Tell Congress: Aid, Not Wars
2 items in this post:
1. Tell Congress to provide aid, not fund wars
2. Hillary Clinton & Ron Paul discuss military budget, US foreign policy
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1.
Tell Congress to Provide Aid, Not Fund Wars
United for Peace and Justice
http://www.unitedforpeace.org/
The Obama administration has asked Congress for an
additional $83.4 billion to pay for the wars in Iraq
and Afghanistan for FY2009. On the table, too, is a
request for $130 billion to fund the wars in 2010.
This, despite the fact that 6 in 10 Americans believe
the war in Iraq was a mistake and growing numbers fear
escalating war in Afghanistan.
United For Peace and Justice opposes this supplemental
request and urges you to call your Representatives and
Senators today and tell them that you, too, oppose the
FY2009 Supplemental and you want them to stand with
constituents who want to redirect our funds to
reconstruction and aid, not war.
To reach the Washington switchboard, call 202-224-3121.
UFPJ supports the administration’s request for
reconstruction assistance and recognizes the need to
support U.S. troops as they withdraw. But, sadly, out
of the $83.4 billion in emergency funding, only $7.1
billion are to support reconstruction/diplomatic
activities, whereas $75.3 billion will be used for
military activities. At a time of economic crisis, this
is an appalling use of our national resources. Outside
of this fact, our opposition is based on these
specifics:
* It funds the increase of troops to Afghanistan,
escalating the war rather than ending it. * It does
not prohibit U.S. attacks on Pakistan, which only
serve to increase anti-U.S. sentiment, recruitment
for al-Qaeda, and regional instability. * It
maintains the same level of American troops in Iraq
for the duration of FY2009.
Some Congressional officials have also expressed
opposition to the Obama administration’s request for
supplemental funding. Representative Lynn Woolsey, co-
Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said
about the request: “As proposed, this funding will do
two things — it will prolong our occupation of Iraq
through at least the end of 2011 and it will deepen and
expand our military presence in Afghanistan
indefinitely.
“I cannot support either of these scenarios. Instead of
attempting to find military solutions to the problems
we face in Iraq and Afghanistan, President Obama must
fundamentally change the mission in both countries to
focus on promoting reconciliation, economic
development, humanitarian aid, and regional diplomatic
efforts.”
Let’s get our Representatives and Senators to speak and
vote with this same clarity of vision – call now!
Click here to see the details of the War Supplemental
funding request:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/assets/budget_amendments/supplemental_04_09_09.pdf
Click here for analysis of the Supplemental from the
Center for Arms Control and Non- Proliferation:
http://www.armscontrolcenter.org/policy/iraq/articles/041309_c111_fy09_warsupp2/
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2.
Hillary Clinton and Ron Paul discuss military budget, US foreign policy:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrpKS5aa4GU