The Declaration of Peace

From Friends Committee on National Legislation - A Quaker Lobby in the Public Interest

Iraq: Help Build on Last Week’s Victory

Thanks in part to your lobbying, the House last week defeated legislation providing more money for war.

Now your Senators need to hear that you want them to do the same thing: http://action.fcnl.org/r/12674/28344/

This week, your Senators will vote on whether to provide another $165 billion for the president’s failed war strategy in Iraq.

Urge them to vote against any new funding for the war. Ask your Senators to support a provision in the legislation keeping the administration from signing a new security agreement with Iraq that would lock the United States into a long-term military presence.

Even as momentum builds in Congress and across the country for a change in U.S. strategy, the administration continues to argue that a guns-first and guns-forever approach is the way to achieve peace. This week, the Pentagon announced plans to keep at least 140,000 U.S. troops in Iraq through the beginning of next year, and White House officials have been quietly telling journalists that a war with Iran could be possible before the next president takes office.

Congress needs to say “no” to the president’s failed war strategy in Iraq and insist on a new policy based on withdrawal of U.S. troops and active diplomacy throughout the Middle East. Even if Congress is ultimately unable to force this administration to pursue a new policy, Congress still needs to act now. Otherwise, the next administration could be locked into a long-term policy of war and occupation that will be difficult to reverse.

Take Action

Urge both of your Senators to oppose legislation providing new money for war and insist on a change in U.S. policy when the Iraq war supplemental funding bill comes to the floor later this week: http://action.fcnl.org/r/12675/28344/

Once you’ve sent your letter, ask three friends to write as well: http://action.fcnl.org/r/12676/28344/

What’s in the Senate Iraq war supplemental funding bill? http://action.fcnl.org/r/12677/28344/

Stay up to date with FCNL’s Iraq Peace Campaign: http://action.fcnl.org/r/12678/28344/

See a map of the growing list of U.S. military bases in Iraq: http://action.fcnl.org/r/12679/28344/

Friends Committee on National Legislation | 245 2nd Street NE Washington, DC 20002 | www.fcnl.org | 800-630-1330

The $162.5 Billion Funding Measure for the Iraq War was Voted Down in the House of Representatives on Thursday afternoon, May 15, 2008

A vote of 149 AGAINST to 141 FOR, with 132 Republicans abstaining from the vote brought about the defeat of the war funding portion of a massive spending bill.

Thank you very much to all who made phone calls, sent e-mails and postcards, and made visits to your Representative in the past few weeks to let them know the will of the people: “Stop Paying for War and Occupation in Iraq!”

The anti-war movement’s efforts have paid off!

One-hundred-and-forty-nine Representatives voted with the people and for Peace in Iraq.

This is the largest number of Representatives who have voted against Iraq War funding since the March 2003 invasion.

The largest single “supplemental funding” bill for the Iraq War was defeated by a little more than a third of the House voting against.

Please thank your member of Congress if he/ she voted against further funding, and tell him/ her that you expect them to vote against war funding when the appropriations bill comes back to the House.

You can see the roll call vote for the supplemental war funding measure (Amendment 1 of HR2642) here.

Our attention must now focus on our Senators as the spending bill moves to the Senate where it is expected that the war funding will be put back into the bill.

Calls, e-mails, and visits to, and nonviolent actions at your Senators’ offices are needed to ensure that they understand that the people will not tolerate a continuation of this immoral war and occupation.

For more information on the war funding vote, see news from The Washington Post, Congressional Quarterly, and TheHill.com.

For next steps, see the Press Release from our colleagues at United for Peace and Justice.

Thank you for your diligent efforts. Let’s keep it up!

Timothy Baer

Campaign Coordinator, The Declaration of Peace

Dear Signers of The Declaration of Peace,

As you read this letter, Congress is debating giving the Bush administration over 162 billion dollars to fund the Iraq war into the next year. 162 billion dollars more for a war that should never have been launched in the first place. 162 billion dollars more for a war that already costs hundreds of millions of dollars a day, has taken hundreds of thousands of lives, and has caused incalculable damage to Iraq and its people.

