Dear and lovingly supportive friends,

My gratitude rushes to you for the many hundreds of cards, messages, prayers, and gifts (being saved for me upon my release), donations made in my name, and well wishing for my golden jubilee. You baffled folks in the mailroom and you strengthened me for the remainder of my prison journey.

Thanks for the two books this month: Civil Action by Jonathan Harr and Come Together Right Now: Organizing Stories from a Fading Empire by Bruce Gagnon, illustrated by W.B. Park. I'd like to encourage you to purchase Bruce's book for every city library and for your peace libraries. You'll know how important it is when you read this specific newsletter and the book itself. The U.S. remains in the thick of pre-emptive wars. As Helen Caldicott, M.D. says about Bruce: “He has taught, alerted and led hundreds of thousands of people nationally and internationally to oppose the U.S. plans to weaponize and dominate space.”

The U.S. War with Iran has already begun

Scott Ritter, former U.N. weapons inspector in Iraq (1991-1998) author of Iraq Confidential: The Untold Story of America's Intelligence Conspiracy (to be published soon) warned the nation before the war on Iraq not to pursue it, in fact, to do all in our power to stop it. In this article I am summarizing, Ritter outlines the lies, the timeline, the illegal process and direct action taken against Iraq. He then applies with factual data what is already taking place in Iran and the goals of the U.S. Will we allow this country to continue its illegal and immoral wars on the civilians of independent nations?

Ritter states that George Bush speaks of “diplomacy” and a desire for a “peaceful” resolution to the Iranian question. He claims that the President has paved the way for the conditioning of the American public and the media to accept at face value the merits of an Iranian regime change by war and forceful removal of the theocratic regime that is currently wielding power in Tehran. The U.S. administration uses the code words of “liberation” and spread of “democracy” to formulate and execute American foreign policy for militarism and war.

What is going on?

1. “American over-flights of Iranian soil are taking place, using pilotless drones and other, more sophisticated, capabilities for intelligence gathering.”
2. “Bush has initiated covert offensive operations inside Iran.”
3. “The CIA is using the Mujahadeen el-Khalq (MEK) an Iranian opposition group (once run by Sadaam Hussein's dreaded intelligence services) to carry out remote bombings in Iran. (The CIA is using this group, a terrorist organization, trained in the art of explosive assassination by Sadaam Hussein's intelligence units who are slaughtering American soldiers in Iraq today. (which Bush condemns)”
4. “To the north, in neighboring Azerbaijan, the U.S. is building a base for massive military operations for a major land-based campaign designed to capture Tehran.”
5. “The CIA paramilitary operatives and the U.S. Special Operations are training with Azerbaijan forces to form special units capable of operations inside Iran for intelligence gathering, direct action and mobilizing oppositions to leaders in Tehran.”
6. “Also, American military aircraft will have a much shorter distance to fly from bases in Azerbaijan when striking targets in and around Tehran. (They can maintain a 24 hour a day presence over Tehran airspace.”
7. “A shorter route to Tehran now exists – the coastal highway running along the Caspian Sea from Azerbaijan to Tehran. U.S. military planners have already begun war games calling for the deployment of multi-divisional forces from Azerbaijan. Logistical planning is well advanced in basing air and ground power in Azerbaijan.”
8. “The bulk of the logistical support, command and control capability necessary to wage war is already deployed because of the massive U.S. presence in Iraq.”

“With everyone's head rooted in the events of the past, many are missing out on the crime that is about to be repeated by the Bush administration in Iran – an illegal war of aggression based on false premises, carried out with little regard to either the people of Iran or the United States.” The President signed off on the ‘execute' orders for Iran in June 2005.

What is in my heart and on my mind?

The Oak Ridge Peace community (OREPA) sends me the monthly reflections for nonviolence which I pray each day. These are worthy of print in response to the material above:

• “When you are in church, organize. When you're at the club, organize. When you're at the demonstration, organize. And when you're in jail, organize.” Johnnie Holloway
• “The ‘peace' that prevails today is the peace of fear and the peace of preparation. Ignoring the sincere advice of men (sic) of wisdom, the great nations of the world are intent upon demonstration of their destructive strength. That way lies war, not peace.” Swami Sivananda
• “The only way to live humanly – still – is in resistance to war. The prevention of war, in the nuclear age, must be a central purpose in everyone's life.” James Carroll

In my next newsletters I would like to share the reflections by Tom Gumbleton on the spirituality of peacemaking, secondly, a call to prophecy in the Society of Friends by Jane Orion Smith, and thirdly the Instruments of Peace from a Franciscan Conference in 2005. If you don't mind, I would like to share some of my own reflections on their reflections also. We'll see where it takes us together.

Miscellaneous

“Shalom is a Hebrew word impregnated with many dimensions of the word we call peace. To be complete! To live well! To strive for oneness! To enjoy individual and community well being! To grow in love! To be at ease! To become whole! SHALOM

From the mouths of babes – What is love?

“Love is what makes you smile when you're tired.” Terri – age 4

“When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.” Karen, age 7

“When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love.” Rebecca, age 8

Children keep showing me how to love. Let the little children come unto us…from across borders, from the streets, from Iran, Iraq, Colombia, Sudan, Afghanistan, Haiti, etc. Come into our hearts and convert us to new ways, to what Dan Berrigan says so clearly: “We say: Killing is disorder, life and gentleness and community and unselfishness is the only order we recognize.”

Gratitude for August 6 – 9 th witnessing! I'll be marching, chanting and holding hands with you in Washington DC on September 24 th . Hope you'll know of my spiritual presence at the demonstration.

Labor Day – for just labor, just wages, safe and humane conditions in behalf of life and service!

My love and gratitude,

Ardeth Platte, OP # 10857-039
Federal Correctional Institution
33 ½ Pembroke Station
Danbury, CT 06811