Peace Movement Asks Progressive Caucus to Oppose War Supplemental

Dear Progressive Caucus Members,

Below is a letter, signed by peace groups across the country, expressing opposition to the 2009 Supplemental. We wish to express our appreciation to those members who have voted against this ill-advised measure.

Granting the White House one more year to prove its military strategy may appear to be the moderate course, but it is fraught with danger to our own soldiers and to the people of Afghanistan. It takes little imagination to picture the scene one year from now, when there will be more civilian ‘mistake’ deaths, more U.S. soldiers will have died, and the conflict and chaos in the country will prove even more serious. We think it likely, in this scenario, that U.S. disengagement in Afghanistan will become more rather than less difficult.

We greatly appreciated the efforts of the Progressive Caucus in opposing the Bush military policies in Iraq. We wish to urge, once again, that the Members of this Caucus oppose this 2009 spending bill, which constitutes a clear Congressional endorsement of an escalated war in Afghanistan.

United For Peace and Justice

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COALITION LETTER TO PROGRESSIVE CAUCUS:

REGARDING THE 2009 SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS



Dear Progressive Caucus Member:



The undersigned organizations and concerned individuals have worked closely with the Progressive Caucus to prevent and to end the Iraq War. We appreciate your leadership on this issue and your continued efforts to ensure the removal of all U.S. troops from the country. We are also grateful for all that the Caucus, collectively and individually, has already done to speak out against the widening war in Afghanistan, which contradicts both our national security and our national values.



At this critical moment, your continued leadership to help reverse the downward spiral of the security situation in Afghanistan is urgently required. We urge you to oppose the expansion of the war in Afghanistan; require the Obama administration to present and implement an exit strategy; and to press for a greater investment in Afghan-led development efforts and regional diplomacy to stabilize the country.



We also urge you to press for an immediate end to U.S. air raids that continue to kill and maim Afghan civilians and destroy Afghan property. What is euphemistically termed 'collateral damage' not only takes civilian lives but also inflames Afghans' hostility to the U.S. and wins new supporters for the Taliban. According to the UN Assistance Mission, U.S. strikes produced 64% of all civilian deaths caused by the U.S., NATO, and Afghan forces in 2008. Just this week, 'collateral damage' from U.S. air strikes took another 100 innocent lives, according to Afghan officials.



Secretary of Defense Gates, Secretary of State Clinton, National Security Advisor Jones, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mullen, and even President Obama himself, have each acknowledged that the internal conflict in Afghanistan cannot finally be won by military means. They have publicly agreed that it will have to be won -- if it can -- by dramatic improvements in the economy, the political system, government services, and the courts.



The President's FY 2009 supplemental funding request would clearly widen the war in Afghanistan. We urge Congress to restructure the package to focus funding on the expanded diplomacy, development assistance, and international cooperation that are key to ending these conflicts and promoting a stable peace in the wider region. To defeat the Taliban and stabilize the country, the U.S. must enable the Afghan people to develop public services and an effective justice system essential to create political stability and support for the government; to develop agricultural alternatives to drug crops; and to root out corruption.



Given these objectives, the ratio of military to non-military funding in the Administration's $83.4 billion supplemental budget makes little sense. More than 90% of the funds allocated for Afghanistan in the supplemental is for an escalation of war-fighting by U.S. military units. It would widen -- not wind down -- the war there. That contradicts the Administration's own admission about how the 'war' will be won or lost.



President Obama has agreed that the U.S. must convince Afghans we have "no interest or aspiration to be there over the long term." Yet our troop escalation, increased operational tempo, and expansion of large bases suggests just the opposite.

In light of these concerns, we believe that the Congress should restructure the supplemental spending in several critical ways:

Require the administration to set a date certain for withdrawal.
Prohibit any further Predator and other missile strikes and aerial bombing likely to result in civilian casualties in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Approve the $7.1 billion in funding for the international affairs budget, including: $3.7 billion for humanitarian aid, development initiatives, and diplomatic support in Afghanistan.

Oppose all new funding for combat in Afghanistan and, at a minimum, dramatically change the proportion of funds for war-fighting compared to those for development, stabilization, and diplomatic cooperation.

Now is the time to reverse direction in Afghanistan so that the U.S., as President Obama envisioned, "forge a hard-earned peace" there.

