Action Alert: Solidarity with Iraq & Afghanistan Needed

April 8, 2010

Dear Supporters,

Recent news reports have highlighted horrific violence against and massacres of civilians in both Iraq and Afghanistan. These cases demonstrate that innocent civilians are callously murdered by U.S. troops, whose actions are covered up for by military authorities. Instead of prosecuting crimes by its own soldiers and their officers, the U.S. defends them, claiming that civilians are suspected insurgents, and ignoring evidence of excessive force or failure to follow international rules of war.

Occupation itself is a crime and inevitably leads to death and destruction.  When civilians are callously gunned down, victims are denied medical treatment, crime scenes are not investigated, and the military is not held accountable, the crimes against the Iraqi and Afghan people are multiplied. We need U.S. troops be pulled out of both countries, and war crimes to be investigated and prosecuted.

Instead, the Obama Administration is requesting funds to further expand the war effort. The proposed US defense budget costs the US public two billion dollars per day, with an additional 33 billion dollars in supplemental funding being considered by Congress next week.  The humanitarian costs are clear, but there is also a cost here at home, where social programs are desperately under funded. We want our tax dollars spend on human needs, not for war.

Most of the atrocities committed by the U.S. military will never come to light in mainstream media. When they do, we have an opportunity and an obligation to speak out. Help us send a message to Congress that we want an end to these occupations and to demand justice for Iraq and Afghanistan.

Take action:

Participate in actions at the senator’s offices in the next week to demand no more funding for the war.

• Thursday, April 8 @ 4:00 pm @ Office of Senator Al Franken, 60 East Plato Boulevard, Drake Building, Suite 220, Saint Paul
• Tuesday, April 13 @ 4:00 pm @ Office of Senator Amy Klobuchar, 1200 Washington Avenue S., Suite 250, Minneapolis

For more information about these actions go to antiwarcommittee.org.

Call our senators and say you want all US troops home from Iraq & Afghanistan.

• Senator Franken 651- 221-1016
• Senator Klobuchar 612-727-5220

For further information on these civilian casualties we recommend the following articles:

• Leaked video shows U.S. military murdering over one dozen Iraqis By Kosta Harlan

• U.S. military covered up murders of Afghan civilians, investigation shows by Kosta Harlan

• Pacified by Kathy Kelly