Fw: Progress on Iraq, Nuclear Weapons, and Bolton--FCNL

----- Original Message -----
From: "Kathy Guthrie" <kathyguthrie@fcnl.org>
To: "Miriam Vieni" <miriamvieni@optonline.net>
Sent: Tuesday, June 07, 2005 4:50 PM
Subject: Progress on Iraq, Nuclear Weapons, and Bolton--FCNL

Dear Key FCNL Contact,

Your efforts are having an impact. Three recent and remarkable
accomplishments demonstrate how much we depend on you:

* After five months of lobbying Congress to declare that the United
States will ultimately withdraw from Iraq, there are signs that this
message is getting through. Find out more below.

* The House of Representatives has rejected president Bush's request
for funding to develop the next generation of "usable"
nuclear weapons <anchor link to the House Eliminates Bunker Busters
heading>. Now we have to persuade the Senate. Find out more below.

* The Senate has refused to rubber stamp the nomination of John Bolton
as the next U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. The final vote may
be next week. Find out more below.

There is still much work that needs to be done here in Washington, but
these victories demonstrate that, working together, we can make
progress and we can begin to promote a debate on critical issues, even
in these dangerous and difficult times. I hope you'll read on to find
out more about some of these important developments here in Washington.

Your letters, faxes, and email and your financial contributions make
this work possible.

Thank you,
Kathy Guthrie
Field Program Secretary

Your Efforts Are Having An Impact

Progress on Iraq

Earlier this year, FCNL learned the U.S. military is planning up to 14
"permanent" bases in Iraq (see a map of the bases at
http://capwiz.com/fconl/utr/1/DXUIETHJRJ/CCCVETHKAE/). But around the
country there is widespread opposition to a permanent U.S military
presence in iraq. The list of churches, meetings, and other
organizations adopting, endorsing, or otherwise supporting FCNL's Iraq
STEP resolution is growing every day. In Congress, FCNL lobbyists
report that there are several legislators considering a bipartisan
effort to pass a resolution declaring "It is the policy of the
United States government to withdraw all U.S. military troops and bases
from Iraq."

This morning, Zalmay Khalilzad, the man nominated to be the next U.S.
Ambassador to Iraq, felt compelled to say in an open hearing before the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee: "we will not stay in Iraq
militarily and we have no plans for permanent military installations in
Iraq." This statement, by itself, is an important victory. But
FCNL believes it is still important for Congress to follow up this
declaration with a formal resolution stating that the U.S. will
withdraw. Find out more about this campaign at
http://capwiz.com/fconl/utr/1/DXUIETHJRJ/HXIMETHKAF/

House Eliminates Bunker Buster

FCNL has been leading the effort in Washington to persuade Congress to
eliminate funding for the "bunker-buster" nuclear weapon. Focusing on
40 members of Congress who are key to this effort, FCNL and colleague
organizations have sent out tens of thousands of letters and emails
educating the public about this dangerous Bush administration
initiative to develop the next generation of "usable" nuclear
weapons. Network participants around the country in turn flooded the
offices of these elected officials with thousands of letters and emails
urging that funding for this weapon be eliminated. In May, two critical
House committees completely eliminated funding for the nuclear bunker
buster.

David Culp, FCNL's nuclear disarmament lobbyist, believes it is
extremely likely that - with a little more effort - this year the
Congress will refuse to provide even one penny for development of
bunker buster nuclear weapons. For more information about this effort
go to http://capwiz.com/fconl/utr/1/DXUIETHJRJ/FZZWETHKAG/

Senate Did Not Rubber Stamp Bolton Nomination

When President Bush first nominated John Bolton as the next U.S.
Ambassador to the United Nations, the White House predicted a quick
confirmation. But your letters, and the efforts of thousands of others,
persuaded a bipartisan group of Senators to question the wisdom of
sending a man with a reputation for bashing the United Nations and
undermining arms control to represent the United States at the world
body.

Three months later, Bolton still has not been confirmed in large part
because Senators in both parties said there must be a full debate
before this critical nomination is approved. There may be a final vote
in the Senate on the Bolton nomination next week, but we have already
achieved our most important victory in persuading the Senate to fully
debate this important nomination.

_______________________________________

Stop New Nuclear Weapons! Find out how,
http://capwiz.com/fconl/utr/1/DXUIETHJRJ/BGUIETHKAH/
The Next Step for Iraq: Join FCNL's Iraq Campaign,
http://capwiz.com/fconl/utr/1/DXUIETHJRJ/MZDWETHKAI/

Contact Congress and the Administration:
http://capwiz.com/fconl/utr/1/DXUIETHJRJ/AHKJETHKAJ/

Order FCNL publications and "War is Not the Answer" campaign
bumper stickers and yard signs:
http://capwiz.com/fconl/utr/1/DXUIETHJRJ/GXSTETHKAK/
http://capwiz.com/fconl/utr/1/DXUIETHJRJ/LPEXETHKAL/

Contribute to FCNL:
http://capwiz.com/fconl/utr/1/DXUIETHJRJ/NSOXETHKAM/

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________________________________________

Friends Committee on National Legislation
245 Second St. NE, Washington, DC 20002-5795
fcnl@fcnl.org * www.fcnl.org
phone: (202)547-6000 * toll-free: (800)630-1330

We seek a world free of war and the threat of war
We seek a society with equity and justice for all
We seek a community where every person's potential may be fulfilled
We seek an earth restored.
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