Over 800 people nationally convened online the night of Feb. 22 with one emphasis:

The U.S. does not need war, it does not need military buildup, it does not need to support NATO expansion or spending.

It does not need to encourage nuclear defense. Yet France was preparing to develop nonnuclear submarines for Australia, but the U.S. persuaded Australia to buy U.S. nuclear submarines instead.

In recent world history, after Russian leaders believed that nations in the Soviet sphere would not be added to a Western military alliance, 14 countries joined NATO. This is not where we need to be today. The U.S. has significant economic issues, and more money for the military is totally wrong.

Russia does not want to be surrounded by weapons. There was no war between Russia and Ukraine until NATO interests emerged.

Tonight, 800 people said, “No war, no weapons, no NATO.”

Grace Braley
Portland