If you don't get this in time to call today, please
call tomorrow. Please forward to others.
In the next two days, the House of Representatives will be voting on the
2012 Defense Authorization bill. United for Peace and Justice is banding
together with more than 20 national groups for a call-in today Tuesday May 24
demanding an end to the war in Afghanistan.
The Friends Committee on National Legislation is providing all groups with
a toll-free number
1-888-231-9276 [ tel:
1-888-231-9276 ]. Please call
today and forward this message to your organization, friends and family.
Tell your member of Congress "It is time we brought our troops home from
Afghanistan and stopped wasting the billions we urgently need for domestic
programs on a senseless war. The last thing Congress should be doing is
authorizing endless war, but that's exactly what the 2012 National Defense
Authorization Act does. "
Ask your representative to support amendments, which 1/ restrict funding
only for purposes of providing for the safe and orderly withdrawal of all US
troops and contractors from Afghanistan (Lee) or 2/ which require the President
to submit a plan and date for ending the U.S. war (McGovern-Jones) and 3/which
strike out the expanded authorization for the use of force.
If line is busy, use Congressional switchboard
202 224-3121 [
tel:202%20224-3121 ]
Background: Across the United States vital domestic programs are
being slashed as federal dollars dry up. Meanwhile the killing of bin
Laden in Pakistan highlights once again the irrelevance of the war in
Afghanistan. It's long past time to stop wasting lives and money and to bring
this conflict to an end. Unfortunately, the Congress remains on automatic
pilot for war. Last week the House Armed Services Committee by a vote of 60-1
passed a FY 2012 Defense Authorization bill, which includes another $553
billion in defense spending, plus $118 billion to pay for the wars in
Afghanistan and Iraq. Tucked away in section 1034, is an expanded authorization
for the use of force, which allows the President to respond to threats from Al
Qaeda, the Taliban and "associated forces." This new innocuous-sounding
phrase opens the door for an administration to attack anywhere without
Congressional consent, claiming that it is pursuing "associated
groups."