Call Congress Wed.: No New War Spending!

ACTION ALERT * UNITED FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE
http://www.unitedforpeace.org | 212-868-5545
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REMINDER: NATIONAL CALL-IN DAY TO OPPOSE WAR SPENDING
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2005

$80 BILLION MORE FOR THE IRAQ WAR?
NO WAY! BRING THE TROOPS HOME NOW

Contact your member of Congress: no new war spending!
Congressional Switchboard 202-224-3121 (9-5 EST)
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This week George W. Bush submitted his 2006 budget request to Congress: a $2.5 trillion
statement about the administration’s plan to slash social programs while increasing military
spending. Yet not a single dime of his FY 2006 budget is earmarked for Iraq. Instead, those
costs will be hidden from the American people in the form of an $80 billion emergency
supplemental request to Congress later this week. The President's fourth supplemental spending
request for the Iraq war will add $80 billion to the more than $151 billion already
appropriated.

When President Bush submitted his 2006 budget to Congress on Monday he said, "The taxpayers of
America don't want us spending our money into something that's not achieving results." We
couldn’t agree more. The people of U.S. can’t allow Congress to pour more money to "stay the
course" of a tragic, failed war.

The U.S. peace movement and its allies have created tremendous openings in the debate on
bringing the troops home over the past two weeks. 55 percent of the U.S. public feels that the
war was not worth it, Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey introduced an important resolution calling on
the U.S. to start withdrawal from Iraq, and Senator Ted Kennedy is raising critical questions
about the need to bring the troops home.

Our task now is to get ahead of the curve and send an early and clear message to Congress that
their constituents will be monitoring them throughout the $80 billion debate over the future of
the Iraq war. Tell your Member of Congress on Wednesday that not one more dime should go to
waging war in Iraq. Instead, the U.S. must end the occupation, bring our troops home, and
support Iraqi sovereignty. It is time for us to demand that the Administration and Congress stop
perpetuating the cycle of violence in Iraq, stop sending so many soldiers and civilians to their
graves, and stop diverting precious resources that could be used to rebuild Iraq and fund
critical domestic needs.

Congress is expected to ultimately vote on Bush's Iraq supplemental in late March or early
April. UFPJ will continue to send updates and action alerts as the debate unfolds.

TAKE ACTION ON WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 9!

• Call, write, or fax your Member of Congress! Call the Capitol switchboard and ask to be
connected with your Senators and Representatives, 202-224-3121 (9-5 EST). We want to flood
Congressional offices with calls from every district in the nation. See below for talking
points.

TALKING POINTS
Tell your members of Congress that when they receive Bush’s $80 billion supplemental
appropriation request they should:

1. Oppose new funds: Congress should halt new funds for U.S. military operations in Iraq. Any
new funds should be allocated solely for troop withdrawal and interim troop protection.

2. End the occupation: Halt U.S. military actions immediately, shift U.S. troops immediately to
the borders of Iraq, declare intention to begin full withdrawal of troops, and leave no U.S.
bases behind. Support the Woolsey (D-CA) resolution calling on the President to begin the
immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.

3. Support Iraqi sovereignty: Give Iraqis full control over reconstruction funds, Iraqi
ministries and government, and new police and security forces. Terminate contracts with U.S.
companies and turn projects over to Iraqis, and provide transparent accounting of all U.S.
contracts.

4. Stabilize Iraq: Commit to long-term U.S. financial support for Iraqi-led reconstruction and
allow the UN and other international agencies to support Iraq democracy free from U.S.
intervention, and if the Iraqis want that assistance.

5. Provide real support for our troops: End the "stop-loss" policies that keep troops on active
duty far beyond their contracts, and overextend the Reserves and National Guard. Provide
thorough psychological counseling, health care, and benefits to returning Iraq war veterans and
their families. Bring our troops home!

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UFPJ 2nd NATIONAL ASSEMBLY * Feb 19-21, St. Louis
Anti-war strategy & planning meeting
Register now: http://www.unitedforpeace.org/assembly
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SATURDAY, MARCH 19: GLOBAL DAY OF PROTEST
ON THE TWO-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE IRAQ WAR
* End the War * Bring the Troops Home Now * Rebuild Our Communities *
Visit http://www.unitedforpeace.org for more information and to endorse
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ACTION ALERT * UNITED FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE
http://www.unitedforpeace.org | 212-868-5545
To subscribe, visit http://www.unitedforpeace.org/email
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