At great risks to their lives, activists organizing to oppose oppressive, dictatorial regimes in the Arab World and North Africa have inspired us by their courage and determination.   We ruefully acknowledge past and

continuing U.S. support for dictatorships and military rule in the region.  We recognize that the U.S. has been directly involved in supplying weapons and other forms of support to regimes that have committed atrocious human rights abuses against civilians.  Conscious of our responsibility to stop the United States from further manipulations that would interfere with movements on behalf of true democratic developments in other countries, UNAC calls for an immediate halt to U.S.  intervention in regions and countries where mass mobilizations are challenging oppressive regimes. 

We have seen the horrific consequences of U.S./UN imposed economic sanctions against Iraq, as well as the consequences of U.S./UN operation of “no-fly zones” over northern and southern Iraq, prior to the U.S. Shock and Awe attacks and invasion. 

We therefore oppose any form of U.S. military or economic intervention in Libya, Egypt, Bahrain, Tunisia and other countries where movements are rising in opposition to dictatorships and military rule. 

Statement submitted by Kathy Kelly, Co-Coordinator of Voices of Creative Nonviolence on behalf of UNAC