Provo, UT- Facing disaster in Iraq, President Obama addressed the rapidly developing conflict in a June 19 address. President Obama claimed, “American troops are not going to be fighting in Iraq again.” However, in the next breath Obama also laid out his plans to expand U.S. intervention.

New York, NY – In front of 35 members of the United Nations Correspondence Association (UNCA), Ambassador Dr. Bashar Jaafari of the Syrian Mission hosted a report-back, June 18, by five members of the U.S. delegation of election observers who had traveled to Damascus for the June 3 presidential elections. Included among the election observers were Joe Iosbaker of the Anti-War Committee-Chicago; Paul Larudee of the Syrian Solidarity Movement; Jane Stillwater, a freelance journalist; Scott Williams of the International Action Center and Judy Bello of New York’s Upstate Coalition to Ground the Drones and End the Wars. Both Bello and Iosbaker are also members of the administrative committee of the United National Antiwar Coalition.

New York, NY – Anti-war activists joined Syrian ambassador to the United Nations, Dr. Bashar Jaafari, for a press conference at the U.N. on June 18, at 11:00 a.m. Paul Larudee, Joe Iosbaker, Judy Bello, Scott Williams and Jane Stillwater were observers of the presidential elections in Syria on June 3. They joined official governmental delegations from 11 countries, including Venezuela, Bolivia, Iran and Brazil.

Damasucs, Syria – On June 4, a group of parliamentarians met with the delegation of election observers from Canada, Ireland and the U.S. for a press event, which was covered by SANA, the Syrian public news company.

The Ukraine crisis is an attack by U.S. imperialism, along with local fascists, on the people of Ukraine. The European Union has been ally of the U.S. attack.

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following June 5 statement from the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). CPP denounces US intervention in Zamboanga siege

Damascus, Syria – Election observers gathered June 4, the day after election day, to discuss what they had seen and adopted a statement that the elections were democratic and wished the Syrian people a new stage of stability, national unity and reconciliation. Parliamentarians from 11 countries officially participated as observers, including Russia, Iran, Tajikistan, Bolivia, Brazil, Venezuela, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and The Philippines. There were also journalists, anti-war and international solidarity activists from Canada, the U.S., Ireland, Pakistan, Malaysia and Bahrain.

Homs, Syria – In an emotional day, mixed with sadness for the loss of life and a celebration of victory, the people of Homs, Syria came out to vote in their presidential election, June 3. Outside many polling places, hundreds of people gathered to rally, chant and dance dabke, the traditional dance of Syria, Lebanon and Palestine. The celebratory mood was because in the past month, the armies backed by the U.S., NATO, Israel and the Gulf states that had been fighting in the Old City of Homs were finally driven out.

Editors note: Prominent Chicago- based anti-war activist Joe Iosbaker is in route to Damascus, Syria where he will participate in a delegation of observers for the Syrian election’s. Fight Back! will publish commentary by Iosbaker as we receive it.

Damascus, Syria – Ten people from the U.S., Canada and Ireland have traveled to Syria to observe the presidential elections taking place here June 3. Our delegation is mainly anti-war and international solidarity activists who are members of organizations including the International Action Center, Syria Solidarity Committee, the Anti-War Committee-Chicago, the United National Antiwar Coalition and the International Solidarity Movement. We are hosted by a Iranian non-governmental organization, the International Union of Unified Ummah (Muslim community).