Tell Congress: Stop Rewarding Dictators with Weapons! 12OKT11

MUCH to our shame the American government has resumed military arms sales to the brutal, repressive, undemocratic government of Bahrain. This action by the American government makes a mockery of our claim to support pro-democratic, freedom loving people around the world, exposes the hypocrisy of our foreign policy carried out in our name but in reality to enrich and feed the greed of the American military-industrial complex. How can the American government condemn Syria for their bloody repression of their own people's struggle for freedom and democracy and then reward Bahrain for doing the same? Doctors and nurses in Bahrain have been arrested, tortured, faced "trials" and have been sentenced to prison for treating wounded pro-democracy protesters. Bahraini athletes, political activist, human right activist and regular citizens have experienced the same and scores have been killed by Bahraini government forces backed by troops from Saudi Arabia. Please support the joint Resolution of Disapproval, introduced by Sen Ron Wyden D OR and Rep Jim McGovern D MA to block the sale of military hardware and weapons to Bahrain while the government of Bahrain continues to kill, torture and imprison their own citizens who are peacefully struggling for freedom, democracy and human rights.

Human Rights First is voicing concerns of frontline activists in Bahrain and making sure that the U.S. use its leverage to promote human rights and democracy in the region. Resources:

• Here’s more on our work on Bahrain
• Report: Bahrain: A Torturous Process
• Read the joint Resolution of Disapproval, blocking the arms sale to Bahrain:
  • U.S. Senate: S. J. RES. 28
  • U.S. House of Representatives: H. J. RES. 80

Good news! Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Congressman James McGovern (D-MA) have stepped up and are leading the fight in Congress to stop the arms sale to Bahrain's brutal monarchy. They introduced a joint Resolution of Disapproval in Congress that will block this sale immediately. But now your Senators and Representatives need to hear from you. Tell Congress to stop arming the Bahraini dictatorship with weapons by supporting this resolution today! Bahrain's pro-democracy protests have been the largest, proportionately, of any country in the Middle East. Hundreds of thousands of citizens have risen up to demand their human rights. The Bahraini regime, trying to protect its power, has abducted, tortured, and killed peaceful protestors. Home of the Navy's U.S. Fifth Fleet, Bahrain is an important strategic U.S. ally, and the United States has been muted in its criticisms of the regime's brutality. Now the Pentagon intends to sell $53 million worth of armored Humvees and TOW missiles to Bahrain. The United States should not reward a regime that brutalizes its people. Tell Congress to stand on the side of democracy and human rights in the Middle East by blocking the arms sale to the Bahrain Monarchy! If the United States aspires to be a global leader on human rights and inspire those fighting for democracy in the Middle East and elsewhere, it simply cannot reward repressive regimes with weapons. It must side with human rights, not dictators. Sincerely, Brian Dooley Human Rights First

The War Must Not Go On! from SOJO 23JUN11

AMEN!!!! A very well thought, well written commentary on the war in Afghanistan from Sojourners....
Last evening, President Obama made his long-awaited announcement on beginning withdrawal of the 103,000 U.S. troops from Afghanistan. The president announced that 10,000 of these troops will be withdrawn by the end of this year, starting in July, and 23,000 more by the end of summer 2012. That will leave approximately 70,000 troops in Afghanistan, roughly double the number of troops (34,000) when he took office in 2008. The president said these remaining troops will be withdrawn “at a steady pace” going into 2014.

But that’s not good enough. President Obama had an opportunity to pivot his policy on the war in Afghanistan -- to focus on the still real threats of terrorism, rather than on failed wars of occupation with massive numbers of troops on the ground. Public opinion polls now consistently show that 50 to 60 percent of the American people want the troops to come home. Two-hundred-four members of the House, from both parties, voted in late May for the McGovern-Jones amendment -- which calls for an accelerated withdrawal and a responsible exit from Afghanistan. Two members of Congress, Jim McGovern and Walter Jones, one Democrat and one Republican, were the authors of that measure and have been the real leaders of political and moral conscience on this war. Twenty-eight bipartisan senators also called for an accelerated withdrawal in a recent letter to the president. A wide array of political leaders, from both parties -- including senators Carl Levin, Max Baucus, and Richard Lugar, and Republican presidential candidates Jon Huntsman, Mitt Romney, and Ron Paul -- are expressing reservations about the war strategy. Obama could have built on these changes in public opinion and announced a dramatic change in war policy for Afghanistan. But last night, he did not.

