[Peace-discuss] democrats.com: Afghanistan Exit Action Day, and, Thu 6/25 Torture Accountability Action Day

[Stuart Levy]

Good:
    Democrats.com calls on us (as Just Foreign Policy and others do too)
    to urge our Representatives to support the McGovern et al. bill
    demanding an exit strategy from Afghanistan.  It's not as good
    as blocking the war-funding bill altogether, but it's a brickbat in the
    machinery.  [Bob Naiman mentioned that Tim Johnson has said he will
    co-sponsor this, yay!]

Good, too, and news to me:
    There's a call for a national day of action against torture --
    and to call the US torture promoters to account --
    this Thursday, June 25th.  Rallies are planned in cities across the US:
       http://tortureaccountability.webs.com/eventsacrossus.htm

    Should we try to do something locally?
 

These are the kinds of Democrats we can use more of
and should support, as Normon Solomon says here:

   http://www.truthout.org/061809A


Date: Tue, 23 Jun 2009 21:12:08 -0400
From: "Democrats.com" <activist at democrats.com>
Subject: Iran Inspires Activism on Afghanistan and Torture
To: slevy at new.math.uiuc.edu

Dear Stuart, 

We've all been moved by the heroic struggle of the Iranian people against a
government that refused to count their votes - and by the brutal murder of
Neda Agha-Soltan. 

Here in the U.S., we voted twice to remove the warmongering Republican Congress
and President. But we must still struggle to end their wars and to hold them
accountable for their war crimes, including torture. 

So let's take our inspiration from the Iranian people and renew our progressive
activism here in the U.S. today.


1. Wednesday Is Afghanistan Exit Action Day 

U.S. bombing in Afghanistan and Pakistan has killed hundreds of civilians and
created hundreds of thousands of refugees. Watch the powerful videos at
RethinkAfghanistan. 

Yet Congress is set to authorize $550 billion in military spending with an
additional $130 billion to fight the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan - more than
George W. Bush ever requested. 

Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) wants an exit strategy from Afghanistan and his bill (
H.R. 2404 ) has 89 Congressional co-sponsors. On Wednesday, he will propose it
as an amendment to the war funding bill - but he needs our help. 

Tell Congress to Demand an Afghanistan Exit Strategy 
http://www.democrats.com/afghan-exit-petition

Also call your Representative today at (202) 224-3121 to co-sponsor Rep.
McGovern's Afghanistan Exit Strategy bill H.R. 2404, and to vote for Rep.
McGovern's amendment to the Defense Authorization bill (H.R. 2647). 


2. Thursday Is Torture Accountability Action Day 

A large coalition of human rights groups will hold rallies and marches in major
U.S. cities, including a rally in Washington, D.C.'s John Marshall Park at 11
a.m. followed by a noon march to the Justice Department where some participants
will risk arrest in nonviolent protest if a special prosecutor for torture is
not appointed. 

Events are planned in Washington, D.C.; San Francisco, CA; Pasadena, CA;
Thousand Oaks, CA; Boston, MA; Salt Lake City, UT; Seattle, WA; Portland, OR;
Las Vegas, NV; Honolulu, HI; Tampa, FL; Philadelphia, PA; and Anchorage, AK,
with details available online: 
http://tortureaccountability.webs.com/eventsacrossus.htm 

In Pasadena at 12 p.m. PT citizens will submit a formal judicial misconduct
complaint against 9th Circuit Judge Jay Bybee, former Assistant Attorney
General. 

If you can't attend an event, please take action from home: 

Urge Attorney General Eric Holder to appoint a special prosecutor for torture: 
http://democrats.com/special-prosecutor-for-bush-war-crimes

Call Eric Holder at 202-514-2001. Fax him at 202-307-6777 or 
send him a free fax: http://www.peaceandjustice.it 

Tweet this: 
Rallies all over US on 6/25 demanding accountability for torture: http://tr.im/pppa 

Thanks for all you do! 

Bob Fertik 

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