Just Foreign Policy & MoveOn & Progressive Change Campaign Committee – 2013-09-02 02:20:01
http://share.credoaction.com/9427749o
Victory! Obama Said He’ll Seek
Congressional Approval for Syria Strike
Robert Naiman / Just Foreign Policy
(September 1, 2013) — In a statement at the White House Saturday, President Obama announced that he would seek Congressional approval before attacking Syria. Our campaign to get him to seek Congressional authorization was successful!
Whether you oppose a US attack on Syria, support it, or aren’t sure yet what position you ultimately want to take, this was a clear victory for democracy and the rule of law. When the Framers of the Constitution gave Congress the power to declare war, they were making a deliberate choice. They wanted it to be hard, not easy, for the President to get the United States involved in a foreign war.
Our work isn’t done. Now we have an opportunity to engage Congress more fully on the issues at stake, to make sure that Congress follows the will of an informed public.
But now we have some time. Let’s take a moment to celebrate our victory. In the long road to reforming US foreign policy, it’s not so often that we have such a clear victory as this one. Congratulations! And thanks for taking action.
The President Is Asking Congress
For Permission to Bomb Syria
Becky Bond / Credo
President Obama has sent a draft resolution authorizing the use of American military force in Syria to Congress. We need to speak out today and tell our senators and members of Congress to say no to military intervention by the US
The brutal and bloody Syrian civil war has already left 100,000 people dead and created millions of refugees. And now there is now strong evidence that chemical weapons have been used, killing hundreds of civilians.
But as morally reprehensible as use of chemical weapons is, and as heart wrenching as the ongoing civil war has become, the United States should not start dropping bombs. Unfortunately, there are no good options.
And the justifiable outrage evoked by the use of chemical weapons does not make attacking Syria — where parts of the rebel resistance are allied with Al Qaeda and the authoritarian response by President Assad is aided by Hezbollah — either just or strategic.
Tell Representative Barbara Lee and Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer: Don’t bomb Syria.
As humanitarians confronting the horror of the Syrian civil war, we must consider how we can best protect civilians, end the violence, and uphold the international prohibition on using chemical weapons. But we shouldn’t make matters worse on the ground just to answer war crimes with a limited and largely symbolic show of force.
The draft resolution makes it clear that the kind of limited military strike promoted by Obama administration is highly unlikely to affect the ultimate outcome of this messy and brutal civil war.
And what’s more, initiating “limited” hostilities with Syria could serve to pull us deeper into yet another war in the Middle East, with all the ramifications — moral, humanitarian, economic and geopolitical — that would entail.
There are times when military force is necessary and justifiable. But this isn’t one of them. The time is now to speak out.
Tell Congress: Don’t Bomb Syria
The petition reads:
“To our Senators and members of Congress: Do not authorize the use of American military force in Syria. With civilians being butchered and refugees suffering immensely, it is horrifying to watch the brutal civil war in Syria unfold. But US military intervention is far more likely to make matters worse, not better.
The US should not bomb Syria. The best thing we can do is commit to holding war criminals accountable, expand humanitarian aid for refugees, and maintain constant diplomatic pressure for a negotiated end to the conflict.”
ACTION: To automatically add your name, Click Here.
ACTION ALERT:
Say “No!” to US Strikes on Syria!
MoveOn
(September 1, 2013) — Speak out on how you feel about US strikes against Syria.
MoveOn members and partner organizations have started circulating a wide range of petitions responding to the looming threat of military strikes. Just a few hours ago, President Obama committed to seek approval from Congress for military action — so we WILL have a chance to make our voices heard with our elected representatives in Washington.
This petition from MoveOn Council member Rachel Royce in North Carolina is one you might find compelling:
To be delivered to: The United States House of Representatives, The United States Senate, and President Barack Obama
We urge you to show real leadership in protecting the people of Syria with a more creative, effective, and prudent approach than military action.
* Galvanize world leaders to demand a multilateral cease-fire
* Arrange to evacuate people who choose to flee harm’s way
* Care for the evacuees
* Assist with re-settlement once the civil war has ended
Do not be fooled into thinking that war-making will protect or defend a population.
The Progressive Change Campaign Committee’s Syria Statement
As Reported in USA Today, Huffington Post, Buzzfeed
“It’s great news that President Obama is seeking congressional approval for military action, an important precedent for all future presidents. After years of societal and international norms being thrown out the door — and things like torture, violations of civil liberties, and war becoming normalized — today’s announcement is an important down payment on proper norms and regular order being restored.”
Then, take our survey:
What should happen next on Syria?
Yesterday, the president made the right decision by asking the people’s representatives in Congress to vote on whether our nation uses military action in Syria.
Now, Congress must decide whether to authorize military force. We have a detailed survey that will help determine our organization’s next actions.
Survey questions include: Do you favor military action? What do you think our goals should be in Syria? Does an international coalition matter? Should PCCC even get involved?
Please take a moment to share your opinion by clicking here.
