WASHINGTON - November 30 - On November 30^th, representatives of 34 antiwar groups delivered an open letter to President Obama strongly opposing his anticipated decision to escalate the war in Afghanistan with the commitment of tens of thousands of additional U.S. troops. 

The document called increased war spending, in light of the ongoing U.S. economic crisis, an "utter folly" and named the war "a war against ordinary people, both here in the United States and in Afghanistan," which "if continued, will result in the deaths of hundreds if not thousands of U.S. troops and untold thousands of Afghans" and "cause other people in other lands to despise the U.S." as "the world's richest nation making war on one of the world's very poorest."

The signatories pledged "to keep opposing this war in every nonviolent way possible.  We will urge elected representatives to cut all funding for war. Some of us will be led to withhold our taxes, practice civil resistance, and promote slowdowns and strikes at schools and workplaces."

Signed by veterans and peace activists and religious leaders the document represents one of the most widespread antiwar coalitions in decades, including many of the organizations which, in 2003, brought millions onto the streets to oppose the U.S.-Iraq war.

Signers to the letter are urging their colleagues to participate in local demonstrations the day after an announcement of troop escalations is made.

The letter ends by warning President Obama, "we will do everything in our power, as nonviolent peace activists, to build the kind of massive movement -- which today represents the sentiments of a majority of the American people - that will play a key role in ending U.S. war in Afghanistan.  Such is the folly of your decision and such is the depth of our opposition to the death and suffering it will cause."

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President Barack Obama
The White House
Washington, D.C.

November 30, 2009

 

Dear President Obama,

With millions of U.S. people feeling the fear and desperation of no longer having a home; with millions feeling the terror and loss of dignity that comes with unemployment; with millions of our children slipping further into poverty and hunger, your decision to deploy thousands more troops and throw hundreds of billions more dollars into prolonging the profoundly tragic war in Afghanistan strikes us as utter folly. We believe this decision represents a war against ordinary people, both here in the United States and in Afghanistan.  The war in Afghanistan, if continued, will result in the deaths of hundreds if not thousands of U.S. troops, and untold thousands of Afghans.

Polls indicate that a majority of those who labored with so much hope to elect you as president now fear that you will make a wrong decision -- a tragic decision that will destroy their dreams for America. More tragic is the price of your decision. It will be paid with the blood, suffering and broken hearts of our young troops, their loved ones and an even greater number of Afghan men, women and children.

The U.S. military claims that this war must be fought to protect U.S. national security, but we believe it is being waged to expand U.S. empire in the interests of oil and pipeline companies.

Your decision to escalate U.S. troops and continue the occupation will cause other people in other lands to despise the U.S. as a menacing military power that violates international law. Keep in mind that to most of the peoples of the world, widening the war in Afghanistan will look exactly like what it is: the world's richest nation making war on one of the world's very poorest.

The war must be ended now. Humanitarian aid programs should address the deep poverty that has always been a part of the life of Afghan people.

We will keep opposing this war in every nonviolent way possible. We will urge elected representatives to cut all funding for war. Some of us will be led to withhold our taxes, practice civil resistance, and promote slowdowns and strikes at schools and workplaces.

In short, President Obama, we will do everything in our power, as nonviolent peace activists, to build the kind of massive movement --which today represents the sentiments of a majority of the American people--that will play a key role in ending U.S. war in Afghanistan.

Such would be the folly of a decision to escalate troop deployment and such is the depth of our opposition to the death and suffering it would cause.

Sincerely, (Signers names listed in alphabetical order)

Jack Amoureux, Executive Committee

Military Families Speak Out

 

Michael Baxter

Catholic Peace Fellowship

 

Medea Benjamin, Co-founder

Global Exchange

 

Frida Berrigan

Witness Against Torture

 

Elaine Brower

World Can't Wait

 

Leslie Cagan, Co-Founder

United for Peace and Justice

 

Tom Cornell

Catholic Peace Fellowship

 

Matt Daloisio

War Resisters League

 

Marie Dennis, Director

Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns

 

Robby Diesu

Our Spring Break

 

Pat Elder, Co-coordinator

National Network Opposing Militarization of Youth

 

Mike Ferner, President

Veterans For Peace

 

Joy First, Convener

National Campaign for Nonviolent Resistance

 

Sara Flounders, Co-Director

International Action Center

 

Sunil Freeman

ANSWER Coalition, Washington, D.C.

 

Diana Gibson, Coordinator

Multifaith Voices for Peace and Justice

 

Jerry Gordon, Co-Coordinator

National Assembly To End Iraq and Afghanistan Wars and Occupation

 

Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb

Shomer Shalom Network for Jewish Nonviolence

 

David Hartsough

Peaceworkers San Francisco

 

Mike Hearington, Steering Committee

Georgia Peace and Justice Coalition, Atlanta

 

Larry Holmes, Coordinator

Troops Out Now Coalition

 

Mark C. Johnson, Ph.D., Executive Director

Fellowship of Reconciliation

 

Hany Khalil

War Times

 

Kathy Kelly, Co-Coordinator

Voices for Creative Nonviolence

 

Leslie Kielson , Co-Chair

United for Peace and Justice

 

Malachy Kilbride

National Campaign for Nonviolent Resistance

 

Adele Kubein, Executive Committee

Military Families Speak Out

 

Jeff Mackler, Co-Coordinator

National Assembly to End Iraq and Afghanistan Wars and Occupations

 

Imam Abdul Malik Mujahid, Chair-Elect

World Parliament of Religion

 

Michael T. McPhearson, Executive Director

Veterans For Peace

 

Gael Murphy, Co-founder

Code Pink

 

Michael Nagler, Founder

Metta Center for Nonviolence

 

Max Obuszewski, Director

Baltimore Nonviolence Center

 

Pete Perry

Peace of the Action

 

Dave Robinson, Executive

Director Pax Christi USA

 

Terry Rockefeller

September 11th Families For Peaceful Tomorrows

 

Samina Sundas, Founding Executive Director

American Muslim Voice

 

David Swanson

AfterDowningStreet.org

 

Carmen Trotta

Catholic Worker

 

Nancy Tsou, Coordinator

Rockland Coalition for Peace and Justice

 

Kevin Zeese

Voters for Peace