Alert: upcoming 1000th death of a U.S. soldier in Afghanistan
Not One More Death, Not One More Dollar for War!

998 U.S. service men and women have died so far in the U.S. war in Afghanistan. When the 1000th death occurs, Boston area peace advocates, military family members, and veterans will gather to remember the Americans, Afghans and others who have lost their lives in this futile conflict, and to call for an immediate end to the war. The timing of the event will be announced after the 1000th death occurs, but it will probably be Monday or Tuesday, February 22 or 23, 5pm at Park Street Station.

In the ninth year of war, increased foreign troop levels and increasing national resistance to their presence has escalated the violence in Afghanistan, making life less safe both for the occupied and occupier. Almost one-third of the 998 U.S. deaths, 317, took place last year, and deaths this year are on a pace to record even more.

Afghan civilians are increasingly caught in the crossfire. Surveys from the United Nations show that last year marked the highest number of civilian deaths, 2,412, and the highest number of children being killed.

Before year’s end, the U.S. plans to complete the second phase of troop level increases announced in 2009. The additional troops would double the number of U.S. forces to 100,000. Each U.S. soldier in Afghanistan costs $1 million per year – making our investment there $100 billion per year. Meanwhile, our people lack health care, jobs, and housing, teachers are being laid off, and nothing is being done about the climate crisis.

We will gather to urge the U.S. to announce an immediate cease-fire, stop sending additional troops, withdraw all U.S. troops and end U.S. control of bases. We will read the names of the dead and hear from speakers representing military families, veterans, and peace organizations. We will set up a display of 1,000 postcards in which the names of the dead have been written on a dog-tag image. The cards are addressed to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, asking her to stop funding the war.

Please bring signs with messages such as: "Stop The Afghanistan War!", "Not One More Death, Not One More Dollar", "Troops Home Now!", "War on Terror - One Big Lie", "Congress: Vote NO on War Funding!"

Please write ujpcoalition@gmail.com if your group wants to endorse or help organize this event. We will send another notice the day before the event occurs.

Sponsors include:

• Greater Boston Stop the Wars Coalition
• United for Justice with Peace
• Military Families Speak Out
• Veterans for Peace/Smedley Butler Brigade
• Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
• American Friends Service Committee
• Massachusetts Peace Action
• Progressive Democrats of America