[Peace] Fwd: FCNL: Urge Administration Back From the Brink of War (1/16/03)

Fri Jan 17 14:38:26 CST 2003

>Date: Thu, 16 Jan 2003 18:32:24 -0500 (EST)
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>Subject: FCNL: Urge Administration Back From the Brink of War (1/16/03)
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>FCNL LEGISLATIVE ACTION MESSAGE - January 16, 2003
>
>The following action items from the Friends Committee on National
>Legislation (FCNL) focus on federal policy issues currently before Congress
>or the Administration.
>
>TOPICS: NEW LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVES TO SLOW THE RUSH TO WAR, and NATIONAL
>LOBBY DAY TO STOP THE WAR ON IRAQ, JANUARY 21
>
>NEW LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVES TO SLOW THE RUSH TO WAR: On Jan. 7, Rep.
>Jackson-Lee (TX) introduced a resolution in the House (House Concurrent
>Resolution 2) to express the sense of Congress that the 2002 war
>authorization against Iraq should be repealed.  Reps. Kucinich (OH), Lee
>(CA), Davis (IL) and Watson (CA) cosponsored the resolution.  On Jan. 13,
>Reps. Brown (OH), Kind (WI), Wexler (FL), and Doggett (TX) circulated a Dear
>Colleague letter to all members of the House asking them to sign a letter to
>Pres. Bush in support of continued diplomacy in Iraq.  The letter asks the
>President to use the upcoming State of the Union Address (scheduled for Jan.
>28) as an opportunity to reassure "the American people and the international
>community that the United States remains committed to the diplomatic
>approach and comprehensive inspections agreed to in UN Security Council
>resolution 1441."  It will be sent to the President on Jan. 24.  The text of
>the Dear Colleague letter is available at
>http://www.fcnl.org/issues/int/sup/iraq_house-ltr116-03.htm.
>
>These two new legislative initiatives in the House offer renewed and
>much-needed leadership in Congress to help pull the Administration back from
>the brink of war.  H. Con. Res. 2 was introduced by members who took a lead
>in opposing the White House's war authorization act last fall.  The
>coalition of representatives who initiated the Brown-Kind Dear Colleague
>letter includes members who both supported and opposed the war resolution.
>As the Administration continues a massive military build-up in the Persian
>Gulf, these congressional calls for diplomacy in Iraq come at a critical
>moment.  Both legislative initiatives need strong public and congressional
>support.
>
>ACTION: Please contact your representative before Jan. 23.  Urge her or him
>to take the following two actions to help pull the Administration back from
>the brink of war.  (1) Cosponsor H. Con. Res. 2, calling for the repeal of
>the war authorization act against Iraq.  (2) Sign the Brown-Kind Dear
>Colleague letter urging Pres. Bush to commit to continued diplomacy and
>weapons inspections in Iraq.  (The deadline for signing the letter is Jan.
>23.)  If your representative is already a co-sponsor of the repeal
>resolution or has signed the Brown-Kind letter, please express your thanks.
>
>If you are able to participate in the Jan. 21 National Lobby Day to Stop the
>War on Iraq (information below), you can ask for these commitments in
>person.  Or, send an email or fax or phone your member.
>
>MAKE LETTER-WRITING EASIER:  Start with the sample letter posted in our
>Legislative Action Center, personalize the language, then email or fax your
>message directly from our site.  You can also print it out and mail it.  To
>view the sample letter, click on the link below, then enter your zip code
>and click <Go> in the <Take Action Now> box.  Here is the link:
>http://capwiz.com/fconl/issues/alert/?alertid=1232076&type=CO
>
>BACKGROUND:  The introduction of H. Con. Res. 2 and the Brown-Kind letter
>reflect continued and growing congressional opposition to the Bush
>Administration's war plans in Iraq.  Even members who voted for authorizing
>U.S. military action against Iraq are expressing deep concern about the
>Administration's impatience and lack of commitment to pursuing a diplomatic
>solution to the conflict.  The U.S. public and the international community
>are expressing persistent opposition to war on Iraq, and weapons inspections
>are proceeding without serious obstruction.  Yet, the Administration
>continues to deploy tens of thousands more troops to the Persian Gulf, is
>intensifying attacks in the so-called no-fly zones, and claims the right to
>wage unilateral war whenever it deems necessary.