162 Billion Dollars! Such a huge number to wrap your head around.

Here’s another number that is easier to comprehend.

The Declaration of Peace needs only $5100 to finance this national campaign for another year!

We’re asking you to donate $10 or more to cover these costs.

Since the summer of 2006, you and other signers of The Declaration of Peace have held hundreds of vigils, Congressional visits, die-ins, public gatherings, and creative nonviolent actions. You have brought the spirit and message of The Declaration of Peace into your local work to end the war in Iraq and provide a new direction for America.

As national coordinators of the campaign, we make sure that your local work is connected with the national movement. We host regular conference calls where organizers across the country can share ideas and plan collective action. We also keep in close contact with other national organizations, such as United for Peace and Justice and the Win Without War Coalition, and inform you about their actions and campaigns.

We have also developed a Comprehensive Peace Plan for Iraq as a resource for the movement.

As a new President and new members of Congress settle in after the 2008 elections, they will need to hear a clear and well-researched message from the American people. The Comprehensive Peace Plan will be an essential part of pushing our legislators towards envisioning a new way of acting in the world.

We also make sure the bills get paid.

So, we’re now asking you for your support.

The Declaration of Peace runs on a bare bones budget.

All of our money comes directly from you. We receive no foundation or other funding, and have no paid organizers.

The Declaration of Peace is a grassroots-driven, volunteer-run national campaign to end the U.S. war and occupation in Iraq.

This is your campaign!

We’re asking for a pledge of $10 or more to keep the campaign secure into the next year.

Here’s what you’re paying for:

• Hosting and design costs for our website, the public information center of the campaign.

• Our web-based e-advocacy system, which lets us send out e-mails to all the signers of the Declaration, process online donations, and maintain a database of important signer information.

Here’s what you’re NOT paying for:

• Staff time • Office space • Phone bills • Travel costs

$5100 to keep the campaign running for a full year.

Please consider making a donation to The Declaration of Peace today.

Click here to donate or mail a check to:

The Declaration of Peace

P.O. Box 6163

Bloomington, IN 47407-6163

Make checks out to “The Declaration of Peace”. Your donations are tax-deductible.

Sincerely,

Timothy Baer (Nashville, Indiana)

Paul Frazier (Syracuse, New York)

Christine Glaser (Bloomington, Indiana)

Andrew Sawtelle (Providence, Rhode Island)

National Coordinating Body of The Declaration of Peace

Phone calls and e-mails to your Congressional Representatives are needed now!

“Vote NO on any more Iraq War funding.”

A huge $178 billion war funding bill is expected to be brought to the House floor on Thursday (May 8, 2008).

(Click here to see the May 6, 2008 N.Y. Times article.)

Please CALL or E-MAIL your members of Congress on Wednesday.

Contact information for all U.S. Representatives and Senators can be found at: http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/

The Congressional Switchboard number is: (202) 224-3121

Toll-free number for Congress: 1-800-828-0498

Ask to be connected to your Representative’s office.

Our message to members of Congress is simple:

Vote NO on any more Iraq War funding.

End the war!

Now is the time to end the U.S. occupation of Iraq.

Bring the troops home now!

The best way to support the troops is to bring them home ALIVE and INTACT NOW!

The only effective way to end the war and bring the troops home is to STOP FUNDING WAR AND OCCUPATION NOW!

It is critically important that we encourage everyone to call their U.S. Representative on Wednesday to tell them to …

Vote NO on any more funding for continuing U.S. military operations in Iraq.

Thank you!

Timothy Baer

Campaign Coordinator, The Declaration of Peace

Organizer, Bloomington Peace Action Coalition

Phone calls and e-mails to your Congressional Representatives are needed now!

“Vote NO on any more Iraq War funding.”

Pelosi hopes to bring a $178 billion war funding bill to the House floor on Wednesday or Thursday (May 8, 2008).

(Click here to see the May 6, 2008 N.Y. Times article.)

Please call or write your member of Congress on Wednesday.

Contact information for all U.S. Representatives can be found at: http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/

The phone number for the Congressional Switchboard is: (202) 224-3121

Toll-free number for Congress: 1-800-828-0498

Ask to be connected to your Representative’s office.

