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Giving Peace a Chance in Ukraine By Bruce Altschuler

BFP Team
Sunday, January 22, 2023
News, Op-ed, Peace Activism

Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, Brooklyn For Peace has been urging a cease fire and negotiations to end hostilities. People who disagree will tell us that “you can’t negotiate with a war criminal” or “you can’t trust Putin.” Our reply is that if we don’t look for opportunities to negotiate, the only alternative is the endless continuation of a war that has already killed hundreds of thousands on both sides, unleashed destruction on much of Ukraine and worsened climate change and food insecurity throughout the world.

A worthwhile precedent is the 1995 Dayton Accords negotiated with, among others, alleged war criminal Slobodan Milosevic. As imperfect as this agreement was, it ended a years long conflict that had killed tens of thousands and did not prevent the prosecution of Milosevic as a war criminal, although he died before a verdict in his trial could be rendered.

The United States and Ukraine should take advantage of any openings for negotiation that present themselves. One example of a chance missed was Putin’s proposal for a cease-fire during Orthodox Christmas in January. Rather than seeing this as a possible opportunity to advance the cause of peace, Ukraine and the United States immediately denounced Putin’s proposal as hypocritical. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba pointed to Russia’s shelling of Kherson on Christmas Eve as evidence. President Biden made a similar statement. If so, why didn’t Ukraine, the United States or one of its NATO allies propose a deal earlier – cease fires on both religions’ Christmas holidays? If there was such an agreement and it was observed, it might have been a start, however, small, toward a larger agreement.

Negotiations can only succeed if both sides have something to gain from an agreement. In that case, a violation by one side will cause it to lose its gains. That, not faith in the goodwill of the other side, is what makes agreements work. But you can’t get to an agreement if you are unwilling to start.

Written by Bruce Altschuler

Article by BFP Team

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Sunday Jan 29, 2 pm. This is an ongoing and tragic loss of Palestinian lives, caused by Israeli policies supported by U.S. taxpayer dollars.


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Join us on TONIGHT at 7:00 pm EST via Zoom: Medea Benjamin will be speaking on her new book, "War in Ukraine: Making Sense of a Senseless Conflict," co-written with Nicolas J.S. Davies. https://www.facebook.com/events/1053662226028279Register at: bit.ly/UkraineForumBFPRussia’s brutal February 2022 invasion of Ukraine has attracted widespread condemnation across the West. Government and media circles present the conflict as a simple dichotomy between an evil empire and an innocent victim. In this concise, accessible and highly informative primer, Medea Benjamin and Nicolas Davies insist the picture is more complicated.Purchase a copy of the book here: codepink.myshopify.com/products/war-in-ukraineCheck out the book video here: codepink.org/UkrainebooktourMedea Benjamin is the co-founder of the women-led peace group CODEPINK. She is also co-founder of the human rights group Global Exchange, the Peace in Ukraine Coalition, Unfreeze Afghanistan (which advocates for returning the $7 billion of Afghan funds frozen in U.S. banks), ACERE: The Alliance for Cuba Engagement and Respect, and the Nobel Peace Prize for Cuban Doctors Campaign.Medea has been an advocate for social justice for 50 years. Described as "one of America’s most committed — and most effective — fighters for human rights" by New York Newsday, and "one of the high profile leaders of the peace movement" by the Los Angeles Times, she was one of 1,000 exemplary women from 140 countries nominated to receive the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of the millions of women who do the essential work of peace worldwide.


