SRRT (Social Responsibilities Round Table)

Resolution Opposing U.S. Military Intervention in Venezuela and Iran and Affirming the Right of Peoples to Self-Determination

Whereas libraries are public institutions committed to intellectual freedom, democratic participation, and the free exchange of ideas, which depend on conditions of peace, sovereignty, and self-determination; and

Whereas the people of Venezuela and Iran, like people everywhere, have the right to pursue democratic, social, and political change free from coercion, economic warfare, or military threat imposed by foreign powers; and

Whereas the United States government has repeatedly engaged in actions toward Venezuela and Iran that include economic sanctions, covert operations, diplomatic isolation, threats of military force, and direct acts of aggression, causing widespread civilian harm and undermining social stability; and

Whereas U.S. sanctions and interventionist policies have contributed to shortages of food, medicine, and essential infrastructure, disproportionately harming working-class populations while narrowing the space for independent civic and democratic development; and

Whereas foreign intervention, whether overt or covert, does not advance democracy but instead distorts internal political processes, strengthens authoritarian tendencies, and deprives peoples of the ability to determine their own futures; and

Whereas opposition to U.S. intervention does not constitute endorsement of any government, but reflects a principled commitment to self-determination, peace, and the right of peoples to resolve political conflicts without external domination; and

Whereas libraries and librarians serve diasporic, immigrant, and refugee communities directly affected by war, sanctions, displacement, and political repression, and therefore have a stake in opposing policies that produce these harms;

Therefore be it resolved that the Social Responsibilities Round Table of the American Library Association opposes U.S. military intervention, threats of force, covert action, and economic warfare against Venezuela and Iran; and

Be it further resolved that SRRT affirms its support for the democratic aspirations, political agency, and human dignity of the Venezuelan and Iranian peoples, including their right to pursue social and political change without interference by the United States or any other foreign power; and

Be it further resolved that SRRT condemns sanctions, blockades, and interventionist policies that inflict collective punishment on civilian populations and undermine the material conditions necessary for democratic participation; and

Be it further resolved that SRRT calls on the American Library Association to advocate for diplomacy, de-escalation, and respect for national sovereignty as essential conditions for peace, democratic development, and intellectual freedom; and

Be it finally resolved that SRRT reaffirms its commitment to international solidarity grounded in self-determination, opposing both imperial domination and the normalization of war as a tool of governance.

Submitted by Mark Rosenzweig on behalf of the International Responsibilities TAsk Force of SRRT
approved by SRRT AC /Feb.4 2026