If you don’t already know about RIMPAC, you should. Yes, it’s a horrible name because Empire is horrible at naming things. It means “Rim of the Pacific,” an area that Empire has always deemed strategic to colonialism, control, and militarism.
RIMPAC is the world’s largest international maritime “exercise” held every other year in and around Hawai’i, and is hosted by the US Empire’s Navy.
It is a military party for oppressors around the world. It is like the worst Spring Break in the world and the worst people at it.
The purpose is to show off their weapons and military capacity. And “show off” means they are not simply displaying their forces, but also firing and using weapons and ammunition, flying aircraft, and using land forces, ships, and submarines.
This year it is being held between June 26th and August 2nd and over 29 countries are participating. Take a look at this map of countries that recognize Palestine below.
Compare that map to this map of countries participating in RIMPAC 2024. They are Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Ecuador, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Peru, the Republic of Korea, the Republic of the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tonga, the United Kingdom and the United States.
There is a reason why there is so much overlap between countries that do not recognize Palestine and those that are participating in RIMPAC.
Settler colonizers Israel and the United States Empire will be displaying and testing weapons that they will be using in Palestine.
Empire and its puppet governments are participating in this global weapons testing event, which causes catastrophic climate and environmental damage to land and people in the region. Wherever there is more military, there is more violence, particularly for BIPOC, women, and queer and trans people in these areas. It is well known that trafficking spikes during these events.
Let’s zoom out. Empire is holding this global military event in one of its occupied colonies, Hawai’i, to test weapons they will be using against the rest of the world. RIMPAC is a glorification of violence and oppression.
Especially if you are in any of the regions participating in RIMPAC, we should be demanding that these countries withdraw from RIMPAC.
Check out this link to sign on to demand countries withdraw from RIMPAC and join protests globally against RIMPAC.
Abolish RIMPAC.
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