Culley’s Ltr: Request Prayers

Dear friends,

I am writing to ask for your prayers.

In July, the United States military will conduct enormous training exercises in Australia with the Australian Defence Force. Warships, submarines, warplanes, and soldiers will arrive. Invading shores and villages will be practiced. Bombing from the air will be practiced.

The U.S. war of terror continues. As I write, we are still at war in Iraq and Afghanistan and undeclared war in Pakistan, Yemen and Libya. Civilians are still killed and maimed by Coalition air-strikes.

One such air strike can be viewed as leaked military footage at www.collateralmurder.com

Civilian homes, schools, workplaces, infrastructure, and even weddings have been decimated by the U.S. bombs. These air strikes are a violation of human life, of international law, of morality, and the teachings of Christ to love our enemies.

Myself and a small group of pacifists are preparing to disarm a U.S. military aircraft while they are here in July. We will not harm or threaten people.

In the vision of the prophet Isaiah, and in the tradition of the Berrigans and the Ploughshares movement, we will begin the disarmament by using household tools to hammer on the aircraft. We will try to reduce the capacity of this machine to kill and harm human beings.

The Rockhampton International Airport is used by Australian and U.S. military aircraft during training exercises.

Bryan Law has notified the Department of Defence, Rockhampton Airport and newspapers of our intention.

To my knowledge, this is the first time that a non-violent ploughshares group have given advance notice of their intention. There will be heightened security at the airport, and police surveillance of those of us known to be involved.

In the coming weeks we will pray for a miracle.

I invite you and your community to pray for a miracle.

With thanks,

Culley Palmer