Washington, D.C. — April 6, 2017 — In response to reports that President Trump is considering a military response to the chemical weapons attack in northern Syria allegedly perpetrated by Syrian government forces, Paul Kawika Martin, senior director for policy and political affairs for Peace Action, released the following statement:
“Only a political solution can end the carnage in Syria, and escalating U.S. involvement to include direct military confrontation with the Syrian government would undermine the prospects of a negotiated settlement. It would also risk retaliation against U.S. troops stationed in Syria, and could dangerously escalate tensions with Russia and Iran. Furthermore, Congress has not authorized the use of military force against the Assad government, which should be a prerequisite to any military action.”
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Founded in 1957, Peace Action (formerly SANE/Freeze), the United States’ largest peace and disarmament organization, with over 100,000 paid members and nearly 100 chapters in 36 states, works to abolish nuclear weapons, promote government spending priorities that support human needs, encourage real security through international cooperation and human rights and support nonmilitary solutions to international conflicts. The public may learn more and take action at http://www.Peace-Action.org.