MoveOn.org – 2008-03-06 22:34:18
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(March 6, 2008) — On the 5th anniversary of the war in Iraq, we’ll honor the fallen and call on our leaders to stop squandering billions in Iraq—and start investing here at home instead.
March 19 is the 5th anniversary of the tragic invasion and occupation of Iraq. And after 5 long years, the war is now creating two tragedies: Nearly 4,000 American soldiers have been killed—along with many more Iraqis. And the economy is sinking, but the resources we need to turn it around are being squandered in Iraq.
So this year, we’re marking the anniversary by gathering at hundreds of “New Priorities” Vigils. We’ll honor the fallen, and call for an end to the war. But we’ll also send a new message to the politicians in Washington: to heal our ailing economy, we need to end the occupation in Iraq.
It’s a powerful message—if we can make it heard throughout the country, we’ll force our leaders to start bringing our troops home and start investing resources here instead.
Click here to sign up to host your March 19 New Priorities Vigil on the 5th anniversary of the war:
A few days ago, MoveOn joined with other progressive organizations to launch the “Iraq/Recession” campaign to highlight the connections between the war and the looming recession. John and Elizabeth Edwards signed on to help the effort, and the announcement made national news.1 These vigils are so important because they’ll bring the local media attention that puts pressure on individual members of Congress to bring the troops home.
Hosting a vigil is easy. All you need to do is find a good place for people to gather, invite your friends, and tell the local media what you’re planning. We’ll help you recruit attendees and give you the materials and training you need to hold a great event.
And the vigils will be very powerful. These events put a face on opposition to the war and remind local communities of the terrible cost of the occupation of Iraq. And this year, we’re teaming up with other progressive organizations so that your vigil is part of a nationwide day of action, calling for a change of course in Iraq.
The 5th anniversary of the Iraq invasion is an important moment—politicians, the media, and the world will be watching. Let’s show them that America is ready for new priorities and an end to the war.
Click the link to register your event and get started:
Thanks for all you do,
Nita, Carrie, Justin, Anna, and the MoveOn.org Political Action Team
P.S. Last week, John and Elizabeth Edwards joined us on a phone call with reporters to launch the “Iraq/Recession” campaign. Here’s part of what Senator Edwards had to say about the link between the occupation of Iraq and the slowing economy:
“There is great concern, anxiety and angst out there among most Americans about their economic security. They are worried about a lot of things. They are concerned about the cost of a health care system that is broken and needs to be fixed. They are worried about how to pay to send their kids to college.
The mortgage and foreclosure crisis is now becoming central to the economic insecurity an awful lot of Americans are feeling. All of these things are made much worse due to the war in Iraq. The American public sees a direct connection between the spending in Iraq and the economic anxiety caused by the price of oil and gasoline. They want to see this war brought to an end.”
Sources:
1. “Democrats Mount New Attacks on War Policy,” New York Times, February 26, 2008.
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• Click here to host your March 19 New Priorities Vigil on the 5th anniversary of the war.
