[haw-info] Stand With Rep.Barbara Lee on Ending the War in Afghanistan

 

In 2001, Congresswoman Barbara Lee was the only member of either chamber to vote against the use of force in Afghanistan. Since then she has been a consistent voice of opposition. However, to be effective she needs our help. Without strong and unrelenting pressure from constituents, too many Congressional Representatives are still remaining mute despite widespread awareness that the war in Afghanistan is a futile and costly failure.

 

The vast majority of Americans are now opposed to the Afghanistan War. However over this past weekend, the US and Afghanistan have initialed a new "strategic partnership" agreement that will leave US troops in Afghanistan until 2024.

http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/22/11338474-us-afghans-seal-deal-for-strategic-partnership-after-withdrawal?lite

 

In an election year grassroots pressure in Congressional districts can make a huge difference.

 

One simple step:

 

1/ Call and ask your Representative to sign on as co-sponsor of HR 780 (The Responsible End to the War in Afghanistan Act) which would end combat now and limit the use of funds for Afghanistan to the safe and orderly withdrawal of all US troops." Thanks to folks in the antiwar movement, this bill has 70 co-sponsors.To make an impact, it needs many more.See the current list of co-sponsors at http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/D?d112:6:./temp/~bdiAbN:@@@P

Call the Congressional switchboard at toll-free number 877-429-0678.

If you have time, two other useful steps:

 

2/ Please forward this message family, friends and folks in your peace network and ask them to make this call now !

 

3/ When you call a Congressional office, ask to speak to someone who will get back to you about the Congressional Reps position. Are they willing to co-sponsor HR 780? If not, why not? Follow up until someone in that office gives you a clear explanation of what they plan to do about a never ending war in Afghanistan.

 

Why HR 780? United for Peace and Justice supports a range of Congressional initiatives designed to move the war in Afghanistan to a more rapid conclusion. Yet, as illustrated by the "strategic partnership" agreement initialed on Sunday, Administration policy is slippery and purposefully ambiguous. The importance of HR 780 is that it is clear and simple: stop US combat activities now and bring all the troops and contractors home.

 

Please let us know the response you receive, so we can make comments available to everyone:

rustiandgael@unitedforpeace.org