Bipartisan Effort to Stop the Surge in Afghanistan
UPDATE: THE DEADLINE HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO FRIDAY MARCH 13th. CALL YOUR CONGRESS PERSON TODAY!
Today our leaders are under tremendous pressure to make major changes in Washington. They are moving quickly to correct the mistakes of previous administrations in the economy, in Iraq, and in government transparency. The Obama administration, however, seems content to change very little about our foreign policy in .
Republican Representatives Republican Representatives Ron E. Paul (R-TX 14th) and Walter Jones, Jr. (R-NC 3rd) initiated a bipartisan letter to the President expressing concerns about his decision to surge in Afghanistan. “The 2001 authorization to use military force in Afghanistan allowed military action ‘to prevent any future acts of international terrorism against the United States.’ Continuing to fight a counterinsurgency war in Afghanistan does not appear, to us, to be in keeping with these directives and an escalation may actually harm US security… We are also concerned that any perceived military success in Afghanistan might create pressure to increase military activity in Pakistan.”
Please call the congressional switchboard at (202) 224-3121 (they can tell you who your Representative is) and ask for the Foreign Affairs Legislative Aid. Explain to them that you are a constituent and would like your Representative to sign Rep. Walter Jones letter asking the President to reconsider troop escalation in Afghanistan. Call now as the deadline for congressional signatures is Noon Eastern this Wednesday, March 11th. Comment here to tell us how your call went.
Democratic leaders Representative Lynn Woolsey (D-CA 6th) and
Representative Dennis J. Kucinich (D-OH 10th) also signed on with the encouragement of Peace Action and our coalition of non-governmental organizations. Paul Kawika Martin our Organizing, Policy, and PAC Director organized 17 groups to put pressure on Congress including: September Eleventh Families for Peaceful Tomorrows, Pax Christi USA, Win Without War, American Conservative Defense Alliance, American Friends Service Committee, New Internationalism project, Institute for Policy Studies, and NETWORK a National Catholic Social Justice Lobby.
These partners have lobbied hard to prevent increased violence in Afghanistan. Whether opposing nighttime drone strikes in Afghani and Pakistani villages or speaking out in support of diplomatic and humanitarian aid, they are the most vocal opponents to the continuation of failed policies in the Middle East. While other groups have been criticized by the Progressive community for not taking a stand against a troop surge in Afghanistan, Peace Action has emerged as a leader on the issue.
Support our efforts to promote new solutions for Afghanistan. Call your Representatives today and tell them to sign on to this letter to the President before Wednesday March 11th. We’ll send you updates on this, and much more, as America struggles to find a proper path in Afghanistan.
P.S. Have you signed our petition to stop the surge into Afghanistan? If not, please take this important action. If you’ve already signed, don’t forget to tell your friends.
Called but office was closed so left a message
The Washington office was closed, so I called Tim Murphy’s local office here in Pittsburgh, and asked them to forward the message to the foreign affairs legislative aid. They took my information and said they would do so.
I called Tammy Baldwin. The aide even seemed to know what I was talking about when I told her no one had ever conquered Afghanistan!
I experssed my concerns, asked him to sign on to the letter, and she took my information and will pass it on.
I contacted a representative at Jackie Speer’s headquarters and requested that she stop the surge and spend that money on American’s. She said she would let Jackie know. thanks for the effort to stop escalating wars in the name of Americans.
Phoned rep. and expressed concern over the surge and urged to sign letter. Was told my message would be passed on.
I spoke with an aide of Carol Shea Porter who took the message and assured me he would pass on the information.
I called my representatives’s office and spoke to an aide expressing my lack of support for a surge in Afghanistan because there is no plan for handling this war. I was thanked for my call.
My representative is Ron Paul.
Left message for Rep. Shirley Berkeley. Used the analogy of a person in prison who comes to a faulty conclusion they robbed the bank incorrectly and would do it better the next time. Or a person who new someone who got caught for a robbing a bank and they too arrived at the wrong logic by thinking they could be successful. Both should have concluded that robbing the bank was the incorrect action. The U.S. is headed down the same faulty logic path as the British and Russians, if they believe that can do a better job occupying Afghanistan. That was the same wrong headed thinking which led the U.S. into Viet-Nam after the defeat of the French.
I contacted my Representative and asked him to
stop the surge in Afghanistan. The staff member
politely told me he would relate my message to
my representative. He asked also where I was
calling from. I always have to give my name and
address when I call my Rep. on issues.
I left a message with Diane Feinstein’s personnel. That person just said OK.
