To build momentum for a large anti-war protest rally in Philadelphia that took place on Nov. 23rd RAIL Philly put together 2 teach-ins and participated in numerous small demonstrations, handing out a flier with basic information about sanctions and Amerika’s supposed motives for war. As part of the MIM-led united front RAIL feels that it is always necessary to make sure that a clear internationalist proletarian line is put forward to the masses, and thus RAIL Philly took part and continues to take part in weekly leafleting and sporadic leafleting around the city.

0 The first teach-in that RAIL comrades put together on a campus had a large turnout, but comrades did not facilitate well enough to make sure there was ample room for questions and discussion during and after presentations. On the other hand, the second teach-in had plenty of questions and debate but fewer people. Building on our experience and learning from our mistakes, we have been organizing for more such teach-ins, which will hopefully combine large turnout with enough time for discussion.

Both events featured a group called “Campaign To End The Sanctions” whose knowledge of the history of Iraq and concise slide-show presentations provided excellent information for those who came, complete with a line on the defense and support of oppressed nations against imperialism somewhat similar to MIM’s and RAIL’s.

RAIL comrades talked about the connection between the war on Iraq and Amerikan Imperialism’s plunder of the majority of the world’s people and pointed out that Amerikan Imperialism’s supposed motives for war- such as an “Iraqi connection to terrorism” have no factual basis whatsoever and in fact even contradict the information contained in the Imperialist’s own annual study “Patterns of Global Terrorism” and the British Secret Service’s reports. RAIL also explained that the Bush administration is planning on a post-war occupation very similar to the post-WWII occupation of Japan: a U.$. military dictatorship led by General Tommy Franks “or one of his subordinates.” (1)