Mike Hersh / After Downing Street.org – 2007-09-28 21:37:33
http://afterdowningstreet.org/node/27183
Despite calls and common sense, the US Senate voted overwhelmingly to take a first clear step toward war with Iran. The Kyl-Lieberman Amendment is exactly as described in the letter from 25 organizations. 76 to 22. It wasn’t even close!
What are we going to do about it?
Will the US attack Iran?
Why not a sense of Congress vote against it?
Why not a public outcry against the next horrendous, illegal, immoral, self-defeating war?
• Sign the Petition:http://www.dontattackiran.org
• Check out: http://www.troopsoutnow.org”>Troops Out Now.
How can anyone vote for a Senate resolution seeking international doom? This story isn’t covered at all. That’s why the neocons feel they can act with impunity. I’m tired of playing defense and I’m tired of arguing about how best to protest/end a war that should never have started.
I don’t want to spend the next five or ten years protesting against another war we should work together to prevent. What are we doing about it now?
Code Pink, the encampment against war in DC, and others are already working on projects, but we have to come together and break through into the general public. It’s up to us to galvanize opposition to war with Iran NOW before the drum beat drowns out all opposition.
We’re already hearing the demonization of Iran. The media are ready to pick up their pompoms and start cheerleading us into yet another war. It’s impossible to play “catch up” after the “shock and awe” begins. By then it’s way too late.
What are you and I doing today to prevent war tomorrow?
We need to call our Senators, write letters to the editors, and get active. It’s time for all sane Americans to join the call: NO WAR WITH IRAN! Let’s get on with it.
Dear Senator,
We are writing to urge you to vote “No” on the Kyl-Lieberman Amendment No. 3017 to the Fiscal year 2008 Defense Authorization bill. The Kyl-Lieberman amendment is a provocative measure that will only undermine efforts to resolve tensions with Iran through diplomacy.
Provocative measures such as the Kyl-Lieberman amendment can lead to a tit-for-tat escalation resulting in military confrontation between the US and Iran. There are no good military options for solving our disagreements with Iran.
By further destabilizing the Middle East, a military confrontation with Iran would result in disastrous and unintended consequences damaging to the interests of US, Israel, and indeed the entire world. If we have learned nothing else from Iraq, it is that there are limitations to the use of military force.
We strongly caution against any legislation that increases the chances of military force being used against Iran. The current crises must be resolved through diplomacy, not military action. A military confrontation with Iran would have disastrous consequences for security throughout the region and put US forces in Iraq in far greater danger.
We urge all Senators to vote “No” on the Kyl-Lieberman amendment No. 3017 to the Fiscal Year 2008 Defense Authorization bill.
Signed,
• Former Congressman Tom Andrews
National Director
Win Without War
• Medea Benjamin
Founding Director
Global Exchange
• John Burroughs
Executive Director
Lawyers’ Committee on Nuclear Policy
• Jacqueline Cabasso
Executive Director
Western States Legal Foundation
• Will Callaway
Legislative Director
Physicians for Social Responsibility
• Simone Campbell
Executive Director
NETWORK, A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby
• Tim Carpenter
Director
Progressive Democrats of America
• Michael Eisenscher
National Coordinator
US Labor Against the War
• Adam G. Gerhardstein
Legislative Assistant for International Issues
Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations
• Morton H. Halperin
Executive Director
Open Society Policy Center
• Amy Isaacs
Executive Director
Americans for Democratic Action
• John Isaacs
Executive Director
Council for a Livable World
• (Rev.) James Kofski, M.M.
Associate, Asia/Pacific and Middle East Issues
Maryknoll Global Concerns
Washington, D.C.