Our message is simple:

Vote NO on any more funding for continuing U.S. military operations in Iraq.

End the war!

Now is the time to end the U.S. occupation of Iraq.

Bring the troops home now!

Don’t be fooled by talk of adding language to the spending bill that calls for troop withdrawal in 2009.

Don’t be fooled by talk of adding “sweeteners” to the spending bill like unemployment assistance or veterans benefits.

The best way to support the troops is to bring them home ALIVE and INTACT NOW!

The only effective way to end the war and bring the troops home is to STOP FUNDING WAR and OCCUPATION NOW!

Thank you to the many who called their Representative and Pelosi and Murtha’s offices, a week-and-a-half ago.

Now it is critically important that we encourage everyone we know to call their U.S. Representative on Wednesday to tell them to …

Vote NO on any more Iraq War funding.

Thank you!

Timothy Baer

Campaign Coordinator, The Declaration of Peace http://DeclarationofPeace.org

Organizer, Bloomington Peace Action Coalition http://www.BPAC.info

Your Calls and Actions are Needed to Stop the Biggest Iraq War Spending Bill!

Congress Expected to Vote on War Appropriations in early May 2008.

Take Action Now!

During the past five years, the U.S. Congress has approved the spending of more than 526 billion dollars for war and military occupation in Iraq.

The House leadership now appears ready to give President Bush an additional $172 billion in war funding!

• On top of the $102 billion requested by the Bush administration, the Democratic Party leadership is proposing to offer an unsolicited, additional $70 billion to cover war funding into the calendar year 2009.

• This whopping $172 billion would be the last supplemental appropriation voted on before the November elections. If passed, this funding will carry over into the next presidency and the new Congress.

• As the country heads into the 2008 elections, every Senator and Representative should be questioned on the war and how they intend to stop it.

The only effective way to end the occupation of Iraq and bring the troops home is to STOP PAYING FOR WAR AND OCCUPATION!

Please write and call your Representative and Senators and tell them to end the war by voting “NO” on the $172 billion war funding bill!

And encourage others to call and write as well! ~ Thank You!

Congress Switchboard: (202) 224-3121

Contact information for all your members of Congress can be found at: http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/

Over 700 End-the-War Events Nationwide!

Taking Action for Peace in Iraq on the 5th Anniversary of the U.S. Invasion!

Thanks to your tireless local organizing, more than 700 events took place in all 50 states and D.C. around March 19, 2008.

See reports and photos from Washington D.C. and across the country at the “5 Years Too Many” website.

We are inspired and motivated by the work that all of you do. Thank you for your diligence and hard work!

Read about and download the full 65-page Comprehensive Peace Plan for Iraq and the 6-page Talking Points.

It is our hope that every member of Congress receives the Comprehensive Peace Plan for Iraq and pressure from their constituents before the next vote on more war funding.

Help make that a reality! Please take the following simple, yet important action steps:

Download the Comprehensive Peace Plan for Iraq

Download the Congressional Declaration of Peace

Then hand-deliver these documents to your Senators’ and Representatives’ offices.

Ask them to commit to supporting a Peace Plan for Iraq.

Organizing Locally ~ Coordinating Nationally

“We The People Declare Peace!”

Please call Murtha and Pelosi today.

Then call your Representative.

Tell them to vote NO on the $172 billion war funding bill.

It is critically important!

Congressional Switchboard: (202) 224-3121

All contact information for your Representative and Senators can be found at: http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/

See more information and phone numbers below. Thank you! ~ Timothy Baer (Campaign Coordinator, The Declaration of Peace)

April 25, 2008

The following is from our colleague John Bruhns (Legislative Action Coordinator at United for Peace and Justice).

House Leadership Set to Pass Biggest War Spending Bill Yet!

While the House leadership was sharply critical of recent reports by General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker, they now appear ready to give President Bush an additional $172 Billion in war funding.

Here’s what we know about what they plan to bring up for a vote:

1) On top of the $102 Billion requested by the Bush administration, the Democratic Party leadership is proposing to offer an unsolicited additional $70 Billion to cover the first quarter war funding for FY2009. In other words, this will be a whopping $172 Billion!

