Milwaukee joins national week of action to protest the war in Ukraine

The Milwaukee Anti-War Committee (MAC) held a rally on Sunday, October 1, in response to a call from the United National Antiwar Coalition to condemn the funding the U.S. continues to provide to pursue their policy of an endless war in Ukraine. The rally took part in a coordinated week of action called for by UNAC on the war in Ukraine held in many cities. Chants like “Biggest threat in the world today? NATO and the USA!” rang out as passersby honked in support.

The event began with emphasis on recent history in Ukraine, starting in 2014 with the U.S.-backed coup. As Western media continues to frame the war as an irrational attack by Russia on an innocent and peaceful Ukraine, MAC continues to stress that this is an inter-imperialist war between the U.S. and Russia, orchestrated and set off by the insatiable greed for power and resources of the U.S.

Stephanie Splatin of MAC spoke of the years of shelling of ethnic Russians living in eastern Ukraine leading up to the war, conveniently ignored in the mainstream narrative of the war. The weapons used then and now are supplied by the U.S. and swiftly end up in the hands of right-wing extremist groups so often used to further U.S. interests at the expense of innocent lives.

“Neither U.S. weapons nor U.S. sanctions have had their intended effect against Russia. No longer able to impose its will through brute force, declining U.S. imperialism foments instability and proxy conflicts, which it attempts to steer toward its interests” said Ryan Hamann of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization (FRSO), who spoke at the event. “The U.S. is trying to use the war in Ukraine to destabilize Russia, while bringing Ukraine into the orbit of U.S. monopoly capital. This means prolonging the war for as long as possible, no matter the human cost.”

The Milwaukee Anti-War Committee and United National Antiwar Committee (UNAC) plan to continue to hold events in the future protesting the U.S. and NATO involvement in Ukraine, and offering a principled analysis of the war instead of the constant pro-war and pro-Ukraine views parroted by western media.

No to NATO! No to war!