Pressing for Peace

The National Call-In for Peace is an effort by a coalition of peace and veterans groups to coordinate a unified phone campaign to urge Congress to reject the Bush supplemental appropriations request for $93 billion more for the war in Iraq.

Each day from March 5 through March 13, a different national antiwar group will take the lead in generating calls to Congress. The Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) are up today with CodePink on deck for tomorrow.

PDA offers some talking points for the calls:

**Most Iraqis – both Sunni and Shia -- want US troops out of their country and most believe attacks on our troops are justified.

**US military force is no solution in Iraq. Diplomacy, not war, is the solution.

**The American people at the polls in November and in opinion polls have expressed their view that the US needs to get out.

**With its Constitutionally-granted "power of the purse," Congress has the duty to end the war by cutting off war funding, except what's needed for the prompt, safe, orderly withdrawal of all our troops.

With a wobbly Democratic leadership consumed with half-hearted amendments aimed at undermining the surge but not the war, the coalition is making every effort to marshall grassroots pressure on Democratic legislators. Help the effort by calling 1-888-851-1879 today and click here to share the story of how the call went.

Comments (15)

1. "With a wobbly Democratic leadership consumed with half-hearted amendments aimed at undermining the surge but not the war, the coalition is making every effort to marshall grassroots pressure on Democratic legislators."

   Peter...seriously...best of luck, but I'm not hopeful.

   Posted by Mask at 03/06/2007 @ 11:40am

2. Peter,

   Despite what you may think of me or my posts,..I value protest groups even when I think they are wrong, because it keeps the right to protest safe...

   When you have a protest of the issues you want to stop, ie., the funding of the war, and you are trying to build a coalition accross the board of ordinary Americans from all walks and beliefs, which is a great idea to want to bring in all types...but...

   then you begin with..

   "The Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) are up today with CodePink on deck for tomorrow. "

   Well, you drive out the very ones you needs to get your position taken for real and getting results...imagine, if you will, the VFW and the American Legion for example, backed your efforts....the weight would be immense and those groups could actually bring in more groups along with massive press(imagine the MSM orgasm)...but the groups you start out with to "lead" the charge might well find themselves in the cross hairs of the groups you really need to have ON your side to succeed..

   These groups are lightening rods and are considereed across the spectrum as far left and frige..inspite of what you may want to believe, and are suspicious at best, as you would be of Pat Robertson joining your crusades..

   Just my opinion...

   if you get my poin t.

   Posted by john maasch at 03/06/2007 @ 11:45am

3. These groups are lightening rods and are considereed across the spectrum as far left and frige

   Posted by JOHN MAASCH 03/06/2007 @ 11:45am

   john,

   i for one understand your point but when these "far left" groups are the only ones leading on the issue at hand what else can you do but support them?

   and what if their "lightning rod" status is DUE to their moral stand on the issue at hand? speaking up for peace and against militarism in this day and age is controversial in and of itself.

   Posted by katamantulo at 03/06/2007 @ 11:53am

4. MASK -- I'm not esp hopeful either but still think we've gotta try.

   JM -- These are two of the groups that have organized the call-in. I can't wish the American Legion in, a smuch as I'd love their participation.

   Posted by Peter Rothberg at 03/06/2007 @ 11:58am

5. Posted by PETER ROTHBERG 03/06/2007 @ 11:58am

   Oh sure and it's appreciated.

   But JM might have a point....getting a few VFWs or Legion halls onboard would make a HUGE splash in the Media that "one more protest" will not.

   Sorry but the "old news" factor is over-powering on these things...wish it wasnt, but it is.

   Posted by Mask at 03/06/2007 @ 12:04pm

6. LVLiberty Anti iraq war types condemn AQ and other terrorists groups all the time.That's why many of us say that we need to get out of Iraq and use our resources to go after those who attacked us.

   Posted by i'm nobody at 03/06/2007 @ 1:35pm

7. "US military force is no solution in Iraq. Diplomacy, not war, is the solution."

   Peter, neither military force or diplomacy has worked for the Iraqi people or the Iraqi government. There's a searing hatred between Sunni and Shia that's been festering for over 30 years, maybe more. I don't think anything we do will bring about any good solutions for a lasting Iraqi peace.

   And, as far as the UN is concerned, they're just as wobbly-legged as the Democrats on this issue. And I don't believe Syria and Iran are serious enough to help stabalize Iraq.

   IMO, if the world can't bring peace to the Israeli-Palastine conflict and Darfur, how can we expect them to bring peace to Iraq?

