Call Congress Wed.: No New War Spending!

["UFPJ Action Alerts" <listmaster at unitedforpeace.org>]

ACTION ALERT * UNITED FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE
http://www.unitedforpeace.org | 212-868-5545
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REMINDER: NATIONAL CALL-IN DAY TO OPPOSE WAR SPENDING
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2005

$80 BILLION MORE FOR THE IRAQ WAR?
NO WAY! BRING THE TROOPS HOME NOW

Contact your member of Congress: no new war spending!
Congressional Switchboard 202-224-3121 (9-5 EST)
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This week George W. Bush submitted his 2006 budget request to Congress: a
$2.5 trillion statement about the administration’s plan to slash social
programs while increasing military spending. Yet not a single dime of his
FY 2006 budget is earmarked for Iraq.  Instead, those costs will be hidden
from the American people in the form of an $80 billion emergency
supplemental request to Congress later this week. The President's fourth
supplemental spending request for the Iraq war will add $80 billion to the
more than $151 billion already appropriated.

When President Bush submitted his 2006 budget to Congress on Monday he
said, "The taxpayers of America don't want us spending our money into
something that's not achieving results."  We couldn’t agree more.  The
people of U.S. can’t allow Congress to pour more money to "stay the course"
of a tragic, failed war.

The U.S. peace movement and its allies have created tremendous openings in
the debate on bringing the troops home over the past two weeks. 55 percent
of the U.S. public feels that the war was not worth it, Congresswoman Lynn
Woolsey introduced an important resolution calling on the U.S. to start
withdrawal from Iraq, and Senator Ted Kennedy is raising critical questions
about the need to bring the troops home.

Our task now is to get ahead of the curve and send an early and clear
message to Congress that their constituents will be monitoring them
throughout the $80 billion debate over the future of the Iraq war.  Tell
your Member of Congress on Wednesday that not one more dime should go to
waging war in Iraq. Instead, the U.S. must end the occupation, bring our
troops home, and support Iraqi sovereignty. It is time for us to demand
that the Administration and Congress stop perpetuating the cycle of
violence in Iraq, stop sending so many soldiers and civilians to their
graves, and stop diverting precious resources that could be used to rebuild
Iraq and fund critical domestic needs.

Congress is expected to ultimately vote on Bush's Iraq supplemental in late
March or early April. UFPJ will continue to send updates and action alerts
as the debate unfolds.

TAKE ACTION ON WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 9!

• Call, write, or fax your Member of Congress! Call the Capitol switchboard
and ask to be connected with your Senators and Representatives,
202-224-3121 (9-5 EST). We want to flood Congressional offices with calls
from every district in the nation. See below for talking points.

TALKING POINTS
Tell your members of Congress that when they receive Bush’s $80 billion
supplemental appropriation request they should:

1. Oppose new funds: Congress should halt new funds for U.S. military
operations in Iraq. Any new funds should be allocated solely for troop
withdrawal and interim troop protection.

2. End the occupation: Halt U.S. military actions immediately, shift U.S.
troops immediately to the borders of Iraq, declare intention to begin full
withdrawal of troops, and leave no U.S. bases behind. Support the Woolsey
(D-CA) resolution calling on the President to begin the immediate
withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.

3. Support Iraqi sovereignty: Give Iraqis full control over reconstruction
funds, Iraqi ministries and government, and new police and security forces.
Terminate contracts with U.S. companies and turn projects over to Iraqis,
and provide transparent accounting of all U.S. contracts.

4. Stabilize Iraq: Commit to long-term U.S. financial support for Iraqi-led
reconstruction and allow the UN and other international agencies to support
Iraq democracy free from U.S. intervention, and if the Iraqis want that
assistance.

5. Provide real support for our troops: End the "stop-loss" policies that
keep troops on active duty far beyond their contracts, and overextend the
Reserves and National Guard. Provide thorough psychological counseling,
health care, and benefits to returning Iraq war veterans and their
families. Bring our troops home!

===========================================
UFPJ 2nd NATIONAL ASSEMBLY * Feb 19-21, St. Louis
Anti-war strategy & planning meeting
Register now: http://www.unitedforpeace.org/assembly
===========================================
SATURDAY, MARCH 19: GLOBAL DAY OF PROTEST
ON THE TWO-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE IRAQ WAR
* End the War * Bring the Troops Home Now * Rebuild Our Communities *
Visit http://www.unitedforpeace.org for more information and to endorse
===========================================
ACTION ALERT * UNITED FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE
http://www.unitedforpeace.org | 212-868-5545
To subscribe, visit http://www.unitedforpeace.org/email
===========================================

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