>
>Pres. Bush is expected to use the State of the Union speech on Jan. 28 to
>announce the next phase of U.S. policy toward Iraq.  The weeks leading up to
>the speech are a critical time for raising visible U.S. public opposition to
>war and pressing our members of Congress to take leadership roles in moving
>the country away from war.  On Jan. 27 (one day before the State of the
>Union), the UN Monitoring, Verification, and Inspections Commission
>(UNMOVIC) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will make their
>first official report to the UN Security Council (UNSC) on the progress of
>inspections.  Inspectors have said there is "no smoking gun" and that they
>will need more cooperation, information, and time to complete their work.
>U.S. allies in the European Union and the Middle East are still working
>diligently to open space for a peaceful settlement of the crisis.
>
>Congress has an important role to play in ensuring that the Administration
>works with the international community to pursue all peaceful alternatives
>to war on Iraq.  UNSC Resolution 1441, passed unanimously on Nov. 8, 2002,
>"requests all Member States to give full support to UNMOVIC and the IAEA in
>the discharge of their mandates," including providing information to the
>inspectors to help fulfill their task of identifying and dismantling any
>remaining weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.  The Bush Administration, has
>only just begun to share information it claims to have with the UN
>inspectors.  Meanwhile, the Administration is dramatically increasing U.S.
>military build-up in the region and is openly planning for post-war
>occupation of Iraq.  Saddam Hussein will have no reason to continue
>complying with weapons inspections if war seems inevitable.  Pres. Bush
>should publicly commit to full support for UN weapons inspections to disarm
>Iraq peacefully and pull back from the brink of war.
>
>NATIONAL LOBBY DAY TO STOP THE WAR ON IRAQ, JANUARY 21:  FCNL and other
>national organizations working in coalition to prevent a U.S. invasion of
>Iraq have designated Jan. 21 as a National Lobby Day to Stop the War on
>Iraq.  On Jan. 21, one week before Pres. Bush is scheduled to give the State
>of the Union address, groups of concerned citizens will be meeting with
>members of Congress in their local offices across the country to ask them to
>help pull Pres. Bush back from the brink of war.  Congress will be in recess
>during that week, and most members will be home in their districts.
>Face-to-face visits are the most effective means for communicating your
>concerns.  To find out more and get involved, go to
>http://www.fcnl.org/issues/int/sup/iraq_lobbying-day.htm.
>
>CONTACTING LEGISLATORS
>
>Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 or 800-839-5276
>
>Sen. ________
>U.S. Senate
>Washington, DC 20510
>
>Rep. ________
>U.S. House of Representatives
>Washington, DC 20515
>
>Information on your members is available on FCNL's web site:
>http://capwiz.com/fconl/dbq/officials/directory/directory.dbq?command=congdi
>r
>
>CONTACTING THE ADMINISTRATION
>White House Comment Desk: 202-456-1111
>FAX: 202-456-2461
>E-MAIL: president at whitehouse.gov
>WEB PAGE: http://www.whitehouse.gov
>
>President George W. Bush
>The White House
>Washington, DC 20500
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>We seek a world free of war and the threat of war
>We seek a society with equity and justice for all
>We seek a community where every person's potential may be fulfilled We seek
>an earth restored...
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>
>Anna Staab, legislative intern
>Friends Committee on National Legislation
>252 Second St., NE Washington DC 20002-5795
>202.547.6000 ext. 114
>1.800.630.1330 ext. 114
>fax 202.547.6019
>anna at fcnl.org