What: Teach-In: Rethinking Afghanistan & Iran

Where: Asbury United Methodist Church, 324 N 29th St, Richmond, Virginia 23223

When: Oct. 17, at 7 p.m.

Free and open to the public

It's been eight years since the U.S. invaded Afghanistan, making this the longest U.S. military engagement since Vietnam. Many thousands of lives have been lost, including nearly 900 GIs. According to the Center for Defense Information, the estimated cost of this war will reach $439.8 billion by the end of this fiscal year. And the Obama administration is now weighing whether to commit tens of thousands more troops.

The evening will feature Larry Syverson, member of Military Families Speak Out whose son Branden is serving in Afghanistan and stationed at an outpost in Taliban territory. Last week, Syverson organized a protest in downtown Richmond to mark the eighth anniversary of the Afghanistan war, saying: "We need to end these wars and bring ALL our troops home NOW." Syverson will discuss his experience as the parent of a soldier serving in Afghanistan and discuss his opposition to the war.

We will also screen excerpts of the film "Rethink Afghanistan." Has the US war in Afghanistan brought stability to Afghanistan or security to the U.S.? Are the Afghan people better off today than they were eight years ago? Or are we merely laying the groundwork for a longer and wider war, a war without end? These are some of the questions raised by the new documentary film "Rethink Afghanistan," directed by Robert Greenwald, the man behind "Outfoxed," "Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price" and "Iraq For Sale." (For more information, see http://rethinkafghanistan.com.)

Rethink Iran

Nearly every day we are told by government officials and the media that Iran presents a dangerous threat to the U.S., to Israel, to world peace in general. Iran, which hasn't attacked another country in more than 200 years, is presented as a dangerous aggressor that must be contained, sanctioned or even attacked. The similarities to the build-up to the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq are striking.

What's the real story behind the headlines? Is Iran trying to develop a nuclear bomb? Does it want to destroy Israel?