We constantly hear the message, “Support the troops.” It’s on bumper stickers, at ball games, and on banners in airports. As a Christian who opposed the two wars our troops have been fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq, I can say that I do support the troops. They are primarily young, from lower-income and working families, who in the current economy have few other options. The military promised them the opportunity for a job, training, and perhaps the chance go to college on their return. But that promise to young people with few other options came at a high price. So far, 1,552 Americans have died in the war in Afghanistan; 11,200 have been wounded. In one study of the 300,000 returning veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan who sought help from Veterans Affairs health centers, nearly 37 percent of those treated for the first time were suffering from mental health problems such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, or alcohol problems. These problems too often result in suicide. During the first half of 2009, more American soldiers committed suicide than were killed in combat in Afghanistan and Iraq. In June 2010, an average of one soldier a day committed suicide. Furthermore, 11 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are unemployed.

Of course, there are very few children of members of Congress, or of finance and business executives, in the military. Those who run the country are not sending their children to fight the wars they continue to prolong. Frankly, war is good business for those who run the military-industrial complex that former President Eisenhower warned us about. Generals always recommend more war because it’s their business. It gets them promotions and advances their careers. And they often distort the facts to stay in business -- claiming progress in order to justify continued war -- when there really is no significant progress at all. Meanwhile, more young people get killed or damaged for the rest of their lives, and the cost for so many innocents is even higher. That can simply no longer be justified in Afghanistan.

The president acknowledged and honored the sacrifice of the troops, and said we need to shift from nation-building in Afghanistan to nation-building at home. But the meager reduction of troops he announced last night simply doesn’t support either goal. I heard on Morning Joe this morning that John McCain has more staff on Capitol Hill than the CIA reports al Qaeda now has in Afghanistan. And the threat of Bin Laden was not ended by the war in Afghanistan, but by focused intelligence and counter-terrorism in Pakistan. Yet, after the president’s announcement last night, the United States will still have nearly 100,000 troops in Afghanistan for the rest of this year, and will spend more than $100 billion in the coming year. It seems the war in Afghanistan will go on and on and on.

To truly support the troops who are fighting and dying in Afghanistan, we must commit our resources where they are most needed. We must make the courageous decision to end the war in Afghanistan much faster than the president called for last night. Incremental and gradual drawdowns of troops over many years is not the correct response to a failed war. We needed a pivot to a new policy last night -- but we didn’t get it.

The president’s decision to finish his first term with twice as many U.S. troops in Afghanistan as when he took office is a political and moral mistake. This week, nearly 40 religious leaders delivered a letter to the White House saying “we are united in the belief that it is time to bring the U.S. war in Afghanistan to an end.” We must now build on that to mobilize resistance to the war across the religious community. It’s time for the faith community to help lead the movement that will bring this unnecessary and unjust war to an end. The president’s message last night was “the war goes on.” Our message on Afghanistan must be: War No More.

+Click here for Sojourners’ FREE “War No More” bumper sticker as a gift for your involvement!

Jim Wallis is the author of Rediscovering Values: A Guide for Economic and Moral Recovery, and CEO of Sojourners. He blogs at www.godspolitics.com. Follow Jim on Twitter @JimWallis.

Reps. McGovern & Jones: ‘The Anti-War Movement In Congress Is Going To Continue To Grow & Intensify’ 23JUN11

THE anti-war movement is growing, support is growing across the entire political spectrum. We are tired of the killing and maiming of our troops, we are tired of the cost of the war, we are tired of supporting a corrupt and undemocratic government in Kabul. This from ThinkProgress.....