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The Doomsday Clock has moved to 90 seconds to midnight, the closest we have ever been to the end of humanity. We cannot allow the war in Ukraine to escalate to a nuclear war. Tell Congress: the US MUST proactively support a ceasefire & negotiations: bit.ly/UkrainePetitionBFP


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TODAY!! Fri 1/27: It’s the 50th anniversary of the Paris Peace Accords. There’s still time to register for this event at 1:00 pm: BFP Co-Vice Chair Carolyn Eisenberg will be speaking on this timely webinar hosted by the Quincy Institute: "The Paris Peace Accords: Lessons for Today?"https://quincyinst.org/event/the-paris-peace-accords-lessons-for-today/On January 27, 1973 the Paris Peace Conference agreed to U.S. withdrawal of all troops and advisors from Vietnam, withdrawal of all foreign troops from Laos and Cambodia, and a ceasefire throughout Vietnam. It is inherently significant — as the culmination of a failed U.S. enterprise that cost vast sums of money and millions of lives. It is also relevant to the present on the question of “betraying” an ally — as applied not only to U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, but to the U.S. engagement in Ukraine and the implicit commitment to persevere.Join a conversation of eminent historians to unpack and examine the meaning and lessons of the end of U.S. combat in Vietnam, 50 years later. Featuring Hofstra University historian Carolyn Eisenberg, author of the just published Fire and Rain: Nixon, Kissinger, and the Wars in Southeast Asia, and Arnold Isaacs, Vietnam war correspondent and author of Without Honor. Andrew Bacevich, Vietnam veteran, historian and co-founder and Chair of the Quincy Institute, will moderate.Details + register here: https://quincyinst.org/event/the-paris-peace-accords-lessons-for-today/


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The Paris Peace Accords: Lessons for Today? – Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft

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Join a conversation of eminent historians to unpack and examine the meaning and lessons of the end of U.S. combat in Vietnam.

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6 days ago

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Join us this Thursday, January 26, at 7:00 pm EST via Zoom: Medea Benjamin will be speaking on her new book, "War in Ukraine: Making Sense of a Senseless Conflict," co-written with Nicolas J.S. Davies. https://www.facebook.com/events/1053662226028279Register at: bit.ly/UkraineForumBFPRussia’s brutal February 2022 invasion of Ukraine has attracted widespread condemnation across the West. Government and media circles present the conflict as a simple dichotomy between an evil empire and an innocent victim. In this concise, accessible and highly informative primer, Medea Benjamin and Nicolas Davies insist the picture is more complicated.Purchase a copy of the book here: codepink.myshopify.com/products/war-in-ukraineCheck out the book video here: codepink.org/UkrainebooktourMedea Benjamin is the co-founder of the women-led peace group CODEPINK. She is also co-founder of the human rights group Global Exchange, the Peace in Ukraine Coalition, Unfreeze Afghanistan (which advocates for returning the $7 billion of Afghan funds frozen in U.S. banks), ACERE: The Alliance for Cuba Engagement and Respect, and the Nobel Peace Prize for Cuban Doctors Campaign.Medea has been an advocate for social justice for 50 years. Described as "one of America’s most committed — and most effective — fighters for human rights" by New York Newsday, and "one of the high profile leaders of the peace movement" by the Los Angeles Times, she was one of 1,000 exemplary women from 140 countries nominated to receive the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of the millions of women who do the essential work of peace worldwide.


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Join us in our work for peace through social and racial justice. We are committed to eliminating war & the social injustices which are its cause.

brooklyn4peace
brooklyn4peace Brooklyn For Peace @brooklyn4peace ·
26 Jan

Join us TONIGHT at 7:00 pm EST via Zoom: Medea Benjamin will be speaking on her new book, "War in Ukraine: Making Sense of a Senseless Conflict," co-written with Nicolas J.S. Davies.

Register at: http://bit.ly/UkraineForumBFP

Reply on Twitter 1618655653685248006 Retweet on Twitter 1618655653685248006 1 Like on Twitter 1618655653685248006 2 Twitter 1618655653685248006
brooklyn4peace Brooklyn For Peace @brooklyn4peace ·
25 Jan

The Doomsday Clock has moved to 90 seconds to midnight, the closest we have ever been to the end of humanity.
We cannot allow the war in Ukraine to escalate to a nuclear war.
Tell Congress: the US MUST proactively support a ceasefire & negotiations: http://bit.ly/UkrainePetitionBFP

Reply on Twitter 1618329950754308097 Retweet on Twitter 1618329950754308097 Like on Twitter 1618329950754308097 2 Twitter 1618329950754308097
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