On Friday, Sept. 16, Texans for Peace founder Charlie Jackson left for his third trip to Iraq. Having visited the country immediately before the war and then again nine months in, Jackson hopes to return home at the end of September with a first-hand account of what everyday life has been like for the Iraqi people. “We all read the columns and listen to the commentary of those who counsel our government or our military to pursue this policy or that in Iraq,” Jackson stated in a TFP press release, “but few of them can ‘walk the walk’ of both the men and women in our armed services in that country, and the Iraqi people who must live under the conditions imposed upon them.” With a focus on what’s happening outside of Baghdad’s Green Zone, Jackson, along with members from the Christian Peacemaker Teams delegation, will meet with not only Iraqi families, but also with educational, religious, and human rights organizations throughout the country. Upon his return, Jackson will hold a series of presentations throughout the state, entitled Outside the Green Zone: The Truth About Iraq, featuring photos and stories from his trip. TFP is scheduling the events hoping to reach families and organizations that aren’t normally associated with the peace movement, specifically military communities. If you’d like to host an engagement, contact Texas for Peace’s Alyssa Burgin at 210/381-4021 or aburgin@texansforpeace.org. For more info, or to learn about Jackson’s scheduled speaking engagements upon his return, see www.texansforpeace.org.
This article appears in September 23 • 2005.