|
Are you ready for U.S. troops to stop combat operations in Iraq and start packing their bags to come home?
Are you ready for them to bring all U.S. military contractors home with them?
Are you ready for Congress to stop funding the war and occupation and tell the Pentagon that they can only spend money to bring the troops home safely?
Then call your Representative TODAY!
Tell him or her to support the Lee Amendment to restrict Pentagon spending in Iraq to funding only the safe withdrawal of U.S. troops and contractors by the end of this year at the latest.
Call toll-free: 1-888-851-1879
Ask to speak to your Representative. (Click here to find out who your Representative is.)
Sample script:
My name is ___________ and I live in _________ (town or city). I am calling to tell my Representative that I want him/her to support the Lee Amendment to the Supplemental Appropriations Bill to fully fund a safe withdrawal of our troops and military contractors from Iraq.
Will the Representative support this amendment?
Click here to let us know how your calls went and to see reportbacks from other callers.
After you make your phone call, make your protest visible by joining one of the more than 375 antiwar events planned to mark the beginning of the 5th year of this immoral war. We need to be in the street to make our opposition to the war loud and clear. Find an event in your community or list your event here.
Background
Finally, Congress is ready to set a date to get the U.S. out of Iraq.
But too many members are willing to wait too long. Under the current Democratic Leadership plan, U.S. combat troops could be in Iraq through the fall of 2008, and non-combat troops could be there forever!
In spite of media reports to the contrary, the leadership plan will prolong the war and more Iraqis and U.S. troops will die.
In addition to the overly-long timeline, the leadership plan has a number of other grave problems, including:
keeping U.S. troops in combat;
giving Bush too much leeway to drag out the war and send troops who are not combat ready to Iraq;
blaming the Iraqis for problems caused by the U.S. war and occupation and commanding them to fix the problems we've caused;
funding the 'surge' the House just voted against, and allowing Bush to 'certify' that his 'surge' is making progress;
adding new money for waging more war in Afganistan.
If this leadership plan goes through, the war will continue with no clear end in sight for U.S. troops in Iraq.
What lies ahead?
UFPJ and other peace organizations are pushing hard to build support for the Lee Amendment. Although it has the staunch support of our allies in Congress, it faces a tough battle. So if the Lee Amendment fails, be prepared to renew our call for a NO vote on the supplemental appropriation in the coming weeks.
Additional resources and ways to take action:
Join the UFPJ Legislative Action Network.
Read the text of the Lee Amendment here.
Read the "Dear Colleague" letter signed by Lee, Woolsey, Waters, Nadler, Hinchey, and Farr.
Your calls are part of a massive initiative undertaken by several UFPJ member groups and allies:
Monday, March 5 -- Voters for Peace
Tuesday, March 6 -- Progressive Democrats of America, U.S. Labor Against the War, AfterDowningStreet.org
Wednesday, March 7 -- CodePink, Global Exchange
Thursday, March 8 -- Gold Star Families for Peace, Veterans For Peace, Military Families Speak Out, Iraq Veterans Against the War, Democracy Rising
Friday, March 9 -- Peace Action, Voices for Creative Nonviolence, Declaration of Peace, Organic Consumers Association
Monday, March 12 -- United for Peace and Justice, Hip Hop Caucus
Tuesday, March 13 -- Everyone, call once more!
And this call-in effort is part of the huge campaign UFPJ and its member groups have organized to stop the funding of the war:
• More than 1,000 activists lobbied members of Congress on January 29;
• The Occupation Project has organized scores of sit-ins, vigils and teach-ins in Congressional offices across the country with the participation of many UFPJ member groups;
• The UFPJ legislative action network organized dozens of visits to Congressmembers over their winter recess in February and will do more in March and April.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Help us continue to do this critical work: Make a donation to UFPJ today.
UNITED FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE
www.unitedforpeace.org | 212-868-5545
To subscribe, visit www.unitedforpeace.org/email
|
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
