TELL CONGRESS "No War With Syria" 30AUG13

CONGRESS is feeling the heat, petition campaigns are ramping up the pressure for NO AMERICAN WAR IN SYRIA!  Democrats.com is just one of the Progressive online communities demanding the U.S. stay out of the Syrian civil war. Click the link to add your name...

So far we've delivered over 23,000 emails to Congress - and it's working! Even though Congress is on vacation, they're definitely feeling the heat from voters who do not want a disastrous new Syria War. Last night, 116 Representatives sent an emergency letter demanding a Congressional debate and vote before any attack. If Congress pauses to weigh the immense costs - human and financial - of a Syria War that could engulf the entire region, there is a good chance they will vote no, especially if we continue to speak up. There is an alternative to disastrous wars like Iraq - more diplomacy to find a political settlement like Northern Ireland. And when we have clear evidence who ordered any chemical attacks, we should refer them to the International Criminal Court for war crimes. Tell Congress: No Syria War! Attacking Syria won't reduce the violence - it will only escalate it with devastating consequences for Syrians and Americans, as we learned so painfully in Iraq. The U.S. invasion of Iraq killed 100,000 to 600,000 Iraqi civilians. For Americans, the invasion killed 4,486 U.S. troops and wounded 32,223. Of the 2.3 million U.S. troops who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, roughly 20% suffer from PTSD or Traumatic Brain Injury, and hundreds commit suicide each year. For returning troops and their loved ones, the war is never over. And while President Obama proposes a limited missile strike, neocon war criminals like John McCain, Karl Rove, and Rupert Murdoch are demanding nothing less than "regime change" - which means full-scale war.  Tell Congress: No Syria War! Economically, the U.S. absolutely cannot afford war with Syria. The Iraq War drove gasoline prices over $4 and cost the U.S. economy $3 trillion and helped cause the Great Recession of 2008, which has not ended. Since Republicans refuse to raise taxes, the inevitable costs of a Syrian War will come from food stamps, education, health care, environmental protection, and Social Security. The American people adamantly oppose cuts in these essential programs. Tell Congress: No Syria War! Tell your Senators and Representative to vote against a Syria War, and block any funds for any military actions that could start such a war. Thanks for all you do! Bob Fertik Democrats.com is the oldest online community of progressive activists, with 2 million supporters. We fight for jobs, justice, healthcare, education, the environment, and peace. We're supported by great progressive partners so we never ask for donations. Please join us at Democrats.com! Bob Fertik August 27, 2013 WAR/PEACE 37,020 of 50,000 people have signed – see totals by state and Congressional District. Background The neocon war criminals who took the U.S. into an illegal and disastrous war in Iraq are back - and demanding a Syria War. We say No! Attacking Syria won't reduce the violence - it will only escalate it with devastating consequences for Syrians and Americans, as we learned so painfully in Iraq. The U.S. invasion of Iraq killed 100,000 to 600,000 Iraqi civilians. For Americans, the invasion killed 4,486 U.S. troops and wounded 32,223. Of the 2.3 million U.S. troops who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, roughly 20% suffer from PTSD or Traumatic Brain Injury, and hundreds commit suicide each year. For returning troops and their loved ones, the war is never over. President Obama may prefer sending missiles and bombs from a distance, but these are acts of war that can easily lead to all-out war with Syria. Moreover Syria, unlike Iraq, has the support of major military powers like Russia and Iran, which could lead to a much larger war across the entire Middle East. Economically, the U.S. absolutely cannot afford war with Syria. The Iraq War cost the U.S. economy $3 trillion and helped cause the Great Recession of 2008, which has still not ended. Since Republicans refuse to raise taxes, the inevitable costs of a Syrian War will come from food stamps, education, health care, environmental protection, and Social Security. The American people adamantly oppose cuts to these essential programs. These are among the reasons Americans oppose a Syria War. The U.S. cannot solve Syria's civil war by turning that war into a U.S. war - instead we must increase our efforts to find a diplomatic solution, as was done successfully in Northern Ireland. And when we have solid evidence of the people who ordered any chemical weapons attacks, we should bring them before the International Criminal Court for war crimes.