Left message with Betsy Markey’s foreign affairs legislative aide.
I left a message for Rep Brad Miller expressing my dissatisfaction any action other than bringing the troops home.
I did not call Representative Markey because I voted for President Obama because I have infinite trust in him to do what is best. President Obama is not President Johnson who escalated the Vietnam War or Nixon who kept it going.
I believe his sending 2 or 3 brigades to Afghanistan is merely an attempt to stabilize a deteriorating situation there while he attempts to reach out to moderate Taliban elements to have them form a working coalition government with Karzai or his replacement.
You are dealing in absolutes. You believe that sending the additional troops is absolutely wrong. The Chicken Hawks on the extreme right will settle for nothing less than an absolute victory. I believe in a middle gtound approach and I will support President Obama in his effort.
Left msg for congressman to urge president to pursue non-military solution in Afghanistan, there is and never will be a military solution.
Anthony Schmitt
I called the given number. The office was closed, but I left a message for Rep. Campbell asking him to support Rep. Jones position on the surge and to take whatever action he could to oppose it. I voted for Obama but am very disheartened by his actions in Iraq and Afghanistan and have been posting blog after blog against his policies. I am glad to see that Peace Action is taking such conscientious action. Good Lord, I thought once Bush was out of office, I would have some peace of mind. What is happening to Obama? He has to know that people who supported him are not supporting his continuation- and worstening- of Bush policies. My deepest gratitude to Peace Action. Keep it up! Alfred McGuire
I call rep. Markey from Massachusetts. His aide had not heard of the letter, but I told her to contact rep. Jones. I identified myself as a mother of a soldier presently deployed in Afghanistan. I told her I thought from everything I have learned about Afghanistan that further military buildup is not helpful. The aide said Markey had just returned from a trip to Afghanistan and she would email me his comments on the trip. Also she said she would point out the letter to him. I told her to contact rep. Jones.
Spoke to the Congressional staffer, requesting that the Representative sign the letter, and noted the noon Wednesday deadline.
The staffer said that he would pass along my message.
Spoke to Chris Murphy’s staffer who said he would pass the message along.
I left a detailed message on the voicemail of Dave Hake, who is Rep. Langevin’s Foreign Affairs Legislative Aid. Mr. Hake was in a meeting.
Spoke to an aide, not the legislative aide for foreign affairs. I was told that that person is in a meeting, but he would pass the message on to the foreign affairs legislative aide. The letter that Rep. Ron Paul and Walter Jones signed to Obama has circulated through their office and this aide said he has seen it and was familiar with it.
I was told that the Foreign Affairs legislative aide wasn’t in. I requested that the congressman sign the letter and noted that the deadline was tomorrow. The person said that they would be glad to look up the letter and follow up on my message.
I was put through to Rush Holt’s Foreign Affairs Administrative Aid Wil, who did not know where Rush Holt stood on escalation in Afghanistan and did not seem to know about Rep. Jones’ letter to be signed. He was friendly and said he would pass on the request.
I urged Carolyn Maloney to sign the letter by Ron Paul and Walter Jones.
Called Nydia Velasquez’s office and left a message with Foreighn Affairs aide. As a member of Pax Christi USA I support that organizations’s endorsement of the letter.
I called Ron Kind’s office and taloked to his staffer, who said that she would give him my message.
Called and spoke with Mr. Melancon’s aide with Foreign Affairs and asked him to sign the legislation being proposed by Congressman Paul and Congressman Jones to stop the surge in Afganistan. I told him I would be watching how he voted. He said he would pass my message along.
Called Bill Delahunt’s DC office. The staffer I talked with said she hadn’t yet spoken with him about Ron Paul’s letter, but that she’d gotten a number of calls on the issue and would certainly would give him the messages. I forgot to tell her about the deadline for signing, but my longtime companion will do so before lunchtime today.
i called Chris Murphy’s office (5th of CT) and spoke to Dick. He said he would pass my message along and asked for my name again and address. When Chris Murphy visited constituents recently at the Unionville Stop and Shop, i asked him how his trip to Afghanistan and Pakistan went. He said the situation is very bad and he came home very discourageds as to our having any success over there.
A letter of mine appeared in The Hartford Courant 3/5/ 09 sugesting that Osama has us just where he wants us — where he can “make America spend itself to death.”
I called Rep. Susan Davis’ office and asked her aid to ask her to sign the letter, to join with Rep. Woolsey & Rep. Kucinich.
