Day of Infamy!

U.S. Senators Fail to Challenge War

(May 25, 2007)

(Note: this urgent appeal was sent to the Senators on May 24 in advance of the vote which approved funding for the continuation of the war in Iraq. In spite of overwhelming antiwar sentiment throughout the country and  thousands of signatures on a petition calling for a filibuster to end the war, the Senators failed to act.)

Dear Senators Kennedy, Sanders, Dodd, Webb, Byrd, Feingold, Hagel, and Obama,

We, the undersigned members of Antiwar League, representing a broad spectrum of political viewpoints* and antiwar sentiment, are writing to you in support of the Filibuster for Peace initiative. We call upon each and every Senator to join a filibuster effort to end the Iraq war and save our country. And we call upon you to support only a bill that includes funds to bring all U.S. forces home quickly and safely but no money to prosecute the war in Iraq.

We are united by our determined and clear-cut opposition to aggressive war and empire. Guided by the Principles of the Nuremberg Tribunal, we believe that there is ample evidence which indicates that the Iraq war is a "crime against peace" and a premeditated war of aggression -- not just a mistake or an act of noble but misguided leaders. This is not a time for negotiation and compromise with the Masters of War because America is facing a great emergency, possibly leading to further wars and even global conflict.

Millions of Americans share our antiwar convictions and American voters have rejected the Iraq war in the only way possible -- by voting decisively against the ruling party. But the Democrats, as a party, have done nothing to deserve their victory -- they have supported the war and the violence every step of the way and have never lifted a finger to impede the neocon agenda. And in an astonishing act of betrayal, the Democrats removed the only principled and hopeful antiwar sentiment contained in their bill -- the provision that would have required President Bush to obtain Congressional approval before initiating any attack on Iran, in effect giving the Commander-in-Chief a free hand to begin another more dangerous war of aggression, possibly involving the use of nuclear weapons. The war and occupation will continue, maybe with some new window dressing or change in tactics, but the core policy of intervention and domination will be unchanged. Unless people start to take a stand.

These are surely the times that try men's souls. The filibuster tradition is one that allows the possibility for one person to make a difference by doing the right thing. We must reject politics as usual which gives us only "smoke and mirrors" deliberations that allow the slaughter to continue while politicians argue about a phony "non-binding" withdrawal date. It's a time to take decisive action. We must begin to turn the nation away from empire and toward a policy of peace and non-intervention. The path we are on presently can only lead to endless war and torture abroad and fear and loss of freedom at home.

Silence in a time of evil is reprehensible and in the case of those in positions of authority and power, who are not at personal risk, it may even be criminal. We urge you to act now to stop the killing and bring an end to this nightmare and work to make sure that it never happens again.

Sincerely,

Rich Aucoin, co-founder, Antiwar League and 2002 Libertarian candidate for Lt. Governor of Massachusetts 

Ken Freeland, Houston Coalition for Justice Not War 

Doug Fuda, co-founder, Antiwar League

Jason King, Medford, MA

Michael Nolan, writer

Crystal Urbanski

Timothy Urbanski

*All affiliations are for identification purposes only and do not represent endorsements by these organizations.