Erika Seiber / Win Without War
(April 6, 2020) — This is unbelievable: In the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, Trump is bringing us back to the brink of war with Iran.
Last month, Trump’s administration ordered the military to plan a massive offensive against an Iraqi militia group linked to Iran, which was followed days later by reports of ‘unusual US troop movements’ in Iraq. And just five days ago, Trump himself seemed to verify the reporting by tweet-threatening to attack Iran, continuing a dangerous cycle of rhetorical escalation that could quickly turn into action on the ground.
What kind of human being — who is witnessing thousands of deaths every day — would actively choose to provoke a completely unnecessary war of choice during a global health crisis?
What happens in the next days is CRITICAL to preventing war with Iran. And even though it’s an enormous ask, our team is taking on the crucial work of raising the alarm in the media and piling the pressure on Congress to stop this absolute nightmare — so I’m asking for your help:
Help us stop Trump bringing us to the brink of war with Iran at the WORST possible time.
There are so many terrifying developments every time we open the news, and we’re right there with you in being anxious, scared, and tired. But we refuse to let the coronavirus pandemic become calculated cover for Trump’s dangerous decision-making that risks dragging us into devastating military adventurism.
While Trump prepares and positions the military for conflict with Iran, he is — AT THE SAME TIME — making similar outrageous decisions across the globe in Venezuela.
Just last week, he declared Navy ships would be stationed off the Venezuelan coast for ‘counter-narcotic operations’ — claiming without evidence that the drug cartels are exploiting the pandemic. By Friday, however, multiple officials, including a senior Pentagon source, had told Newsweek that the operation had nothing to do with the virus.
It is clear that Donald Trump will do anything to distract from his administration’s appalling and inadequate response to the coronavirus pandemic.
We need every single resource we have focused on ending the crisis and saving millions of lives — both in the United States and around the world — not allocated to capricious and unnecessary distractions that might result in yet another devastating and long lasting war of choice.
People, from Tehran to Caracas to Detroit, are in desperate need of critical medical supplies. War will not provide these resources, and it is not a cure for any illness, including COVID-19.
It is an extremely challenging time for our team — as for so many of you — to take on this work. Every ounce of support you can give bolsters our efforts and is critical to achieving our goal of avoiding an all out war.
ACTION: Help stop Trump from bringing us to the brink of war.
These are scary times, but our team gathers strength from activists like you who continue to show up, in spite of so many struggles, and continue fighting for progressive foreign policy and building the world we want. It’s a world that even in dark moments like the ones we face today, we still know is achievable.
Thank you for working for peace: Erika, Kate, Caroline, and the Win Without War team
Win Without War: Congress Says No To War With Iran. Will Trump Listen?
WASHINGTON (March 11, 2020)— Win Without War released the following regarding the House’s passage of S.J.Res.68, Senator Tim Kaine’s Iran war powers resolution to blocking war with Iran. It happened just minutes after an attack on US forces in Iraq was reported, with possible casualties:
Advocacy Director Erica Fein said: “Today’s vote comes at an important moment — right at the time when deescalation is needed. With House-passage, Congress has sent a resounding message to Trump: the people do not want war with Iran. As a co-equal branch of government with the sole constitutional authority to declare war, this bipartisan resolution should be enough. Trump is not authorized to start a war. The question is: will he listen?
“Time and again, Congress has voted to rein in Trump’s reckless foreign policy and reassert Congress’s constitutionally-vested powers of war. The House has now spoken unequivocally through two Iran War Powers votes, as well as bills to block funding for an unauthorized war with Iran and to repeal the 2002 Iraq War authorization for use of military force — which the Trump administration erroneously claims provides authority for war with Iran.
Similar legislation to end US involvement in the catastrophic war in Yemen has repeatedly passed both chambers. But time and again, Trump has refused to listen to the public’s demands. In the six times that Trump has used his veto during his presidency, all six were to override Congress’s attempts to rein in his reckless misuse of national security powers. We expect that after passage of this bill, he’ll once again override the will of the majority in Congress, and, ultimately, the US public.
“Congress holds the sole power to determine whether or not our country goes to war. Successive administrations — both Democratic and Republican — have usurped that authority for themselves. Trump must not once again trample the repeatedly stated will of the people.”
Sara Haghdoosti, Deputy Director of Win Without War and member of the Iranian diaspora, said: “At the same time as Congress attempts to prevent an all-out war with Iran, another type of war is already taking place. Blanket economic sanctions, already inhumane, and magnifying the impact of a cruel government, are now known to have undermined Iran’s response to the novel coronavirus, putting the entire world at greater risk.
“Trump has taken to Twitter to threaten war crimes against Iran, banned people based on their beliefs, and continues to push us toward a catastrophic conflict. We need to act now to de-escalate tensions and contain the reckless impulses of a president that has shown repeatedly that he has no care for the rule of law, or even common decency.”
Win Without War is a diverse network of activists and national organizations working for progressive foreign policy in the United States.Win Without War Education Fund 2020, 1 Thomas Circle NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20005, (202) 656-4999 | info@winwithoutwar.org
Posted in accordance with Title 17, Section 107, US Code, for noncommercial, educational purposes.
