Coleen Rowley and Ray McGovern

FBI whistle blower Coleen Rowley and former CIA analyst Ray McGovern to speak at organized events in nine Iowa cities beginning Sept. 24

IOWA CITY — The three Iowa chapters of Veterans for Peace announce a nine-city tour of Iowa by former FBI agent and whistle blower Coleen Rowley and retired CIA analyst Ray McGovern beginning Thursday, Sept. 24.

McGovern and Rowley seek to raise the level of Iowans understanding of current national security issues. They will focus on specific issues that Iowa caucus-goers may raise at the Feb. 1 caucuses, and on specific questions that Iowans may ask of presidential candidates visiting the state.

The speaking tour includes stops in Cedar Rapids, Cedar Falls, Waterloo, Davenport, Parnell, Iowa City, Ames and Des Moines.

Between them, Rowley and McGovern have 51 years of service in the highest levels of the FBI and CIA. Since leaving the agencies, they worked relentlessly for peace and justice. Their nine-city tour begins Sept. 24 in Dubuque and ends in Sept. 30 in Des Moines. The tour is sponsored by the three Iowa chapters of Veterans for Peace.

“It is refreshing to me and I hope to many others that there is a chance to hear intelligence professionals who are trained and practiced in getting and relaying the truth,” said Paul Appell, member of Veterans for Peace, Chapter 161.

“The foreign policy and war national issues will not be ‘burning’ ones in Iowa unless caucus goers take the initiative to ask,” Rowley said. “Therein lies our real and only mission, our real challenge, to somehow activate them to ask.”

“I think we could surely be attentive to the budget, defense and security issues and how they impinge on efforts toward a fairer country, repair of infrastructure, etc.,” McGovern said.

The public is invited to attend without admission fees.

Rowley McGovern Schedule
All events are free and open to the public, sponsored by Iowa Veterans for Peace

Thursday, Sept. 24, 6 p.m. University of Dubuque. Contact Christine Darr, cdarr@dbq.edu.

Friday, Sept 25, 7 p.m. Veterans Memorial Building, 50 Second Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids, Contact Joe Aossey, jaossey@yahoo.com.

Saturday, Sept 26, Cedar Falls/Waterloo

10:30 a.m.
News Talk sponsored by University of Northern Iowa Democracy Project. University Book Store, 1009 W. 23rd St., Cedar Falls.
3 p.m.
Law Court Theater, Waterloo Center for the Arts. “Addressing/Redressing Global & Local Violence.” Waterloo/Cedar Falls events, contact Tom Kessler tom.kessler@cfu.net.

Sunday, Sept, 27,

2-4 p.m.
Rogalski Center, St. Ambrose University, Davenport. Co-sponsored by the Quad City Times. New Ideas Forum. Contact Paul Foley. 563-333-6025, Foleypaulj@sau.edu.
6 p.m.
JPOG (Just Peace Outreach Group) West Union Mennonite Church, 3253 305 St, Parnell. Finger food potluck, 6 p.m., 7 p.m. program. Bring finger food to share and your own table service. Contact Roger Farmer, 319-653-2547 or Jane Yoder-Short, wilmajane17@gmail.com.

Monday, Sept. 28, 7:30 p.m. Iowa City, University of Iowa Lecture Series “Is Peace Possible?” Englert Theatre.

Tuesday, Sept 29,

Noon
Iowa City Foreign Relations Council. Both Iowa City events, contact Ed Flaherty, 319-621-6766. Flahertyem@aol.com.
7 p.m.
Ames Public Library, Farwell T. Brown Auditorium. Contact Mary Logsdon. 515-239-5633. Mlogsdon@amespubliclibrary.org.

Wednesday, Sept 30, 7 p.m., Des Moines, Drake University. Contact Gil Landolt, Peacevet@hotmail.com , 515-333-2180.

For more information contact John Jadryev 319-430-2019 or jadryevj@gmail.com.