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A Short and Irreverent History of NATO & G8
April 21, Saturday, 2:30 PM
Lincoln Park Public Library
1150 W. Fullerton, Chicago
Corner Racine Ave., across from DePaul University
(Red Line: Fullerton)
The leaders of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) are scheduled to meet meet in Chicago on May 20. Thousands of activists intend to march peacefully in dissent.
Why is NATO controversial?
Initiated by the U.S. in the early Cold War years, NATO remains an important military alliance of Western industrial powers, and a significant mechanism of influence for U.S. foreign policy, as NATO allies supported the American wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Though it includes nations that are economic competitors, many scholars believe that NATO strengthens the framework of a strong global capitalist solidarity, given that the US, Europe, and Japan share the same objectives as NATO and act in a common bloc of dominant states faced with various military conflicts. Indeed, territories, legislations and markets are today managed through high authorities like NATO and the G8, and not through means of wars between powers.
But, what is NATO, what are its history and practices, and what will it stand for when meeting in Chicago? And what about the G8 group of powerful countries meeting in Camp David with President Obama a day earlier?
OUL welcomes journalist and activist Eric Ruder, who will offer a short history of both NATO and G8, what they’ve done and do in the world, and how their decisions shape the lives of the global 99 percent.
Eric Ruder is an antiwar, social justice, and Occupy Chicago activist, and a member of the Coalition Against NATO/G8 War and Poverty Agenda. He organizes for the People's Summit in Chicago (May 12-13, cang8.wordpress.com), and his journalism has appeared in International Viewpoint, Dissident Voice, Socialist Worker, Znet, and other publications.