Announcing: From Afghanistan to Gaza: Obama’s Middle East Policy in Crisis A talk by Retired Col. Ann Wright Thursday, October 21 7:00 pm 180 Science Hall, UW-Madison 550 N. Park Street As war loomed in Iraq in 2003, Retired Army Colonel Ann Wright resigned her State Department position in protest. An outspoken critic of U.S. policy from Iraq to Afghanistan, Col. Wright most recently participated in the Gaza Freedom Flotilla, which was attacked by Israel in international waters last spring. Come and learn how her personal journey from soldier to diplomat to peace activist frames her understanding of the foreign policy crisis facing the Obama administration today. Sponsored by Student Progressive Dane and Madison-Rafah Sister City Project. Welcomed by WORT Radio, 89.9 fm. Co-sponsors: American Jews for a Just Peace/Madison; Colombia Support Network; Havens Center; Iraq Veterans Against the War/Madison; Madison Area Peace Coalition; Madison Institute; Pax Christi/Madison; Playgrounds for Palestine/Madison; The Progressive; Veterans for Peace/Madison; WI Impeachment Troops Out Now; Wisconsin Middle East Lobby Group; Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice; Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom/Madison. NOTE: Radio appearances by Ann Wright: (1) WORT: Salamat show 6-6:30 pm, Sunday, Oct. 17 (2) WORT: LIVE Morning Buzz, 8 am, Thursday Oct. 21 (3) LIVE on Coffee and Cream on WSUM Student Radio (91.7 fm) between 11 and 12 noon on Thursday, Oct. 21 (4) WORT A Public Affair live with Judith Siers-Poisson 12 noon - 1 pm on Friday, Oct. 22 (89.9 fm) Locator Map, Science Hall: http://www.map.wisc.edu/?initObj=bdg_SciHL&z=60.82&x=-0.295163&y=-0.125869 More About Ann Wright Ann Wright has a master’s degree in national security affairs from the U.S. Naval War College. She spent thirteen years in the U.S. Army and sixteen years in the Army Reserves, retiring as a Colonel. In 1987, Col. Wright joined the Foreign Service and served as U.S. Deputy Ambassador in Sierra Leone, Micronesia, Afghanistan, and Mongolia. She was on the first State Department team to go to Afghanistan and reopen the Embassy there in December 2001. Other assignments include Somalia, Kyrgyzstan, Grenada, Micronesia, and Nicaragua. On the eve of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, in March 2003, Ann Wright cabled a letter of resignation to Secretary of State Colin Powell, stating that without the authorization of the UN Security Council, the invasion and occupation of a Muslim, Arab, oil-rich country would be a disaster. Since then, she has been writing and speaking out for peace and has been arrested numerous times for nonviolent protest of U.S. policies. She has been on delegations to Iran and visited Gaza three times in 2009, following the Israeli attack that killed 1,440 and wounded 5,000. She was an organizer for the Gaza Freedom March that brought 1,350 persons from 44 countries to Cairo, Egypt, in solidarity with the people of Gaza. She was on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla that was attacked by the Israeli military in May 2010. Col. Wright is the co-author with Susan Dixon of the book, Dissent: Voices of Conscience, about the dozens of government insiders and military personnel who risked careers, reputations and even freedom to speak out against government actions they felt were illegal. For more on Ann Wright, visit: http://www.voicesofconscience.com/