Tell Congress: Stop Paying for War and Military Occupation in Iraq and Afghanistan
Please join the nationwide campaign!
Let us join together to stop the “2009 Supplemental Appropriations”
Tell Congress to Vote “NO”!
Write Congress: May 9-11
Call Congress: May 12
See below for the What, Why, How, and When!
Please forward this message far and wide to members of your group, your friends and family. Thank you!
More requests for more funding for war and occupation have followed President Obama’s request for more funding for war and occupation.
Tens of billions of dollars for war and occupation are being asked for by a president who promised to “end the war in Iraq”.
On April 9, 2009, President Obama made a supplemental appropriations request for $83.4 billion, with $75.8 billion going for continuing military operations and equipment replacement in Iraq and Afghanistan.
On Thursday, May 7, 2009, the House Appropriations Committee submitted their finalized “2009 Supplemental Appropriations for Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Pandemic Flu” totaling $96.7 billion , and significantly increasing the funding for war-making and military occupation to over $84 billion.
If approved by Congress, the supplemental funding would bring the costs for war and occupation in Iraq and Afghanistan for FY 2009 to more than $153 billion. According to the Congressional Research Service, this supplemental war funding would push the costs of the two wars to almost $1 trillion since September 2001. And this is above and beyond the “normal” expenditures of hundreds of billions of dollars for the Dept. of Defense yearly budgets.
It must be pointed out that while the “2009 Supplemental Appropriations” bill contains needed beneficial items like economic development and agriculture programs in Afghanistan, efforts to strengthen the rule of law in Iraq, humanitarian assistance for Gaza, wildfire suppression, and global efforts to slow the spread of a flu pandemic, all combined, they amount to less than 13% of the total appropriations measure. And the House Appropriations Committee rejected Obama’s request for funding for closing the prison facility at Guantanamo Bay.
Again, more than $84 billion goes to military occupation operations, furthers involvement in Pakistan, and does nothing towards the promised U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraq.
In fact, the opposite is true. The supplemental provides for continuing U.S. troop levels of more than 130,000 soldiers in Iraq through September 2009.
Also on Thursday, the Obama Administration revealed the Pentagon budget for FY 2010 (beginning in October 2009) for $664 billion, with $554 billion going for “basic” military programs and $130 billion specifically for continuing the military occupation of Iraq and accelerating military operations in Afghanistan.
This is a lot of bad news.
But, don’t give up. Let’s address and oppose these measures one step at a time.
Voices of opposition to ongoing war-making and military occupation must be heard!
Tell Congress to Vote “NO”!
The full House is expected to vote on the $96.7 billion “2009 Supplemental Appropriations” bill as early as next Wednesday, May 13th.
We have allies in the House of Representatives — like Lynn Woolsey, Barbara Lee, Dennis Kucinich and many others who will vote “NO” on any more war funding.
We must try to persuade our members of Congress to also vote against the “2009 Supplemental Appropriations” bill.
Even if you feel that your effort will not make a difference with your U.S. Representative, please don’t give up hope. We must speak up for Peace and against war and military occupation. It is important that we ALL write and call our Representative in the next few days.
Remember:
Stopping the funding is the surest way to promptly change war policy, and initiate troop withdrawal.
Congressional approval of funding perpetuates destructive policies and operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Tell your Representative to vote NO!
Write to your member of Congress.
SATURDAY ~ SUNDAY ~ MONDAY
May 9 – 11, 2009
Send an e-mail to your Representative during the next three days.
Tell him or her to vote “NO” on the “2009 Supplemental Appropriations” bill.
Most members of Congress have e-mail contact forms on their websites. We highly recommend sending your e-mail through their website as the best way to directly reach your Representative, with a concise and personal message.
Find your Representative’s website by clicking here.
Enter the appropriate information until a photo of your Representative appears. Then click on “Visit Official Website” and look for “E-mail Congressman …” or “Contact …”
We have provided a sample “Stop the War Funding” message. for your use. Click here.
Even better: Write your message in your own words.
Be direct. Express your passion for Peace!
Talking Points:
Congressional approval of war funding perpetuates destructive military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Lasting peace will not come through military occupation.
Congress should insist on comprehensive exit strategies for Iraq and Afghanistan that invest in long-term diplomatic, humanitarian, and economic development assistance that will lead to peace and stability in those countries.
Funding for war and military occupation — and funding for diplomatic, humanitarian and other benevolent efforts must be separated. It is disingenuous and deceptive on the parts of the Obama Administration and Congress to combine these.
The “2009 Supplemental Appropriations” bill provides for a high level of U.S. troops in Iraq for the duration of FY 2009. What about the promised withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraqi cities by June 30, 2009?
Funding military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan exacerbates animosity towards the United States and leads to violent responses toward the U.S. and its allies.
Approving more than $84 billion for military operations in foreign countries when there are so many pressing domestic needs is morally and financially irresponsible.
E-mail your Representative today!
Thank you!
Join the National Call-In Day to Stop the War Funding on Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Your e-mail message to your Representative should be followed up with a personal phone call to their office on the day before the expected war funding vote.
Members of Friends Committee on National Legislation, United for Peace and Justice, Peace Action, The Declaration of Peace and other national organizations, coalitions and campaigns are joining together in calling our members of Congress, next Tuesday, May 12th.
Hand out this flyer in your neighborhood, to your friends, at your group or church.
We will send you a reminder on Monday for the National Call-In Day
Thank you for all of your committed actions for Peace!