By Ben Armbruster

Late last month, Congress nearly defeated an amendment sponsored by Reps.Jim McGovern (D-MA) and Walter Jones (R-NC) that would have mandated an accelerated U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. The measure failed 204-215, but the result is significant because it garnered 26 Republican votes.
At an event today sponsored by the Center for American Progress, McGovern and Jones said President Obama’s Afghanistan withdrawal plan he announced last night does not go far enough. “We need to get all the troops out of Afghanistan sooner than 2014, because 2014 will become 2015 and so on, and it will be a neverending exit date,” Jones said.
In an interview with ThinkProgress after the event, both lawmakers stressed that they’re not giving up their efforts in Congress. “I think the anti-war movement in Congress is going to continue to grow and intensify,” McGovern said. Jones said he’s optimistic that he can peel away more Republicans to their side:

JONES: Republicans are beginning to understand that trying to police the world, you can’t pay for it. That’s what Republicans are beginning to understand. [...] What I’m trying to do on our side is to get more Republicans to join on the bill. Because that in itself sends a signal. But I believe, as Jim said, we’re not going away. [...]
TP: Are there a lot more Republicans talking to you privately?
JONES: Oh yeah.

Watch the interview clip:


Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA), who is also part of a coalition of leaders in Congress pushing for an end to war in Afghanistan, has called on the president to reduce forces there to 20,000 by the end of 2012 and to around 10,000 by the end of 2013. “Anything short of that,” he said in a separate interview with ThinkProgress last week, “he’s [Obama] going to have a revolt in Congress. Congress has had it.”

END THE WAR IN AFGHANISTAN NOW! from MOVEON.ORG 3JUN11

Enough is enough, we have lost to many, over 1500 so far, thousands have life altering injuries, and billions of dollars are being wasted in supporting a corrupt and unreliable government. It is time to bring our men and women home. Click the link to sign the petition that will be delivered to Pres Obama by Rep Chillie Pingree D ME next week, and share with family and friends and coworkers.

You, along with our friends and allies, have helped get us closer to bringing the war in Afghanistan to an end.

Just last week, the House voted on the McGovern-Jones Amendment, which called for an "accelerated transition" of our troops out of Afghanistan. This critical bellwether for where Congress stands on the war had thousands of you calling your representatives as it came to a vote.

While the Amendment was narrowly defeated (204 to 215), the votes it attracted, including those of 26 Republicans, exceeded everyone's expectations. It's hard to come so close to an unexpected victory, but the massive improvement (by 25%) over the 162 votes previously received for similar legislation was a victory in itself. It helped send a strong message.

Combined with petitions signed by over 250,000 people, President Obama is hearing that Americans, including many members of Congress on both sides of the aisle, want this long war brought to an end. 

The President will get that message specifically from MoveOn members next week, when your petition is sent to him straight from Representative Chellie Pingree. Help get as many names on it as possible before then, by sharing it with people you know:

Click here to share the petitionto bring our troops home.

This is right when the President is deciding how many troops to bring home in July, to honor his 2009 commitment for an "accelerated transition". And we need to keep pushing back against voices in the Pentagon who want to keep us in Afghanistan without any foreseeable end.

Our friends at Credo Action, Win Without War, Brave New Foundation, USAction, Democracy for America, and Campaign for America's Future, among others, all contributed to getting over 250,000 Americans on petitions to bring our troops home. We'll continue to work with these allies on ways to bring our troops home faster, accelerate the end of the war, and put a stop to its unacceptable drain on our resources. 

AFGHANISTAN: NO MORE EXCUSES-END THIS WAR from Sojourners 11MAI11

I agree with this article from Sojourners and have signed on supporting the call to end the war in Afghanistan. Click the link to e mail your Representative and tell them to support and pass the H.R 1735, the "Afghanistan Exit and Accountability Act". A vote is expected before Memorial Day.

There is no more room or time for excuses. The war in Afghanistan, now the longest war in American history, needs to end. On moral, financial, and strategic grounds, the continuing of the war in Afghanistan cannot be justified.

President Obama has promised to start troop withdrawal in July, but he’s being pressured to reduce the effort to a “symbolic withdrawal” and to continue on a path to many more years of war.We cannot wait any longer to end this war; its costs aresimply too great. 

