[Editor’s Note- The three following writings are from the founder and director of Tent of Nations, an Ameritus member of the FOTONNA (Friends of Tent of Nations North America) Board of Directors, and a volunteer who served in March at TON (Tent of Nations) in that order. All of these writings are from the Friends of Tent of Nations Newsletter, March 2026. Read to learn more about TON.]
By IPN Coordinator
Although the U.S. doesn’t currently have a draft, it is still important for those possessing a conscientious objection to serving in combat/ going to war to be prepared. Generations before me had to deal with the draft, so there are stories about alternative service I have heard from my elders. Serving in the Des Moines hospitals was a thing in the 60’s (and later) and men both from Iowa and as far away as Pennsylvania served together. I am told it varied from draft board to draft board (in counties and states) for how far away one would be required to go from home. Other places a generation went to before, during WWII, included experimental farms in Minnesota and Michigan.
by Anne Farrer Scott
During the winter of 1982-83, Minneapolis was “bleak and frigid, like on the icy planet of Hoth,” or so my son Timothy, then five, told me. I had not seen “The Empire Strikes Back”as he had (twice), but I couldn’t help agreeing with him. The world had never before seemed quite so cold and desolate.
By David Swanson, World BEYOND War, reprinted with
permission; originally published December 26, 2025-
https://worldbeyondwar.org/to-a-2026-of-not-fighting-over-crumbs/
Every single person in the United States, from those who’ve
been most harmed to those who’ve been most privileged, would be better off if
we had a normal government that put even a moderate effort into universally
improving everyone’s lives. If we had a government that took trillions of
dollars away from the war machine and the untaxed oligarchs and provided as a
matter of basic rights for all
education, preschool through college,
healthcare,
a clean and sustainable environment, and
public transit,
By IPN Coordinator
By Ryan James, reprinted with permission; first printed for CPT
(Community Peacemaker Teams) weekly email, the Friday Bulletin Nov. 28; see cpt.org for more information on CPT.
This week marks twenty years since four CPTers were taken captive in Iraq. On 26 November 2005, Norman Kember, Jim Loney, Harmeet Sooden and Tom Fox were abducted by an armed group calling itself the Swords of Righteousness Brigade. Kember, Loney and Sooden were held for 118 days. Tom Fox was killed by his captors.
By Kathleen McQuillen; reprinted with permission; first published for Catholic Peace Ministry newsletter; see catholicpeaceministry.com
Dr. James Zogby, co-founder of the Arab-America Institute, and its current president, brought a fresh perspective to the conflict in Palestine-Israel. Brought to Des Moines by Catholic Peace Ministry and several co-sponsoring organizations, (Editor's Note: these included Iowa Peace Network) Dr. Zogby spoke on Veterans Day, to over 100 people at First Unitarian Church.
By Weldon D. Nisly, CPT (Community Peacemaker Teams) Iraqi Kurdistan team; Sunday, November 2, 2025; reprinted with permission
At the beginning of October, I returned to the CPT Iraqi Kurdistan (IK) team in Sulamaniyah (also called Sulaimani or Slemani or Suli) in the eastern Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI). My one-time short-term return to the team, where I served half-time from 2017-22, was primarily to co-lead the CPT Iraqi Kurdistan delegation from Oct 8-22, with Kurdish teammate Runak. Another Kurdish teammate Kamaran also helped lead this delegation, especially our 6 days of travel across Kurdistan. Another CPT IK team member, Julian also provided invaluable assistance by making numerous trips to the airport for arrival and departure of delegation members. Most flights at Sulaymaniyah International Airport arrive and depart between 1:00 and 5:00 a.m.
By Edward Hasbrouck
Reprinted by permission from the "Resisters.info" website and blog October 14, 2025 at: https://hasbrouck.org/blog/archives/002800.html See this article with links at this link.
by Jeffrey Weiss
DES MOINES (10/05/2025) - Citizens gathered at the United States Federal Building in Des Moines, Iowa on Friday to read names and give witness to tens of thousands of children dying in Gaza and the West Bank.
