[Peace-presence] CALL FOR ACTION

[richard]

 TO PEACE COMMUNITIES EVERYWHERE,



Friday, Congress voted to expand funding for the war in Iraq, after Pelosi and the Democratic leaders refused to even consider a bill to remove the troops from Iraq immediately, and fund only their removal.  They say this is an "anti-war" measure. Next, the Senate will pass its own re-funding of the war, and even then, Bush says he will veto any bill that sets any kind of date for pulling troops out of Iraq.



In response, Sean Penn and Daniel Ellsberg spoke strongly for impeachment Saturday. Rocky Anderson, the mayor of Salt Lake City has been featured on national news media (NPR today and the NY Times last week) as an advocate of impeachment.



In this newsletter are views we’ve gathered on what just happened. But we’d like to know what you think. What do people at your work and school think?  Write me -  debrasweet at worldcantwait.org



Howard Zinn on the re-funding of the war in the appropriations bill: "To me it is tantamount to the abolitionists accepting a two-year timeline for ending slavery, while giving more money to enforce the Fugitive Slave Act".



"Democrats' victory means more Iraqi deaths - End the War Now - Impeach! Impeach! Impeach!" -- Sunsara Taylor



You voted them in to end the war - they just voted to keep funding it!



March 23, 2007: Democrats in the House vote to continue funding the war, handing Bush $100 billion. Within the funding bill is a withdrawal timetable resolution to pull most troops out of Iraq by September 1st, 2008, and insists that the benchmarks for progress in Iraq be made requirements.  The Democratic Party leadership touts this bill as a new direction in Iraq.  Don’t believe the hype!



To the extent that the Democratic Party leadership opposes Bush’s war, it is from the standpoint of defending and extending empire.  They are deeply concerned about the ongoing debacle in Iraq and how it might hurt "American interests" (translation: empire), but not about the war crimes being committed by the US military.  And while mouthing supposed opposition to the Iraq war, they call for strengthening the war on Afghanistan in the name of the "war on terrorism". (See WCW website: Escalation of War on Afghanistan: What Will be the Consequences for the People? and The "Good War" in Afghanistan on worldcantwait.org for more on why the war on Afghanistan is unjust.)  And in the bill passed Friday, language requiring Bush to get Congressional approval before attacking Iran was taken out at the insistence of Democratic Party leadership (see Congressional Democrats Strip Language Limiting Attack Against Iran From Bill).



If all that isn’t enough for you, then keep in mind there is no enforcement mechanism for troop withdrawal by September 1 st, 2008 in this bill, and Bush has threatened to veto the legislation anyway.



This war must be stopped. War on Iran must be prevented. And Bush must be impeached.



But this isn’t going to come from the Democrats in Congress.  It’s going to have to come from political upheaval from below, from the millions of people who hate this war getting out in the streets and demanding this war end now.



Some must reads on http://worldcantwait.org:



MoveOn.org Versus Its Members by David Swanson

http://tinyurl.com/33jb5r



Support the Troops? Or End the War Now?

http://tinyurl.com/3y538g



Q&A: If we pull out of Iraq, won't it get worse?

http://tinyurl.com/2t9kdr



Who's to Blame for the Civil War in Iraq?

http://tinyurl.com/35fb9p



Sincerely,

Debra Sweet

info at worldcantwait.org

866-973-4463

305 W. Broadway #185

New York, NY 10013

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