Uncle Sam, Auntie S.A.M. WANTS YOU!

CFP ^ | April 30, 2005 | Judi McLeod

[MikeEdwards]

The U.S. Army, busy fighting off insurgents in faraway Baghdad, may be challenged on Canadian soil for the first time on May 2.

A hostile collective of community members and students intends to "disrupt" the army's visit to the University of Toronto, after having intercepted a U.S. Army letter sent to university professors.

Representatives of the U.S. Army International Technical Center Canada will be at the university Monday to give a presentation, where they will outline opportunities and goals for research collaboration with U of T faculty.

In a faxed letter to the administrative assistant, office of the Vice Dean, Research and Graduate studies, Operations Officer Monika Plettenberg wrote: "A key aspect of our mission is to identify innovative research and technology that has significant potential for homeland, and army capability improvements.

"Please bear in mind that many products and technologies are, or become, dual use available to enhance the lives of the public at large while fulfilling important defense and security risks.

"Naturally, to meet this requirement, it only makes sense to explore what valuable S&T research resides within universities in order to determine if some collaborative relationships may be established."

Enter stage left, Auntie S.A.M. (Stop American Militarization) WANTS YOU!

According to an "urgent" message sent out to anti-American activists on the Internet, Auntie S.A.M. is organizing to protest this "grotesque" event.

"If University of Toronto research goes towards meeting the technological and scientific needs of the U.S. Army, then our public university is tacitly endorsing (and benefiting from financially) U.S. foreign policy and its deathly and destructive consequences for millions of people around the world," Auntie S.A.M. states in an urgent memo calling for action. . . . .