Will there be an attack from the US on Iran or not? The writing on the wall is there. Preparations are made on the military side. And on the media front the pressure on Iran is raised. The nuclear programme and the involvement in Iraq are the most important arguments heard.
This results in a very strong sense of déjà vu. Exactly four years ago the invasion of Iraq started. The months before that were filled with so called evidence and stating again and again that a new military strategy of pre-emptive war was needed against the terrorists. Otherwise a "mushroom" would bloom above an American city. The evidence failed to substantiate and the effects of the war are well known by now.
But still they are working on the next war. A war where they even consider the use of tactical nuclear weapons.
How to stop this war?
It is the time before the Iraq war that might teach us some leasons. Did all those opposition voices and worldwide demonstrations had any effect? No, none whatsoever. Will it be usefull to protest now or sign petitions? Of course not. Modern times ask for modern tactics.
If the use of a pre-emptive strike is the new weapon of choice for the United States, the opposition needs to use the pre-emptive boycot.
That's why I call upon a pre-emptive boycot of American products. Only a consumer boycot can give a signal that the Americans will understand. A taste of what is to come if the do go to war again.
To give this pre-emptive boycot some more symbolic value the subject will be Black Gold. It's very simple, don't pump gas in your car from companies like Texaco, Esso or Mobil. And don't drink any cola, neither from Pepsi nor from Coca. That's all. The boycot will run for the same period the Iraq invasion took four years ago, from March 21st till May 1st.
This pre-emptive boycot is of course useless if only a couple of the readers over here will join. So I call upon all who read this to distribute this message. Put in on you weblog, put it on MSN, talk about it on birthday parties, talk about it over lunch, etc....
Let's see if they get the message if we speak their own language.
(Dutch version can be found here)