[Peace-discuss] FWI : Phyllis Bennis on Surge for Peace - Ending US Occupation

[Paul Mueth]

Phyllis is great, formerly with IPS and pacifica
correspondent at UN
 
info below on the splash page   here  

 http://www.backbonecampaign.org/

> Date: Mon, 7 Apr 2008 08:12:39 -0400 (EDT)
> From: Backbone Campaign <bill at backbonecampaign.org>
> To: paulmueth at yahoo.com
> Subject: REMINDER - Last chance to RSVP for
> Conversation with Phyllis Bennis
>  on Surge for Peace - Ending US Occupation of Iraq-
> MONDAY EVENING
> 
> 
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> RSVP for a Conversation with Phyllis Bennis
> The Doomed US Occupation of Iraq
> Will Sadr Succeed, Where We Have Failed?  
> Will Congress Ever Pull the Plug?
> What  Can We Do In April to Make a Difference?
> TODAY-Monday, April 7, 5:30 PM Pacific/8:30 PM
> Eastern
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> 
> RSVP
>
(mailto:rsvp at backbonecampaign.org?subject=Phyllis_Bennis)
 to join our Conversation with Phyllis Bennis and
others TODAY, Monday 4-7 to speak  about recent
developments in  Iraq.   A moment of opportunity  may 
be emerging to end the disastrous US  occupation of
and war upon Iraq.  BUT we must
 act swiftly to seize it.  Read her recent article 
Opposing the Iraq  Supplemental and Iran Threats ;
http://www.unitedforpeace.org/article.php?id=3564

 and her article written three days later Iraqi 
Government Fails in Challenging al Sadr  Militia
-"Surge" Exposed as
 Failure But New Dangers Rise  
 http://www.unitedforpeace.org/article.php?id=3871

 at the United for Peace and Justice
 website.; Then join our call
 to ask her questions and learn how we can use
thesedevelopments to force Congress to end it's
complicit financing of this disastrous occupation.
  
> Phyllis Bennis is a Fellow of the Institute for
 Policy Studies and the
> Transnational Institute in Amsterdam. She is
> also a nominee on the Progressive Shadow
Cabinet  for Assistant Secretary of State
 of Near Eastern Affairs
 and Ambassador to the UN.  Her most
 recent publications
 include Challenging
 Empire: How People, Governments, and the UN
 Defy U.S. Power ,
the  new pamphlet: IRAN IN THE CROSSHAIRS: How
 to Prevent Washington's Next War and UNDERSTANDING
THE
 PALESTINIAN-ISRAELI CONFLICT: A Primer
 (both pamphlets available from IPS at
info at ips-dc.org (mailto:info at ips-dc.org)
 or 202-234-9382).
> 
> WHEN: Monday, April 7, 5:30 PM
> (Pacific)
> 
> 
> Three ways to participate:
> 
> 1. CONFERENCE CALL: First, RSVP
>
(mailto:rsvp at backbonecampaign.org?subject=Phyllis_Bennis)
> by email with "Phyllis Bennis" in the subject
> line, so we can reserve a spot for you on the
> call.  At the time of call, dial
 1-605-990-0400 , follow
> prompts, then enter access code 254273
> followed by #.
> 
> and/or
> 
> 2. WEB RADIO: Voice of
> Vashon

> To ask questions while you
> listen, you will need to RSVP
>
(mailto:rsvp at backbonecampaign.org?subject=Phyllis_Bennis)
> for a password. Use it to log in at the live chat

> and/or
> 
> 3. E-MAIL: Click here
>
(mailto:rsvp at backbonecampaign.org?subject=Question_for_Phyllis_Bennis)
> to email your questions ahead of time.
> Now is the time
> to organize house parties, town halls,
> Congressional office visits, letter, email and
> phone campaigns to defund the occupation of
> Iraq.  Our friends at Democrats.com have
> organized many peace organizations to promote
> the Iraq
> Town Halls

> The "mark-up" (process of changing or
> amending legislation)  of the Iraq
> Supplemental Appropriations bill in the House
> Appropriations Committee will most likely
> happen the week of April 14 and will
> probably present the best
> opportunity for shaping the bill with one or
> more amendments before the
> bill comes to the House floor in early May.
> By the time it comes to the
> House floor, the House Democratic Leadership
> may already have decided
> to block any floor amendments being offered
> (as they did last
> year)>opponents
> of the Iraq war and providing any additional
> $ for other than
> fully-funded redeployment need to be
> mobilizing now to maximize
> prospects of being able to offer one or more
> amendments and get 
> recorded vote(s)  in order in committee
> and/or or on the House floor.

> 
> The leadership of the Congressional
> Progressive Caucus has requested  that
> we specifically ask Members of Congress to: > 
> * Cosponsor H.R. 5507 and H. Res. 1028
> 
> * Pledge to vote for version of H.R. 5507
> to be reformatted as
> an amendment to the impending FY08
> Supplemental Appropriations
> Bill. ; It will require redeployment of
> all U.S. troops and
> military contractors out of Iraq within 1
> year of the date of its
> enactment.
 We'll try to get someone to
> speak on these legislative efforts and the
> Iraq Town Halls

> effort being sponsored by a host of peace movement
> organizations including the Backbone
> Campaign.;  
> Washington State Residents interested
> in organizing events or
> lobbying campaigns can
> participate in a conference call Saturday,
> April 5 at noon (Pacific),
> or email info at backbonecampaign.org.
> (mailto:info at backbonecampaign.org?> Call our
conference line 1-605-990-0400,
> follow prompts, then enter
> access code 254273 followed by #.

WARNING: We
> are up against major idiots
> like Majority "Whip" Steny Hoyer (D) who
> questions whether using money
> to force troop withdrawals is the best
> approach. "I think policy  needs
> to be changed," but as long as troops are
> deployed "those troops need
> to be supported," he said.; I say, "Rep.
> BONEHEAD - how might you
> suggest we force a change in policy? Or do
> you really give a rat's ass
> about policy, the troupes or anything but your
> cushy job?!
;
> Respectfully ;-)
> 

> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> email: info at backbonecampaign.org
> phone: (206) 408-8058
> web: http://www.backbonecampaign.org