FCNL: Iraq War Funding Vote Imminent - Contact Your Senators Today

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Legislative Action Message

 

 

FCNL: Iraq War Funding Vote Imminent - Contact Your Senators Today

 

 

The full Senate will begin debate Monday on the president’s request for

additional funding for the war in Iraq and a final vote is expected on this

legislation early next week. This is a critical opportunity for your senators to

make a simple declaration that the U.S. does intend to withdraw all military

troops and bases from Iraq. No deadlines, no timetables, just a simple

declaration of intent that would be important for people in Iraq, in the Middle

East, and in the United States to hear.

 

Key Senate aides are telling FCNL that your pressure and the pressure of

thousands of others has opened up a little space for a debate about U.S. policy

toward Iraq. Several senators have already said they intend to sharply question

U.S. policy toward Iraq during the debate next week on the floor of the Senate

about the request for supplemental funding for the war in Iraq. Several senators

are also considering introducing a resolution along the lines that FCNL has been

proposing. But many senators from both parties, even if they are supportive in

private, are still reluctant to speak out in public on this issue.

 

Act Now!

 

Write both of your senators today. Urge them to speak out on the floor of the

Senate and put on the record for the people of Iraq and this country that they

believe the U.S. policy should be based on the premise that all U.S. military

troops and bases will be withdrawn from Iraq. Urge them to support an amendment

to this effect when it is offered on the floor of the Senate. Contacting your

Senators is easy: go to

http://capwiz.com/fconl/issues/alert/?alertid=7366956 & type=CO, enter your zip

code in the " take action now " box and click " go. "

 

Background

 

The Senate Appropriations Committee on Wednesday afternoon (April 6) approved

the 2005 emergency supplemental funding legislation that includes $74 billion

for military operations in Iraq and about $5 billion for international

assistance programs. This legislation also includes funding for U.S. military

bases in Iraq that are described as permanent facilities. There will probably be

an effort to add funding to build a huge, new U.S. embassy in Iraq.

 

FCNL believes senators should oppose this legislation. As a Quaker organization

we are opposed to any additional funding for war and occupation. In addition,

funding a new, expensive embassy and permanent military bases in Iraq sends

absolutely the wrong message about U.S. policy. This is legislation that will

confirm many Iraqis’ fears of a permanent occupation and generate new unrest

that will hurt Iraqis and the U.S. troops in Iraq today. FCNL will send a letter

to the entire Senate early next week urging them to oppose this legislation.

 

But here at FCNL we also understand that the Senate will approve this

legislation. As a result, FCNL will also be working hard to make the resulting

law as favorable as possible for the process of peacebuilding in Iraq. We will

be urging members of the Senate to take the floor during the debate on this

legislation to make personal speeches declaring that it is the policy of the

United States to withdraw all military troops and bases from Iraq. We are also

urging senators to support attaching a resolution with this language to the

request for supplemental funding for the war in Iraq. This is a message that

will do more to support U.S. troops in Iraq than almost anything else under

consideration in the Congress because it will send a firm signal that the U.S.

does not have imperial interests in Iraq.

 

The logic of this resolution is very simple. Many Iraqis have expressed grave

concern that the U.S. plans to stay in Iraq. The insurgents successfully recruit

with the claim that the U.S. has imperial designs on Iraq. The president has

made general statements to the effect that the U.S. intention is to eventually

withdraw from Iraq.

 

Many prominent analysts, including former Secretary of State James Baker and

retired Col. Anthony Cordesman – both of whom support U.S. troops staying in

Iraq – have said that such a declaration is needed right now. For a list of

quotes go to http://www.fcnl.org/pdfs/iraq/quotes_iraq.pdf

 

For more information on the FCNL Iraq peace campaign go to

http://www.fcnl.org/iraq

 

Note to recipients of FCNL email messages: On Tuesday of this week, FCNL sent

out an email advertising our new, tax day flyer focusing on U.S. military

spending. If you’ve already looked at the flyer, we hope you’ll take another

look now that we have done an update. You can see the flyer at

http://www.fcnl.org/pdfs/taxday_05.pdf

 

_____

 

The Next Step for Iraq: Join FCNL's Iraq Campaign,

http://www.fcnl.org/iraq/index.htm

 

Contact Congress and the Administration: http://capwiz.com/fconl/dbq/officials/.

 

Order FCNL publications and " War is Not the Answer " campaign bumper stickers and

yard

signs:

http://www.fcnl.org/newinfo/special_pub.htm

http://www.fcnl.org/iraq-war.htm

 

Contribute to FCNL:

http://www.fcnl.org/suprt/indx.htm

 

Subscribe or update your information to this list:

http://capwiz.com/fconl/mlm/. To from this list, please see the end

of this message.

 

Subscribe to other FCNL legislative, policy, and action alert lists:

http://www.fcnl.org/listserv/quaker_issues.php.

 

______

 

Friends Committee on National Legislation

245 Second St. NE, Washington, DC 20002-5795

fcnl * http://www.fcnl.org/

phone: (202)547-6000 * toll-free: (800)630-1330

 

We seek a world free of war and the threat of war

We seek a society with equity and justice for all

We seek a community where every person's potential may be fulfilled

We seek an earth restored.

 

 

 

 

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