IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SIGN ON TO THIS PETITION PLEASE CONTACT:
Nick Mottern at [email protected]
 
 
To all who oppose US/European military action against Syria:
 
   We have reached a moment when the United States and some of its European allies are threatening to rain more death and suffering down on Syria, and when the vast majority of Americans have absolutely no political power to stop these threats or to prevent attack. 
 
   It is apparent that the White House and the Congress are responding to powers other than the American people.   Arguably the most powerful influence in Washington is that of the major banks – Bank of America, Capitol One, Chase, Citicorp, US Bancorp, Wells Fargo.  Here is a list of the biggest http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0763206.html   We believe that an attack on Syria would not proceed without the approval of the heads of the major banks and that defunding of these banks to stop US military action in Syria is an appropriate response that addresses basic power relationships related to war.
  
   In the face of this, we urge that on Sept. 1, 2013 you begin to remove your money from these largest banks and deposit it in a local credit union, or if this is not possible, a smaller bank   http://www.moveyourmoneyproject.org/  or in “Banco de Mattress”.
 
  Below is an example of how banks are tied into US military adventures and why our best strategy appears be to go directly where the money is.   
 
   The board of directors of Lockheed Martin has two members, ex-military men,  who are officials in The Cohen Group,  http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/who-we-are/corporate-governance/board.html formed by ex-Defense Secretary William Cohen to “provide global business consulting services and advice on tactical and strategic opportunities in virtually every market”.   The  Cohen Group started up TCG Financial Partners, which Mr. Cohen describes as “a merchant banking entity.  As we have done on the consulting side, we wanted to attract people of enormous talent from the financial world.  We put together a team based in New York and Washington.  It is headed up by Ed Carter, who spent more than 20 years on Wall Street as head of the investment banking for Merrill Lynch, Deutsche Bank and Bank of America…They are the financial experts and we are the strategic experts.”http://www.cohengroup.net/news/archives/news_120105.pdf     
 
  Mr. Cohen serves on boards of directors of various firms and groups that give him connections to Bank of America, Cititgroup, American Express, CIT Group, Lazard Ltd., Commercial International Bank S.A.E. (Egypt), the National Bank of Kuwait, and other financial firms.  He is also connected to major military contractors Raytheon, Boeing and Lockheed Martin.  He also sits on the board of CBS.http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/board.asp?privcapId=11324199
 
 On August  22, 2013, Mr. Cohen appeared on MSNBC, with former US Senator Richard Lugar, saying that the US finds itself in a situation in which it must take military action against Syria.http://www.nbcnews.com/id/49263362#52817525
 
 Please make plans to move your money for peace, starting Sept. 1.
 
 Also, please let us know if you would like to add your signature to this, and if so, with what affiliation.
 
 In solidarity and peace,
 
 Nick Mottern – KnowDrones.org
 Judy Bello – Rochester (NY) Against War, United National Antiwar Coalition, Upstate Drone Action
 Malachy Kilbride – National Campaign for Nonviolent Resistance