• Lynn Kunkle
Policy Director
3D Security Initiative
• Rabbi Michael Lerner,
Editor, Tikkun Magazine
Chair, The Network of Spiritual Progressives
• Kevin Martin
Executive Director
Peace Action
• Tom Mattzie
Washington Director
Moveon.org
• Mary Ellen McNish
General Secretary
American Friends Service Committee
• Gael Murphy
Co-founder
CODEPINK:Women for Peace
• Robert Naiman
National Coordinator
Just Foreign Policy
• Trita Parsi
President
National Iranian American Council
• Marie Rietmann
Public Policy Director
Women’s Action for New Directions
• Gar Smith
Co-founder
Environmentalists Against War
• Sue Udry
Legislative Coordinator
United for Peace and Justice
• Joe Volk
Executive Secretary
Friends Committee on National Legislation
• James E. Winkler, General Secretary
General Board of Church and Society
United Methodist Church
Senate Vote:
(Those who voted not to commit an act of international aggression are indicated with “•”]
• Akaka (D-HI), Nay
Alexander (R-TN), Yea
Allard (R-CO), Yea
Barrasso (R-WY), Yea
Baucus (D-MT), Yea
Bayh (D-IN), Yea
Bennett (R-UT), Yea
Biden (D-DE), Not Voting
• Bingaman (D-NM), Nay
Bond (R-MO), Yea
• Boxer (D-CA), Nay
• Brown (D-OH), Nay
Brownback (R-KS), Yea
Bunning (R-KY), Yea
Burr (R-NC), Yea
• Byrd (D-WV), Nay
Cantwell (D-WA), Not Voting
Cardin (D-MD), Yea
Carper (D-DE), Yea
Casey (D-PA), Yea
Chambliss (R-GA), Yea
• Clinton (D-NY), Nay
Coburn (R-OK), Yea
Cochran (R-MS), Yea
Coleman (R-MN), Yea
Collins (R-ME), Yea
Conrad (D-ND), Yea
Corker (R-TN), Yea
Cornyn (R-TX), Yea
Craig (R-ID), Yea
Crapo (R-ID), Yea
DeMint (R-SC), Yea
• Dodd (D-CT), Nay
Dole (R-NC), Yea
Domenici (R-NM), Yea
Dorgan (D-ND), Yea
• Durbin (D-IL), Nay
Ensign (R-NV), Yea
Enzi (R-WY), Yea
• Feingold (D-WI), Nay
Feinstein (D-CA), Yea
Graham (R-SC), Yea
Grassley (R-IA), Yea
Gregg (R-NH), Yea
Hagel (R-NE), Yea
• Harkin (D-IA), Nay
Hatch (R-UT), Yea
Hutchison (R-TX), Yea
Inhofe (R-OK), Yea
• Inouye (D-HI), Nay
Isakson (R-GA), Yea
Johnson (D-SD), Yea
• Kennedy (D-MA), Nay
• Kerry (D-MA), Nay
Klobuchar (D-MN), Yea
Kohl (D-WI), Yea
Kyl (R-AZ), Yea
Landrieu (D-LA), Yea
• Lautenberg (D-NJ), Nay
Leahy (D-VT), Yea
• Levin (D-MI), Nay
Lieberman (ID-CT), Yea
Lincoln (D-AR), Yea
Lott (R-MS), Yea
Lugar (R-IN), Yea
Martinez (R-FL), Yea
McCain (R-AZ), Yea
McCaskill (D-MO), Yea
McConnell (R-KY), Yea
• Menendez (D-NJ), Nay
Mikulski (D-MD), Yea
Murkowski (R-AK), Yea
• Murray (D-WA), Nay
Nelson (D-FL), Yea
Nelson (D-NE), Yea
Obama (D-IL), Not Voting
Pryor (D-AR), Yea
• Reed (D-RI), Nay
• Reid (D-NV), Nay
Roberts (R-KS), Yea
• Rockefeller (D-WV), Nay
Salazar (D-CO), Yea
• Sanders (I-VT), Nay
• Schumer (D-NY), Nay
Sessions (R-AL), Yea
Shelby (R-AL), Yea
Smith (R-OR), Yea
Snowe (R-ME), Yea
Specter (R-PA), Yea
Stabenow (D-MI), Nay
Stevens (R-AK), Yea
Sununu (R-NH), Yea
Tester (D-MT), Yea
Thune (R-SD), Yea
Vitter (R-LA), Yea
Voinovich (R-OH), Yea
Warner (R-VA), Yea
Webb (D-VA), Yea
• Whitehouse (D-RI), Nay
• Wyden (D-OR), Nay