2) This funding will cover the rest of this fiscal year, which runs to Sept. 30th, and go well into the next fiscal and calendar years. This means this would be the last supplemental funds voted on before the November elections. If passed, this funding will also carry over into the next presidency and the new Congress.

3) There is speculation that the House version of the funding bill will be “clean” and not have any other items attached to it. It this happens there would be a straight up-or-down vote before it moves to the Senate where additional spending is likely to be added.

4) According to the Democratic leadership, this unconscionable allocation of $172 Billion is an attempt to avoid a presidential veto. However, President Bush promises to veto any war funding bill that exceeds $108 billion dollars or includes a timetable for withdrawal.

It appears that the decision to vote on such a massive allocation of new funds now is based on the desire to remove the funding issue from the electoral calendar. This is exactly what the antiwar movement does not want! As the country heads into the elections, we believe that every Senator and Representative should stand up and be counted on the question of this war and how they intend to stop it.

What the House leadership is doing is nothing short of outrageous! Their proposed funding will ensure the Bush administration’s ability to continue to execute the war and occupation in Iraq without any Congressional challenge: not even a debate.

Before it’s too late, we urge you to place two critical phone calls:

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi at (202) 225-0100

John Murtha (Chair of the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee) at (202) 225-2847

Tell them another blank check of $172 Billion for this war is totally unacceptable.

The Congress needs to act now to bring the troops home!

Remind them that the people of this country – the voters of this country - want the U.S. military occupation of Iraq to end!

And be sure to let your own Congressional Representative know that you expect them to stand up to the White House and to the House leadership on the war funding and refuse to support the present policies.

Congressional Switchboard: (202) 224-3121

All contact information for your Representative and Senators can be found at: http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/

John Bruhns ~ Legislative Action Coordinator, UFPJ

Friends,

A request by the White House for an additional $110 Billion in Iraq war funds is making its way through Congress right now. A House floor vote is expected for the week of April 21, 2008.

General Petraeus, the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, and Ryan Crocker, U.S. Ambassador to Iraq are testifying this week before the House Armed Services Committee, the Senate Armed Services Committee, and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Their testimony could be used as political cover for timid members of Congress to vote – once again - for “blank check” funding for the Iraq war.
While publicly stating opposition to the war, too many members of Congress, in the past, have capitulated to the White House and have voted repeatedly for more war spending.

This will happen again unless citizens step up the pressure immediately and take an active role in stopping this $110 billion request for Iraq war funding.

We must not allow Congress to approve more money for death and destruction in Iraq.

Here is what you can do:

1) Sign on to a letter to Rep. John Murtha, who chairs the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense.

This letter will be sent to every member of Congress, calling on them to:

• Stop funding the war: Give the Pentagon only enough money for the safe and orderly withdrawal of all U.S. troops out of Iraq;

• Support a diplomatic offensive — as recommended by the Iraq Study Group — to build a comprehensive solution involving many countries;

• Stop funding military contractors and the construction of permanent military bases in Iraq;

• Refuse to fund any permanent “security agreement” between President Bush and Iraqi President Maliki unless first approved by Congress and the Iraqi parliament.

To sign on to the letter, go to: http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/302/t/6080/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=986

(This letter was initiated by Win Without War and endorsed by dozens of other national organizations and campaigns.)

2) On Thursday, April 10th, join the nationwide congressional call-in day.

Let your representative and senators know that you will not tolerate endless war.

Tell them to vote “NO” on more funding for the war and occupation in Iraq.

All Congressional contact information can be found at: http://www.visi.com/juan/congress

People across the nation will be making calls to their members of Congress. Will you?

3) Organize a Town Hall meeting in your Congressional District.

Or participate in Town Hall meetings that are already being organized in Congressional Districts all around the country.

One of the best ways to persuade a Representative is to hold a town hall meeting and fill the hall with people who care and are willing to speak passionately. (Another way is to turn out a crowd for a town hall meeting that your Representative is already scheduled to attend.)