United For Peace and Justice


CODEPINK


Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL)
Peace Action
American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)
New Internationalism Project, IPS
MADRE

Progressive Democrats of America


Fellowship of Reconciliation USA
Just Foreign Policy
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom


Global Exchange


Green Party of the U.S.


Voters For Peace


9th(MA) Coalition for Peace


AfterDowningStreet.org


Arizona Alliance for Peace and Justice
Arlington/Lexington United for Justice with Peace
Baltimore United For Peace and Justice
Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America


Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian and Universalists' Social Justice Committee
Bloomington Peace Action Coalition (Bloomington, IN)


Brooklyn For Peace
California Congressional District #1 Accountability Project
Cambridge United for Justice with Peace


Cape Codders For Peace & Justice


Central Colorado Coalition on the Iraq War

Chelsea Neighbors United to End the War (NYC)


Colombia Support Network


Columbus Campaign for Arms Control


Community Alliance of Lane County


Connie Hogarth Center For Social Action, Manhattanville College
The Declaration of Peace


De Kalb Interfaith Network for Peace and Justice


Democrats.Com


Democratic World Federalists


Dorchester People for Peace (Boston, Massachusetts)
DRUM - Desis Rising Up & Moving


End the War Coalition - Phoenix


Eugene PeaceWorks
Flatbush for Peace
Fort Greene Peace


Fox Valley Peace Coalition
Generations for Peace (Homewood, IL)
Georgia Peace and Justice Coalition/Atlanta


Global Network Against Weapons & Nuclear Power in Space


Gold Star Families for Peace & MFSO


Grandmothers Against the War (SF/Bay Area)
Historians Against the War
H.S. Power & Light - Latino Faith Initiative - Colorado


IUCC Advocates for Peace and Justice


Kalamazoo Nonviolent Opponents of War


Kansas Progressive Caucus


Lafayette Area Peace Coalition


LEPOCO Peace Center (Lehigh-Pocono Committee of Concern), Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Lincoln Park Neighbors United for Peace
Long Island Alliance for Peaceful Alternatives
Martha's Vineyard Peace Council


Military Families Speak Out, Bergen County, NJ Chapter


Mid-Missouri Peaceworks


National Immigrant Solidarity Network
North Manhattan Neighbors for Peace and Justice


North Shore Coalition for Peace and Justice


North Suburban Peace Initiative


Oak Park Coalition for Truth and justice


Office of the Americas


Oregon WAND


Orlando Peace and Justice


Palisadans for Peace


PDA Arizona
PDA California
PDA Florida
Peace & Justice Center (Arlington, TX)


Peace & Justice Center (Vermont)


Peace Action New York State


Peace Action Wisconsin


Peace Coalition of Southern Illinois


Peace NO War Network


Peace Action Montgomery
PeaceMajority Report


Philipstown for Democracy - Garrison, NY
Plymouth Vigil for Peace of Plymouth, Mass.
Portland (Oregon) Chapter - War Resister's League


Progressive Librarians Guild


Rock River Peace & Justice Group, Wisconsin


Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center


School of the Americas Watch


September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows
Silicon Valley Accountability Coalition


Somerville/Medford (MA) United for Justice with Peace


Sound Nonviolent Opponents of War


St. Louis Instead of War Coalition


Students for Peace and Justice


Teaneck Peace and Justice Coalition


The Flames of Discontent


TN PeaceRoots Alliance
Topanga Peace Alliance


Twin Cities Peace Campaign, Focus on Iraq
UFPJ Bay Area


United for Justice with Peace


United for Peace of Pierce County (Tacoma, WA)


US Peace Council
U.S. Citizens Against War - Florence
U.S. Citizens for Peace and Justice - Rome


Veterans For Peace Chapter 021 New Jersey
Veterans For Peace Chapter 31 Philadelphia Area


War Times


Washington Peace Center


Watertown (MA) Citizens for Environmental Safety


West Michigan Climate Action Network


Western Washington Fellowship of Reconciliation


WILPF - Santa Cruz
WI Impeachment/Bring Our Troops Home Coalition
Winona Area Peacemakers


Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice


Wisconsin Resources Protection Council


Women in Black Phoenix