   Posted by ACook at 03/06/2007 @ 1:55pm

8. When do you and all the anti-war types actually condemn war by Al Qaeda and all the other terrorist groups?

   Posted by LVLIBERTY1 03/06/2007 @ 1:26pm

   we're not iraqis. the grievances between shia and sunni are longstanding and will have to be resolved by them. peacefully would be best, though that seems very unlikely in the current conditions.

   one way to stop the sunni insurgency against the u.s. occupation, however, is to admit this was a mistake and withdraw our troops. dismantle the embassy and military bases. promise not to interfere militarily in the middle east again.

   the bloodshed in iraq is a result of american foreign policy decisions, so its at least theoretically possible that, being americans, our government will heed our voices. that's why peter and the antiwar groups make their point to our government, not because they are sympathetic to the people who are blowing up our soldiers.

   incidentally, i guess it bears repeating that it was al qaeda who attacked the u.s. on 9/11, not the iraqi government. there was no al qaeda presence in iraq before the u.s. occupation began.

   Posted by katamantulo at 03/06/2007 @ 3:23pm

9. How about stopping the violence of those who don't respect innocent life?

   Posted by LVLIBERTY1 03/06/2007 @ 1:26pm

   ironically, this statement could be my mantra. maybe we can find common ground.

   Posted by katamantulo at 03/06/2007 @ 3:31pm

10. How about stopping the violence of those who don't respect innocent life?

    Posted by LVLIBERTY1 03/06/2007 @ 1:26pm

    How many Chinese/Russian "unborn children" would have been vaporized along with their mothers in your Korean War "Ultimate Victory" Plan, LL?

    Posted by Mask at 03/06/2007 @ 3:35pm

11. I participated in one in November. Only it wasn't a call-in, it was an election. The anti-war faction did better than before.....

    Posted by ILOVEPHYSICS at 03/06/2007 @ 3:36pm

12. When do you and all the anti-war types actually condemn war by Al Qaeda and all the other terrorist groups?

    When are you planning to speak to Al Qaeda and the "Insurgents" about their peace plans?

    This is just typical of the "criminal is the victim and the cops are the bad guys" mentality. How about stopping the violence of those who don't respect innocent life?

    Posted by LVLIBERTY1 03/06/2007 @ 1:26pm

    Permit me to explain something to you, LL. The US Government is a representative democracy which, by virtue of the first ammendment, protects the right of people to peaceably assemble and to have redress of grievances.

    One way to participate in the representative democracy is to protest (the peaceably assembling part). Thus, citizens have their voices heard.

    When I hear conservatives such as my father or you say we should protest Osama bin Laden, I am staggered by the stupidity of the statement.

    If a group of citizens wanted to protest crime in their neighborhoods, they would protest at the Mayor's office, or at the police chief's office. Why? Because protest is an act of participation in government!!!!!!! The citizens would never try to find fugitive criminals and protest to them because that is a stupid fucking idea that only a conservative could come up with.

    Osama bin Laden is a criminal, not a government of any nation.

    Posted by ILOVEPHYSICS at 03/06/2007 @ 3:45pm

13. Peter, neither military force or diplomacy has worked for the Iraqi people or the Iraqi government. There's a searing hatred between Sunni and Shia that's been festering for over 30 years, maybe more. I don't think anything we do will bring about any good solutions for a lasting Iraqi peace.

    And, as far as the UN is concerned, they're just as wobbly-legged as the Democrats on this issue. And I don't believe Syria and Iran are serious enough to help stabalize Iraq.

    IMO, if the world can't bring peace to the Israeli-Palastine conflict and Darfur, how can we expect them to bring peace to Iraq?

    First, the split between Sunnis and Shias dates from a few years before '30 years' ago. Try the 7th century. Second, this releasing of civil war was predicted by many well before we were neo-conned into Iraq. Third, 'the world' has never been able to over-rule the US and Isreal to solve the Palestinian problem, and the US has ignored all advice and suggestions in Iraq.

    So it seems ignorance and arrogance are the prime suspects for our current state of affairs, not an insoluble problem.

    Posted by jaymo at 03/06/2007 @ 6:58pm

14. LOVE L -- KATAMANTULO's very good comment says it all but.....I hope this is obvious to (and about) most people on this thread but opposing the war in Iraq has absolutely no connection whatsoever to being soft on Al Qaeda, etc. I'm writing about this antiwar action b/c I have some vain, faint hope that maybe the majority of citizens opposed to the war can help influence a change in govt polict to end it.

    Why don't I condemn Al Qaeda? Of course I'm opposed to murderous thugs who would slit my throat given the chance for about ten different reasons. I may be stubborn but I'm not an idiot. But, again, this has nothing to do with being against the war except in the respect that those who oppose the war in Iraq are generally much more serious about the threat Al Qaeda poses and fully cognizant of what a BOON to Al Qaeda the war in Iraq has been.

    Posted by Peter Rothberg at 03/06/2007 @ 7:06pm

15. but what kind of peace are they pressing for?

    (scoota... is gonna take it in the poopa)

    Posted by Will C. at 03/07/2007 @ 10:52pm