When: 12 noon, Monday, March 24

Where: Marine Recruiting Station, 64 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley

Upon reaching the grim number of 4000 US soldiers dead, CODEPINK will mark the occasion with an action at the Marine Recruiting Station in Berkeley. They will be dressed in bloodied clothing and will wail as an expression of grief at the senseless deaths of so many U.S. soldiers and Iraqis. They will bring photos of the dead and read their names. The CODEPINK women also plan to shut down the recruiting station as a way of saying “NO MORE DEATHS.”

Four soldiers killed late on Sunday when a roadside bomb exploded near their vehicle in southern Baghdad brought the number of dead to 4,000. Regretfully, 4,000 is just the tip of the iceberg.  Every week, some 120 veterans are committing suicide--an average of 17 every day!  One third of our female soldiers have reported to being raped, 2/3 have been sexually assaulted or harassed during their service.  Over 40,000 Iraq veterans have returned home with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, loss of limbs and/or severe head trauma.  Their families now bear a heavy burden and are suffering from physical and mental abuse, loss of their homes, jobs and loved ones.  

For the Iraqis, the numbers are infinitely worse. It’s estimated that over one million Iraqis have died and millions more have been displaced.

“We’ve had enough of this senseless trail of blood and suffering,” says CODEPINK cofounder Medea Benjamin. “We’ll mark this grim milestone by shutting down the Recruiting Station that symbolizes more death and destruction. By our actions, we’ll say loudly and clearly, ‘NOT ONE MORE DEATH. BRING OUR TROOPS HOME.’