Middle East & Forever Wars

All Issues

Our Mission

We use the power of community education, grassroots organizing, and community advocacy to end the Global War on Terror that has led to destruction across the Greater Middle East and North Africa. The majority of the American people oppose continuing these wars, including a majority of the veterans that fought in them. Our job is to turn that opposition into meaningful pressure to end these wars.

History

It’s time to end our forever wars in the Middle East.

Three days after the attacks of September 11th, 2001 the first Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) was passed by Congress and signed by President George W. Bush. That resolution was the basis for the US-led invasion of Afghanistan, the longest war in U.S. history. A second authorization was adopted in October 2002 in order to invade Iraq.

Since October 2001, the US has been fighting the so-called “War on Terror,” a war that spread during the presidency of Barack Obama to Syria, Yemen, Libya, Pakistan, and Somalia. The result has been the death and displacement of millions. Donald Trump intensified Obama’s policies of bombings, drone strikes, troop deployments, and training and arming rebels in the Middle East. He continued to support Saudi Arabia in Yemen, despite the fact that Congress passed legislation to pull the U.S. out of the conflict. President Biden has promised to end the war in Yemen, but he is still providing support for the Saudi-coalition in their war. His commitment to pull all US troops from Afghanistan leaves the question of airstrikes and military contractors unanswered.

Destructive US policy in the Greater Middle East and North Africa is not a partisan issue. No one party or politician will solve this for us. Only an engaged and educated citizenry can demand an end to forever war.

2022 Work Plan

Get Involved

The Middle East Working Group meets approximately once every 3 weeks, usually late afternoons on a weekday. If you’d like to get involved please email Paul Shannon at pshannon@afsc.org or Brian Garvey at brian@masspeaceaction.org.