As the violence in Iraq escalates ahead of Sunday’s national elections, there are disturbing reports of intimidation, death threats and murders specifically targeting members of the Iraqi Federation of Trade Unions (IFTU).

These reports come on the heels of the torture and assassination in Baghdad on January 4 of Hadi Salih, the International Secretary of IFTU.

In protest, please click here to join Nation writers Katha Pollitt, Doug Henwood, Marc Cooper, Adam Shatz, Norman Birnbaum, Carl Bromley and many others in signing on to the Campaign for Peace and Democracy’s statement condemning attacks on Iraqi trade unionists.

And start making plans for what are expected to be a nationwide series of antiwar protests on Saturday, March 19, the second anniversary of the invasion of Iraq. The antiwar coalition United for Peace & Justice is calling for vigils, rallies, marches, nonviolent civil disobedience and creative expressions of antiwar sentiment of all kinds. Check out the UFP website for more info.