Go to: Iraq Town Halls at the Democrats.com website. http://www.democrats.com/node/16025

• Find out what Town Hall Meetings are happening in your area. • Learn how you can organize a Town Hall Meeting.

The call for 435 Iraq Town Hall meetings in April - one in each Congressional District, was initiated by Democrats.com.

The message to Congress is simple: Just Say No to Bush’s demand for another $110 billion.

The Declaration of Peace has signed on to this effort, as have numerous other groups, including: Progressive Democrats of America, Gold Star Families for Peace, Win Without War, AfterDowningStreet, Hip Hop Caucus, Cities for Peace, Velvet Revolution, The Nation, The Backbone Campaign, TrueMajority, Willie Nelson Peace Research, Voters for Peace, Code Pink, Veterans for Peace, Global Exchange, Filibuster for Peace, and United for Peace and Justice.

We are at a critical moment in our efforts to move Congress to act on the will of the people and use its power to end this war and occupation. For all of the hard work we’ve all been doing, now is the time to re-double our efforts. We cannot allow another $110 billion to be allocated for this war!

Take Action in the Nation’s Capitol and Around the Country!

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

The Declaration of Peace encourages your participation in the “5 Years Too Many!” nonviolent actions that are being organized in Washington, D.C. and across the country during the 5th anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq.

March 19, 2008 will mark the beginning of the 6th year of the U.S. occupation of Iraq.

Five Years of War and Occupation …… is Five Years Too Many!

Take Action in the Nation’s Capitol on Wednesday, March 19, 2008

United for Peace and Justice calls for creative, nonviolent acts of resistance to the war in Washington, D.C., to interrupt business as usual for those promoting and profiting from war and empire building. Focusing on the pillars of war, our actions will take place at multiple sites, demonstrating the real costs of war and offering visions for a more just and sustainable world, a world at peace.

Five years of war and occupation in Iraq … at what cost?

• Iraq in shambles with 650,000 to 1 million Iraqis dead or wounded, 4 million displaced, families and communities ripped apart.
• Nearly 4,000 U.S. military personnel killed and over 30,000 wounded, many then neglected by our government.
• Over $500 billion spent on death and destruction in Iraq.
• Addiction to petroleum contributing to extreme climate changes and continued abuses of our natural environment, while U.S. corporations reap huge profits as they plan to control Iraq’s oil.
• Torture, illegal surveillance, and erosion of civil liberties.
• And now threats of an attack on Iran and escalation of the U.S. military operation in Afghanistan.

This Is Our Time to Respond. —- We Will Not Be Silent!

Join the Nonviolent Actions in Washington, D.C.

For more information about the D.C. actions on March 19th, see: http://www.5yearstoomany.org

Nearly 600 End-the-War Events Planned Nationwide!

The Declaration of Peace has worked with United for Peace and Justice over the past two months to promote and encourage actions around the 5th anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq.

Thanks to your tireless local organizing, more than 555 events in all 50 states will take place during the next week.

These events and actions are listed on the “5 Years Too Many” event calendar and on The Declarartion of Peace event calendar.

There will be sit-ins, die-ins, vigils, marches, pray-ins, rallies, blockades, street theater, poetry readings, teach-ins, speak-outs and more at government agencies, war profiteers, military recruitment centers, and in town squares and on the streets across the country.

We are inspired and motivated by the work that all of you do.

Thank you for your diligence and hard work!

We’ll see you in the streets on the 19th! Act for Peace in Iraq!

Read about and download the full 65-page Comprehensive Peace Plan for Iraq and the 6-page Talking Points.

It is our hope that every member of Congress receives the Comprehensive Peace Plan for Iraq and pressure from their constituents before the next vote on more war funding.

Please help make that a reality!

Please consider taking these simple, yet important action steps:

Download the Comprehensive Peace Plan for Iraq

Download the Congressional Declaration of Peace

Then hand-deliver these documents to your Senators’ and Representatives’ offices.

Ask them to commit to supporting a Peace Plan for Iraq.

Organizing Locally ~ Coordinating Nationally

“We The People Declare Peace!”