Fw: STEP Forward for Iraq Peace With Your Meeting, Church, or Organization

----- Original Message -----
From: "Kathy Guthrie" <kathyguthrie@fcnl.org>
To: "Miriam Vieni" <miriamvieni@optonline.net>
Sent: Thursday, May 12, 2005 3:54 PM
Subject: FCNL: STEP Forward for Iraq Peace With Your Meeting, Church, or
Organization

Your congregation or organization can adopt the Iraq Sustainable
Transition to Enduring Peace resolution to model the behavior that you
want from your member of Congress.

Members of Congress from both major political parties are beginning to
question the rising costs of the war in Iraq, both in terms of lives
lost and money spent. But these concerns did not stop the Senate this
week from unanimously approving an $82 billion supplemental funding for
the continuing U.S. war in and occupation of Iraq.

Your senators fear that voting against new funding for war will cost
them votes next election. Yet, privately, a growing core of members of
Congress from both parties tell FCNL lobbyists that Congress could take
an important step to reduce the violence in Iraq by making a clear
declaration that the United States does intend to leave Iraq. Members
of Congress need political support back home to turn this private
concern into public action.

Your local church, temple, synagogue, mosque, meeting, or local
organization can help build momentum for a congressional resolution
declaring, "It is the policy of the United States to withdraw all
U.S. military troops and bases from Iraq." Let's lock in the
President's stated - but not yet believable - policy that the U.S.
military will leave Iraq. We can argue about benchmarks, conditions,
and exit strategies latter. For now, let's create legislation for the
proposition that, although the U.S. must not abandon Iraq, U.S.
military forces and bases must be withdrawn.

Act Now

Download the Iraq STEP resolution from the FCNL web site at
http://capwiz.com/fconl/utr/1/DWKKERMMMH/CWRPERMMNT/ or read the text
at the bottom of this email message. Take a copy of this resolution to
the next gathering of your church, temple, synagogue, temple, or local
organization with a request it adopt a formal minute, resolution, or
otherwise offer public support for this policy. Learn more about the
campaign and lead a discussion in your local community.

If your congregation or local organization does adopt the Iraq STEP
resolution, please send a copy to your elected representative and
senators in Washington, your major local media, and FCNL. Thank you!

Read more about the Iraq STEP resolution campaign:
http://capwiz.com/fconl/utr/1/DWKKERMMMH/FJJJERMMNU/

Read the latest breakdown of the rising costs in lives lost and money
spent compiled by FCNL's Senior Fellow on Military Affairs Col. Dan
Smith (USA, Ret.)http://capwiz.com/fconl/utr/1/DWKKERMMMH/DFKHERMMNV/
(*PDF--requires Adobe Acrobat reader)

Lobby Alert: Your representative and two senators will be back in your
state for the Memorial Day recess between Friday, May 27 and Monday,
June 6. This is an ideal time to arrange a meeting with your elected
representative. Find tips on how to set up a meeting here:
http://capwiz.com/fconl/utr/1/DWKKERMMMH/FXIZERMMNW/

Background

Text of the Iraq STEP Resolution for meetings, churches, temples,
synagogues, meetings, or local organizations

Iraq STEP Resolution

Sensible Transition to an Enduring Peace

Whereas President George W. Bush stated on April 13, 2004 that "as
a proud and independent people, Iraqis do not support an indefinite
occupation and neither does America" and that the U.S. will remain
in Iraq "as long as necessary and not one day more";

Whereas Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld assured the Senate Armed
Services Committee on February 17, 2005, that "we have no
intention, at the present time, of putting permanent bases in
Iraq";

Whereas the Wall Street Journal reported in February 2005 that 60% of
the people in the United States think that the Bush administration
should set a public or private timetable for withdrawing U.S. troops
from Iraq;

Whereas former Secretary of State James Baker, former Pentagon official
Anthony Cordesman, the International Crisis Group, and other respected
leaders and analysts have said that it is critical that the U.S.
government declare now its intention to fully withdraw from Iraq;

Whereas political parties opposed to the ongoing U.S. military presence
won the overwhelming majority of votes in Iraq's January 2005 election
and a clear majority of voters interviewed in exit polls cited their
desire to see an end to the military occupation as a major impetus for
voting;

Whereas the perception that the U.S. intends to permanently occupy Iraq
aids insurgent groups in recruiting supporters and fuels violent
activity;

Whereas many insurgent groups have expressed a willingness to engage in
political dialogue if the U.S. clearly states its intention to withdraw
from Iraq;

Whereas we can best honor the lives and memories of all who have died
in Iraq by expediting the end of the war, bringing U.S. troops home as
quickly as possible, and supporting the Iraqi people in rebuilding
their country;

Whereas a clear statement of intent to fully withdraw U.S. troops and
bases does not imply the setting of a particular deadline, time frame,
or exit strategy;

Whereas such a statement would send a strong signal to the people of
Iraq and the international community that the United States does not
have imperial intentions in Iraq and affirms that the Iraqi people will
regain through their elected representatives the full exercise of
national sovereignty, including control over security and public
safety;

Therefore, be it resolved that this congregation/meeting/organization
holds in our prayers the people of Iraq, the U.S. troops and
international troops and humanitarian workers in Iraq, the leaders of
Iraq and the United States, and all others affected by this war;

Be it also resolved that this congregation/meeting/organization calls
on the United States Congress to adopt a sense of the Congress
resolution declaring: "It is the policy of the United States to
withdraw all U.S. military troops and bases from Iraq";

Be it also resolved that this congregation/meeting/organization will
present a copy of this resolution to the members of Congress who
represent the district in which the congregation is based;

And be it also resolved that this congregation/meeting/organization
will send a copy of this resolution to the local media.

_______________________________________

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________________________________________

Friends Committee on National Legislation
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We seek a world free of war and the threat of war
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We seek an earth restored.
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