• Financial: The U.S. is spending more than $100 billion per year in Afghanistan
• Human: 1,570 Americans killed, more than 10,000 wounded  
• More than 10,000 civilian Afghan deaths, 3,000 in 2010 alone 

Congress has a big role to play in what happens next. Representatives Jim McGovern and Walter Jones have introduced important legislation that, if passed, would require the Obama administration to present an exit strategy for U.S. forces from Afghanistan(1).

This bill will show President Obama how much support he has in the Congress for a real withdrawal plan beginning this summer -- but only if it has robust support by legislators. We can help build support for this bill by asking our senators and representatives to sign on. Email your members of Congress and tell them to support the“Afghanistan Exit and Accountability Act.”

Thank you for your partnership. We know that our scriptures and history teach us that war is not the way to achieve the peace and security we are striving to build in this world. Sometimes things seem bleak -- but together, as part of a community seeking a new future, we can make a difference.

Blessings,

Elizabeth, Duane, Tim, and the team

---

Footnotes:
HR 1735, the Afghanistan Exit and Accountability Act:
Specifically, the bill (The “Afghanistan Exit and Accountability Act”) would:

1. Require the president to transmit to Congress a plan with timeframe and completion date for the transition of U.S. military and security operations in Afghanistan to the government of Afghanistan;
2. Require the president to report quarterly (i.e., every 90 days) on the status of that transition, and the human and financial costs of remaining in Afghanistan, including increased deficit and public debt; and
3. Require that in those quarterly reports the president disclose to Congress the savings in five-year, 10-year, and 20-year time periods were the U.S. to accelerate redeployment and conclude the transition of all U.S. military and security operations to Afghanistan within 180 days (i.e., six months).

Afghanistan: No More Excuses
After 10 long years, the national conversation on the war in Afghanistan has changed significantly. And now, the hunt for Osama bin Laden, used for years to justify the war, is over. The official reasons for continuing the war are disappearing each day. The threat of al Qaeda in Afghanistan has significantly weakened. Many people are shocked when they learn that there are only 100 al Qaeda operatives left in Afghanistan, but more than 100,000 American troops remain. As the debate on the deficit heats up, we need to say again and again that the more than $100 billion a year that is spent on the war is no longer sustainable. Every American should know these numbers: 100 terrorists; 100,000 troops; $100 billion -- it just isn't adding up anymore. There are no more excuses for delaying a withdrawal of U.S. troops.
A USA TODAY/Gallup Poll released this week shows that 59 percent of Americans agree that the "United States has accomplished its mission in Afghanistan and should bring its troops home." Congressional pressure is also growing. News reports indicate that those who favor "a swift reduction of U.S. forces" have been gaining momentum.
A significant part of this pressure to end the war is the introduction of the "Afghanistan Exit and Accountability Act" by Representatives Jim McGovern (D-MA) and Walter Jones (R-NC). H.R. 1735 was submitted with 14 additional sponsors, eight Democrats, and six Republicans. Ending the war is now a bipartisan effort. The legislation would require the president to submit a plan with a timeline and completion date for the transition of military operations to the Afghan government, and require quarterly progress reports along with projections of how much would be saved if the transition were completed in six months.
In his statement, Rep. McGovern said: "We're told that we can't afford vital domestic funding, but we should continue to borrow billions and billions of dollars for nation-building in Afghanistan. That's nuts. … On Monday [May 2], the Pentagon reported that 1,550 American troops have died in Afghanistan. Last week, another one of my constituents was killed. Tens of thousands more have been wounded. … Enough is enough."
Rep. Walter Jones' opposition to this war has made him a modern profile of courage. He turned against the war after visiting constituents who lost their children, fathers, and mothers, as well as soldiers in the hospital whose lives have been forever shattered. He doesn't think this war is worth their sacrifice. He is right.
Although the president has committed to begin withdrawing troops in July, the military is working behind the scenes to make this withdrawal as small as possible. In their initial proposal, the military floated a news story suggesting a withdrawal of only 5,000 troops. This is not acceptable anymore, and we must insist on a clear, quick, and responsible exit -- not one slowly drawn out over years. Too much money has been spent, and too many lives have been lost. It's time for the war to end. So I am calling on you, our most committed constituents, to contact your members of Congress and urge them to co-sponsor this legislation. With our voices, we can make a difference, and we must. The time has come to end this war.