World Spirit Reflections and Updates

The Senate might take action on Iraq BEFORE the July recess. A number of measures will be introduced in the Senate this week - your Senators need to hear where you stand on these complex issues. We've authored a letter demanding all troops return home within 9 months for you to send but it's also important to be as specific as possible.

All the information about when and what will be voted on is not yet available but there will be myriad opinions regarding how U.S. troops can successfully be deployed from Iraq. Write your Senator and tell them how you want to bring the troops home now!

Below are some interesting points to reference in the letter to your representatives.

• Sen. Levin may offer an amendment for complete troop withdrawal within 120 days.
• Sen.'s Reid and Feingold will likely offer provisions for a 6 month withdrawal with the exception of embassy guards and a small contingent dedicated only to fighting Al Queda.
• Sen. Salazar may offer an amendment to implement some key provisions from the Iraq Study Group Report.
• Sen. Clinton is endorsing an amendment to the revoke the 2002 authorization for the use of force, and asking President Bush to justify why we are still in Iraq to Congress.

We at Peace Action want nothing less than a complete withdrawal in 9 months. Please, take action to bring the troops home in a peaceful and just way by getting in touch with your Senator, NOW. We'll keep you updated when the Senate finally votes.

Sincerely,

Paul Kawika Martin
Organizing, Political and PAC Director
Peace Action & Peace Action Education Fund

Randolph's Note: Iraq is in a shambles. Iraqi streets, businesses, and homes are destroyed. Their economy, health, and well being have been driven into the gutter. U.S. troops stationed there are being driven into the same gutter along with their morale; there is no end in sight as a result of the unholy mess that never should have happened.

It's difficult for me to say, "just bring our troops home." What exactly is the U.S. and/or corporate plan for reparations to this country? There are insurgents exactly because of the mess that the military has caused. We need an altruistic business plan to get Iraq back on its feet.

It's also possible to clean up the depleted uranium weapons dust that people are breathing in every day from the unholy onslaught - with the right scientific minds and resources at work on the problem. (Man man tornados are one solution.) We need to offer the people a complete plan.

Simply demanding to bring U.S. Troops home just doesn't ring quite right in the heads of beligerant rednecks. We need to know how the mess is getting cleaned up.

Labels: good vs. evil, Iraq war fiasco, Iraqi quagmire, President Bush's War, u.s. troops

Maybe our reps actually work for us; it helps to stay positive.

Congress has reached a fork in the road on the war in Iraq. Do they back down to President Bush and grant endless extensions, or will they use real funding power to send back a binding plan to end the war?

Tell your member not to back down to President Bush and to end the war>>

Congress took the right first step by passing their last funding bill setting a timetable for withdrawing our troops from Iraq. But following Bush's veto, the resolve in Washington has started to fade. Some members of Congress have started talking about reverting back to symbolic deauthorization bills. Others are pushing for so-called temporary extensions that give Bush all the money he needs without ever actually bringing a single troop home.

This country needs real action - Congress using their funding power to pass another binding plan and forcing George Bush to actually end this war.

Only massive, direct public pressure will get Congress to choose the right path. So this week, John Edwards is leading the effort to gather 100,000 voices calling on Congress to stand firm and send back a binding plan to end the war. The campaign has already collected nearly 90,000 signatures and we need 10,000 more before delivering to Congress.

No more extensions. No more delays.

Tell Congress not to write President Bush a blank check for an endless war>> http://go.care2.com/e/R9vM/i1bg/U1cM

Always, with appreciation,

Michael Lawley,
Care2 and ThePetitionSite team

Labels: Iraq war fiasco, Iraqi quagmire, President Bush's War, war fiasco

It's not too late to stop a war with Iran. But time may be running out.

As the BBC reported Tuesday, it appears that the Bush administration may be preparing for air strikes on Iran soon despite the administration's recent claims to the contrary.

Will you join us in our campaign to prevent war with Iran? Click here to stop this war.

The threat of a U.S. attack is very real. The administration has been building its case for weeks, claiming Iran support for insurgents in Iraq.

On Monday, the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis — backed by a strike group with more than 6,500 sailors and Marines and with additional minesweeping ships — arrived in the Persian Gulf region, joining the Eisenhower carrier group in a 'show if strength.'

The administration maintains its build-up in the region is a response to Iranian naval war games in the gulf, setting the stage - or creating the pretext - for a confrontation.

I'm leaving for Iran next week and I admit I'm more than a little nervous about the trip. I will be touring some of the disputed nuclear sites and perhaps meeting with former Iranian President Khatemi and with a variety of civil society leaders in Iran.

I want to thank each of you who have agreed to sponsor my trip to Iran. I greatly appreciate your generous support and look forward to reporting back to you upon my return.

When I return, I will be traveling to speak at events around the country, report on my citizen diplomacy initiative and build opposition to a war with Iran.

There is more we can - and must - do however. Today, I need your help to accelerate Peace Action Education Fund's plans to launch an online ad campaign to increase public awareness of this latest threat to peace and use it to turn up the heat on Congress.

Our last campaign was a huge success, thanks in large part to your support. It helped us educate Congress on the threat of war with Iran and that is now paying dividends as several Members of Congress have already proposed legislation to block any attack on Iran absent congressional authorization.

I am working to put this in place before I leave for Iran and with your generous contribution, I believe we can raise the $7,000 necessary to succeed.

Events are moving so fast and we need to act now to let our fellow citizens know the threat of a U.S. strike against Iran is imminent and invite them to join us in preventing it.

In peace,

Paul Kawika Martin
Organizing and Political Director

P.S. Before I leave for Iran, I want to put an ad campaign in place to alert our fellow citizens of the very real danger of a U.S. strike on Iran. Expanding Bush's war to Iran will kill thousands, further jeopardize our troops in the region and could very well cause the violence to spiral out of control, engulfing the entire region, and maybe the whole world. Please join the effort to prevent an attack on Iran. Click here to help.

Labels: hell on earth, Iran war, middle east fiasco, President Bush's War, war fiasco, World War