Probably as well as anyone this side of Noam Chomsky, Alex Cockburn understands the significance of 9/11 on US government actions. The Chicago Peace Response Coalition decided to take advantage of this and has invited him as the keynote speaker at their Peace, Justice and Freedom Benefit Dinner tomorrow in Evanston which is helping fund the 2002 Conference on Justice and Global Security this weekend. After learning what the Conference will be about
he chose "The Peace Movement and the "War on Terror" as the title to his address.

Going into further detail he said "I will address the issue of why the "war on terror" won't abate terror, won't greatly enhance the overall safety of ordinary people, and why the peace movement got it right. I will also address the issue of what the war aims were and are."

Cockburn is a seasoned investigative journalist and superbly researched author. One might expect that to be that and also called "the most gifted polemicist now writing in English" (Times Literary Supplement, 1987) regarding his book "Corruption of Empire" would create conflicting goals, but with Cockburn it does not.

His latest book "Whiteout: The CIA, Drugs, and the Press", chapter 11 of which is "Making Afghanistan Safe for Opium" comes as a narrative barrage of neatly arranged factoids leaving the reader massively informed and, with any sense of humanity, progressively motivated to respond, here almost six months after 9/11.

People who would like to hear Alex without the full expense of the benefit donation may enter with a $10 donation at the door at 8:15 following the dinner. He will also field questions and comments following his address.

People interested in $50 dinner tickets must contact (847) 980-1368 BEFORE 3pm Friday Feb 22.