[Peace-discuss] 500 in Illinois to Durbin against sending manpads to Syria?

[Robert Naiman via Peace-discuss]

So, we have a chance now to limit the destructiveness of U.S. foreign
policy in Syria in a concrete way: by banning the transfer of "manpads" -
shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles - to insurgents in Syria. These
weapons can be used to shoot down civilian aircraft. That's why the Israeli
government, among many others, says that transferring MANPADS to Syrian
insurgents would be totally insane. Also, it would violate international
anti-proliferation agreements that the U.S. not only signed, but initiated.
One of the ways to end endless war is through nonviolent prevention of
terrorist attacks. Every time there's a successful, spectacular terrorist
attack against the West, that is, unfortunately, a powerful argument for
more war.

- the House has already passed this prohibition.
- if Durbin includes this provision in his mark-up this week of the DoD
Appropriation, it will almost surely become law.
- I spoke to Durbin's national security guy on Friday. He said he agreed
with the argument for doing this, and would put it in front of Durbin.

So: we think this is winnable.

To help get Durbin to agree to this, we set up a petition at MoveOn, just
for people in Illinois.

Right now this petition has 459 signatures.

For a petition on this with just Illinois signatures, I claim that 500
signatures is respectable, because that's like a national petition with
12,000 signatures. 12.88 million in Illinois/  313.87 million U.S. = 0.04 =
1/25.

Can you help us get to 500 in Illinois before I nag Durbin's staff again?

http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/durbin-no-syria-manpads

===

Robert Naiman
Policy Director
Just Foreign Policy
www.justforeignpolicy.org
naiman at justforeignpolicy.org
(202) 448-2898 x1
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