Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns Update (May 9)
Take action on proposed legislation for Iraq war funding
The following alert is based on information from the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) and United for Peace and Justice (UFPJ.)
It is expected that the U.S. House of Representatives will vote next week to approve legislation that will provide more than $160 billion in new money for the administration’s failed war strategy in Iraq.
With the November elections approaching, this could be the last binding vote on the Iraq war in 2008. It is expected that the House will approve this new funding for war, but your efforts could increase the number of representatives who vote against the war-funding bill. FCNL is lobbying Congress to attach amendments to this legislation that would require the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq and prevent the Bush administration from committing the United States to a long-term military presence in Iraq, and ban torture.
If Congress doesn’t act now, the president will lock the United States into a long-term military presence in Iraq. Maryknoll, FCNL and many of our allies are also concerned that the failure of Bush’s war strategy in Iraq may lead him to try to shift the focus of public discussion by provoking a new war with Iran.
At a time when money is urgently needed in our communities, the new bill would bring the total for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to an unimaginable $874 billion. By including FY09 funding, the Democratic Party House leadership is effectively taking the war off the congressional agenda for the rest of this year. This might be our last opportunity to fight a war funding bill before the next president takes office and the new Congress is seated.
Take action:
- By email/web: Go to FCNL’s website to write your representative today. Urge her or him not to vote for more money for the president’s failed war strategy in Iraq. If you have already written your representative, ask three friends to also write Congress.
- By phone: Call your representative: 202-224-3121. Tell them to vote no on this funding bill. Tell them it’s long past time to bring all the troops home and end the war. Tell them to stop playing political games while lives are being lost.
Take action on proposed legislation for Iraq war funding
The following alert is based on information from the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) and United for Peace and Justice (UFPJ.)
It is expected that the U.S. House of Representatives will vote next week to approve legislation that will provide more than $160 billion in new money for the administration’s failed war strategy in Iraq.
With the November elections approaching, this could be the last binding vote on the Iraq war in 2008. It is expected that the House will approve this new funding for war, but your efforts could increase the number of representatives who vote against the war-funding bill. FCNL is lobbying Congress to attach amendments to this legislation that would require the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq and prevent the Bush administration from committing the United States to a long-term military presence in Iraq, and ban torture.
If Congress doesn’t act now, the president will lock the United States into a long-term military presence in Iraq. Maryknoll, FCNL and many of our allies are also concerned that the failure of Bush’s war strategy in Iraq may lead him to try to shift the focus of public discussion by provoking a new war with Iran.
At a time when money is urgently needed in our communities, the new bill would bring the total for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to an unimaginable $874 billion. By including FY09 funding, the Democratic Party House leadership is effectively taking the war off the congressional agenda for the rest of this year. This might be our last opportunity to fight a war funding bill before the next president takes office and the new Congress is seated.
Take action:
- By email/web: Go to FCNL’s website to write your representative today. Urge her or him not to vote for more money for the president’s failed war strategy in Iraq. If you have already written your representative, ask three friends to also write Congress.
- By phone: Call your representative: 202-224-3121. Tell them to vote no on this funding bill. Tell them it’s long past time to bring all the troops home and end the war. Tell them to stop playing political games while lives are being lost.
Background: In addition to the funding bill, House members will vote separately on two other measures. One will provide billions for unemployment benefits and veterans education benefits; the other measure addresses war policy, including a goal for troop withdrawal by December 2009, troop readiness requirements, and bans on permanent bases in Iraq and torture. It is an open secret that the Senate will drop the measure on war policy — leaving only the war funding with no strings attached.
Impact of war on the Iraqi people: The U.S. war/occupation in Iraq has taken hundreds of thousands of lives, devastated families and ripped apart the infrastructure of Iraq. One striking fact is that more than 4.7 million Iraqis (in a nation of 27 million people) have been displaced by war and occupation. It is the world’s fastest growing refugee crisis, and represents the largest refugee flow in the Middle East since the displacement of Palestinians in 1948.
Resources:
Resources on Iraq war from Pax Christi USA
FCNL opposes all new funding for the war.
Read Dan Smith’s analysis of the agreement the president is negotiating with Iraq.
Read “Administration plans new authorization for war and military bases.”
More about FCNL’s Iraq program.
Refugees:
Go here to read about the American Friends Service Committee’s Iraqi refugee program
Go here for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Migration and Refugee Services’ Iraqi refugees page
Read a special report on Iraqi refugees from the International Catholic Migration Commission
Read a special report on Iraqi refugees from NETWORK, a National Catholic Social Justice Lobby
Resources on Iraq war from Pax Christi USA
FCNL opposes all new funding for the war.
Read Dan Smith’s analysis of the agreement the president is negotiating with Iraq.
Read “Administration plans new authorization for war and military bases.”
More about FCNL’s Iraq program.
Refugees:
Go here to read about the American Friends Service Committee’s Iraqi refugee program
Go here for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Migration and Refugee Services’ Iraqi refugees page
Read a special report on Iraqi refugees from the International Catholic Migration Commission
Read a special report on Iraqi refugees from NETWORK, a National Catholic Social Justice Lobby
Maryknoll Global Concerns:
Peace, Social Justice & Integrity of Creation
PO Box 29132, Washington DC 20017
ph (202)832-1780; fax (202)832-5195
ogc@maryknoll.org
Peace, Social Justice & Integrity of Creation
PO Box 29132, Washington DC 20017
ph (202)832-1780; fax (202)832-5195
ogc@maryknoll.org
