[Peace] Fwd: Please Fwd: Tell Congress to Rethink Afghanistan

[Niloofar Shambayati]

FYI.  Obama doesn't seem to know what he's getting us into.  We need to help
Afghans rebuild their country and find non-military alternatives to death
and destruction.  Please sign the petition at the link below.

Niloofar

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Rebecca Griffin, Peace Action West <alerts at peaceactionwest.org>
Date: Sun, Mar 15, 2009 at 12:41 PM
Subject: Please Fwd: Tell Congress to Rethink Afghanistan
To: Niloofar Shambayati niloofar.peace at gmail.com


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  <http://capwiz.com/peaceactionwest/utr/1/JVWDKBGKMT/FTPLKBJEPC/3050318596>

<http://capwiz.com/peaceactionwest/utr/1/JVWDKBGKMT/ITYUKBJEPD/3050318596>
**
*17,000 soldiers are heading to Afghanistan. *
*Tell Congress you are watching, and so should they.
hhttp://peaceactionwest.org/witness/?s=email2b*
<http://capwiz.com/peaceactionwest/utr/1/JVWDKBGKMT/GVQPKBJEPE/3050318596>
   Dear Friend,

*Where are the voices in Congress questioning a military approach in
Afghanistan?*

A group of Afghan parliamentarians have formed a working group to block the
military escalation President Obama approved for Afghanistan [1]. After
seeing their people lose their lives, homes, loved ones, and livelihoods,
they are demanding an end to violence. Who is speaking for them in the US
Congress?

Congress needs to exercise real oversight over US strategy in Afghanistan.
*Let congressional leaders know you are watching US strategy in Afghanistan,
and they should be too, here:
http://peaceactionwest.org/witness/?s=email2b*<http://capwiz.com/peaceactionwest/utr/1/JVWDKBGKMT/DYOXKBJEPF/3050318596>

The voices of people in the US and Afghanistan who oppose a military
approach are being marginalized in the public debate. For more than seven
years, the military approach has failed to bring stability to Afghanistan.
To date, al Qaeda has been involved in more terrorist attacks in the six
years following the invasion of Afghanistan than it had been in the six
years before, even if we don't count attacks in Iraq and Afghanistan. [2]

The cost of the military approach to Afghans has been unimaginable. The
American public does not see the faces of fathers who lose their sons, of
wives who can’t feed their families after the death of their husbands, of
children without homes. *It is up to those of us who understand the tragedy
of this mistake to bear witness and hold our government accountable.*

That is why Peace Action West is partnering with Brave New Foundation in
calling for committee chairs Sen. John Kerry and Rep. Howard Berman to hold
intensive congressional oversight hearings, with a full exploration of
non-military solutions that are more likely to make Americans and Afghans
safer.

*Become an Afghanistan Witness and tell Congress you will not allow them to
ignore the truth about Afghanistan. Join the call for real oversight and
accountability:
http://peaceactionwest.org/witness/?s=email2b<http://capwiz.com/peaceactionwest/utr/1/JVWDKBGKMT/NIUPKBJEPG/3050318596>
*
As an Afghanistan Witness, you'll be the first to hear about breaking news
and urgent actions when your help will make a difference. You'll help raise
awareness of alternatives to military force that are actually more effective
at stopping terrorism. Every voice of opposition is critical right now, and
you will help us create a debate when the media and Congress fail to do so.

You and I were there pointing out the failures of a military strategy in
Iraq before our government was ready to admit it. We finally saw the
beginning of the end of the war in Iraq with President Obama’s announcement
of his withdrawal plan, and that wouldn’t have happened without our tireless
efforts. Now we must apply the same tenacity and passion to opposing the
occupation of Afghanistan.

*Thank you for never being afraid to take a stand.*

[image: Rebecca Griffin, Political Director]
Soldiers Photo credit: startledrabbit III -
http://flickr.com/photos/75517060@N00/2600434592/<http://capwiz.com/peaceactionwest/utr/1/JVWDKBGKMT/EZKYKBJEPH/3050318596>

*Footnotes: *
[1] “Many in Afghanistan oppose Obama’s troop buildup plans,” Christian
Science Monitor
http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0302/p01s01-wosc.html
[2] “How Terrorist Groups End,” RAND Corporation,
http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs

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