I asked that she consider the Russian & the British experiences there and consider that the end to this fiasco would most likely be similar. Both countries expended much money and lost many soldiers for nothing in the end.
I called Rep Nadler’s office and described the letter which the person
answering the phone was not familiar with, and asked that he sign, pointing out
that thirty years of war in Afghanistan shows a terrible lack of imagination
from all the major powers, that continued bombing of civilians encourages
recruitment into the Taliban. The aide said the letter sounded like something that went along with the Congressman’s usual beliefs, if I heard her right. I may not have.
I left message for Foreign Affairs Legislative Aid asking that Rep. Tim Walz (MN) sign on to the bipartisan Jones letter. I pointed out that the growing movement to stop the surge is an indication of the People’s determination to put an end to these misbegotten wars in both Iraq and fghanistan.
I talked to Rep. Halvorson’s aid, who asked for more info on Rep Jones letter, which I emailed using her form on her site. It wrote:
Message Subject: Foreign Policy/Human Rights
Message Text: The deadline is 12 noon tomorrow, Wed. Mar. 11th. PLEASE SIGN REP. WALTER JONES LETTER asking Pres. Obama to reconsider escalating military action in Afghanistan, repeating a surge like in Iraq. She may want to discuss it with Democratic leaders Representative Lynn Woolsey (D-CA 6th) and Representative Dennis J. Kucinich (D-OH 10th) who have also signed on. Pres. Obama is reaching out to see if Taliban can be negotiated with or “bought off.” This is great. But escallating the war at the same time will force a defensive response.
Spoke with aide who said she will relay message to Rep. Merkley. Doesn’t know if he will sign letter or not.
I spoke to someone in Rep Hank Johnson’s office. I asked him to sign the letter explaining that any money we put into weapons and wars means there is not money for food, medical and ecucation for us here at home. Remember Pres. Eisehnower’s address about the Military Industrial Complex. Please stop this war and bring our people home. We need to be at war with no one.
I called the office of Rep. Kratovil who is my MD district, newly elected, person! Spoke with an aid who promised to deliver message to him proomptly but had no idea of his attitude about this bill.
I also sent about 40 messages to friends and colleagues with the original request from PEACE ACTION including its website. I think we all need to give this call to slow down any Afghanistan military force in favor of working out a different plan to deal with the situation there in a regional planning process…that taks time! But it’s the CHANGE Obama needs to consider and dream possible. More war is no answer! Whao can gt to Obama’s ear effectively?
I spoke to an aide in Congressman Teague’s Washington
D.C. office who said he would pass my comment on.
He asked for my email and physical address. He
didn’t indicate what Congressman Teague’s position
might be, but the Congressman has been very responsible about answering my questions and responding to my requests by email.
I spoke to an aide at Rep. Barney Frank’s office. She seemed well aware of Afghanistan, but was unaware of the letter.
the Aide for the 9th House District at 430pm E.D.T.
had just learned of the letter with my call!!
can you believe it?
I left a message. I was told it would be with the foreign affairs person but the message said it was the communications director for Representative Watson (D-CA).
I had to leave a message as well & it was for Blumenhauer in OR…
jo
Called Rep Dan Lungren (R-CA-Dist 3) and spoke with his legislative aide who said they would investigate the letter but that Rep. Lungren supports the additional troops in Afghanistan so probably wouldn’t sign on. I quesioned him further and he said the Rep. supports Obama’s drawdown in Iraq. The aide saw no contradiction in the positions.
I spoke with an aide to Betsy Markey, D-CO, this morning. He said that he did not know whether Markey would sign on to this letter, but promised to let me know via e-mail. No word yet (5:30 p.m. MDT). She has made public comments within the last several months that suggest she might be amenable to signing the letter.
I called Congressman Walz’s office this evening after hours and left a message since tomorrow noon is the deadline to sign on to the letter asking President Obama to reconsider troop escalation in Afghanistan. I told him I am totally against a surge there. I have publicly and regularly opposed the war in Afghanistan since two weeks after it began on 10/7/01. I hope it will help. I don’t know where he stands on the surge, unfortunately.
I have previously written to my Congressman, District 2,Colorado, befor I got this e-mail. I know him personally, having volunteered for him most of last year, and even broke my leg while canvassing a neighborhood with him. I am just catching up on e-mailhaveing been “out of commission” for about 5 days, but I know he listens. We never discussed Afghanistan, though I know he wants us out of Iraq ASAP.
my message was given to teh congressman by a staff member.
The best article I’ve read on the very first day of the year. Thanks 🙂
Happy new year