From the Streets to the Suites

In a presidential debate in 1980, President Ronald Reagan asked American voters: "Are you better off than you were four years ago?" On the fifth anniversary of the US military invasion of Iraq - or, as President Bush and Senator McCain describe it, "the central front in the war on terror" - it is fair for Americans to ask: "Are we safer today than we were five years ago?"

The military occupation of Iraq and the failure of the "Bush Doctrine" and its national security strategy based on militarism, unilateralism and the violation of international law have imperiled our nation.
Today, President Bush stood facts on their head by claiming that ending the military occupation would make terrorists "emboldened with new recruits ... new resources ... and an even greater determination to dominate the region and harm America".
According to the CIA the Iraq war has, in fact, been a "cause célèbre" for terrorists, fueling recruitment and filling the ranks of al Qaeda. According to the National Intelligence Estimate Osama Bin Laden has rebuilt his capacity for massive terrorist strikes with a fully functioning command and control structure and an influx of funds and recruits. There have been significantly more terrorist attacks and fatalities from those attacks in the years that have followed 9/11 than the years before 9/11. Anti-Americanism in the world - even among our allies has never been greater. In a recent survey, 80% of Muslims in the world say they agree with Osama bin Laden's claim that the United States is engaged in a war against Islam.

America's standing in the world - and therefore our capacity to forge alliances against common threats to our security - has never been weaker. The weapons and options for those who seek to do us harm have never been greater.

Does continuing the military occupation of Iraq make us safer?

Those of us who answer this question with an emphatic NO will be on the streets today in cities and towns across the country. I will join thousands of others in front of the White House. But tomorrow, we will in the suites of members of Congress and candidates for Congress in cities and towns across the country demanding that Congress stop the war by refusing to fund it.

The Win Without War coalition is marking today's dark milestone by launching a national campaign to stop Congressional funding of the war. We released an "Open Letter to Congress" addressed to Congressman Jack Murtha, Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, calling on the Democratic controlled Congress to reject President Bush's request for more than one hundred billion additional dollars for the military occupation.

We are asking citizens, organizations and public officials across the country to join us by signing the letter and passing it on to friends, family and anyone who agrees that it past time for Congress to act.

Congress cannot allow President Bush to just run out the clock and pass off the disaster he created in Iraq to the next President. The Democrats were elected with a clear mandate to end the war. We cannot let them forget that.

In addition to signing the letter, Win Without War is asking opponents of the war to begin calling, writing and meeting with members of Congress and candidates for Congress in Congressional districts across the country. Everyone in - or wanting to be in - Congress needs to stand up and be counted on whether or not Congress should give the president the more than $100 billion more that he needs to keep the war going. The vote on the administration's Supplemental Appropriations' request will happen next month.

There is not a moment to lose to start dialing up the pressure on Congress and holding them to account. The military occupation of Iraq ends when Congressional funding ends. Today we will be on the streets marking this dark milestone, tomorrow we will in the suites of Members and candidates for Congress demanding action.

If you don't feel safer today than you were five years ago, please join us: www.winwithourwarus.org.