[Peace-discuss] Help the Progressive Caucus limit Iraq/Syria war

[C. G. Estabrook via Peace-discuss]

Bob--

This resolution, were it to pass, would be used by the administration as an authorization for the use of force, however "narrowly tailored and limited."

Obama's attacks on Iraq and Syria are obviously illegal - contravening as they do Article 2, section 4 of the U.N. Charter - unless authorized by the UNSC.

His presiding at the Security Council yesterday - while pointedly not submitting his actions to its judgment before the fact - seemed to be a matter of thumbing his nose at international law while killing more people. 

Instead of passing this stealth AUMF, the House should impeach the president for high crimes - i.e. abuse of authority, misconduct peculiar to officials.

I'll write the local Representative to say so and urge others to do the same.

Regards, CGE


On Sep 25, 2014, at 4:54 PM, Robert Naiman <noreply at list.moveon.org> wrote:

> Dear C. G. Estabrook,
> 
> A new U.S. war has begun in Iraq and Syria—without Congressional authorization. With Congress in recess and an election coming up, there will be no Congressional vote until after the election in November.   But it is virtually certain that Congress will vote on an authorization after the election, and that whatever they vote on will pass. Congress has already approved, with a decisive bipartisan majority, the most controversial part of the President's proposal - arming and training Syrian rebels. This virtually guarantees that an authorization of force for Iraq and Syria will pass after the November election with a strong bipartisan majority. 
> 
> What is in the authorization they vote on is something that we can still influence. In the process, we can help put a quick end to this war, preventing it from becoming another endless quagmire. Now, while Congress is in recess, is the time for us to build political support for limiting the war.   
> 
> The Congressional Progressive Caucus resolution, H.Con.Res.114 [1], establishes a set of four principles that we can organize around to limit the war. It has the support of a wide array of top progressive Democrats in Congress [2].    
> 
> The resolution says that Congress: 
> •should debate and vote on whether the U.S. should be involved in sustained combat in Iraq or Syria 
> •does not support the deployment of ground combat troops in Iraq or Syria; 
> •should ensure that the use of force is narrowly tailored and limited; and 
> •should enact strong reporting requirements on the use of force. 
> 
> Show your support for H.Con.Res.114 and these principles by signing our petition at MoveOn:   
> http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/progressive-caucus-iraq-syria   
> 
> In particular, Congress should: 
> •prohibit the use of ground combat troops; 
> •ensure that an authorization has a time limit or sunset provision [3] so that it has to be renewed in the future for war to continue rather than lasting indefinitely by default; and 
> •ensure that there is regular public reporting on civilian deaths and injuries from U.S. airstrikes, so the public can better understand reports in the media about civilian casualties.   
> 
> Show your support for H.Con.Res.114 and these principles by signing and sharing our petition.   
> http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/progressive-caucus-iraq-syria 
> 
> Thank you for all you do to help limit war with democracy and the rule of law,
>   
> Robert Naiman and Megan Iorio  
> Just Foreign Policy
>   
> References: 
> 1. “H.Con.Res.114,” https://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-concurrent-resolution/114/text 
> 2. Key progressive leaders in Congress supporting H.Con.Res.114 include Reps. Raul Grijalva, Keith Ellison, Barbara Lee, Jim McGovern, Alan Grayson, Peter DeFazio, Peter Welch, Mark Pocan, Jim McDermott, John Conyers, Katherine Clark, Beto O'Rourke, Janice Hahn, Richard Nolan, Michael Honda, Chellie Pingree, Niki Tsongas. Mark Takano. https://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-concurrent-resolution/114/cosponsors  
> 3. “Why Congress Must Impose Limits on the Use of Force in Iraq,” Robert Naiman, The Nation, September 3, 2014, http://www.thenation.com/article/181473/why-congress-must-impose-limits-use-force-iraq
> 
> 
> 
>  
> 

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