crimes against people who have done us no harm.

In Iran

President Trump has withdrawn the U.S. from the international nuclear deal with Iran which guarantees that Iran would not develop a nuclear bomb in return for sanctions relief. That deal had been vehemently opposed by both Saudi Arabia and Israel (which is also heavily armed by Raytheon). Trump has promised to crush Iran with vastly increased sanctions.

The U.S. used these same devastating sanctions against Iraq which led to the death of 500,000 children. They were a prelude to President Bush’s massive war on Iraq, the greatest crime of the 21^st century. If there is an attack on Iran by the U.S., Saudi Arabia and Israel, Raytheon will be a main supplier of weaponry to all three nations.

Campaign Goals

We demand that Raytheon stop selling arms to human rights violators – especially to Saudi Arabia while it is making war in Yemen.

Our goal is to use Raytheon’s critical support to Saudi Arabia and its huge impact on Massachusetts to give visibility, create controversy, and mobilize opposition to:

• the Saudi-U.S. war in Yemen war,
• the U.S./Saudi/Israeli push for war against Iran,
• S.-Saudi-Israeli military involvement in Syria, and
• The destructive alliance between the U.S. military and the Saudi backed by Raytheon’s bombs, technology, and buildup of the Saudi military

75 people rally outside Raytheon’s facility in Cambridge on August 20, 2018. Photo Skip Schiel 

Campaign Tactics: What can I do?

Here are several options for you to choose from. Each person should choose the form of protest/activism that matches their skills and values.

• Divestment:  a bill to divest state pension funds; portfolios of colleges, cities, towns and individuals focused on Raytheon for its war making.  Paul Shannon
• Research and publicity: Investigate Raytheon’s war making, write articles and letters, respond to news articles and TV reports, use social media to get the word out.  Brian Garvey
• Rallies and vigils at Raytheon locations and banks investing in Raytheon.  Ray Ajemian
• Contact politicians:  Demand those receiving campaign contributions from Raytheon speak out against Raytheon’s war-making and/or vote for measures to end arms sales to Saudi and US support for the Saudi war in Yemen.
• Educational events on the endless wars to which Raytheon connects each of us here in Mass.
• Faith communities:  Join Friends Meeting at Cambridge for worship at Raytheon BBN Technologies, 10 Moulton St, third Sunday of every month, 10:45-11:45am; John Bach

We hope you will get involved in this new effort to stop war and build peace at this critical time.

To do so go to this link:  bit.ly/raytheon-antiwar.   Info: 617-354-2169; info@masspeaceaction.org; 617-623-5288