E-News: A Vote to End the War
May 8, 2012
Afghanistan: A Vote to End the War; Your Letters Made a Difference; Kenya: Setting the Stage for Peace; Action for Conflict Prevention; What's New: Congress Draws up Blueprints for War; Flyer: U.S. and Israeli Officials Agree; Goodbye to Intern Hilary; Real Jobs, Real Security: No Keystone Pipeline; Fact Sheet: Saving Billions on the Pentagon; FCNL in the News; Recent FCNL Statements; War is Not the Answer Photo of the Week: Washington, DC
Afghanistan
Vote on the War Coming Next Week
This week is a flurry of activity in Congress on military and foreign policy as the House Armed Services Committee considers the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in preparation for a vote next Wednesday (5/16) by the full House of Representatives. The amendments the House will consider to the NDAA, which is the main military policy bill, could be the only votes on foreign policy the full House considers in the next few months.
As a Quaker organization, FCNL does not support the authorization of military funds. However, several amendments that will be offered to the bill will provide your representative with the opportunity to support a responsible withdrawal of the U.S. military from Afghanistan. We also expect amendments on Iran, nuclear weapons, the Pentagon budget and detainee policy.
Your Letters Made a Difference
Your letters last week persuaded thirteen new House members to add their names to a letter Reps. Barbara Lee and Walter Jones plan to send to the president. Find out if your representative was one of them.
Kenya
Setting the Stage for Peace
We have an opportunity to promote prevention of violence around the next presidential election in Kenya which could have a major impact on the entire region of East Africa. During my recent visit to Kenya, I spoke with Kenyan Quakers and other faith and civil society groups that are working to build an infrastructure for peace. Quakers and others, including many governmental agencies and the United Nations Development Program are working to prevent deadly conflict. Read my blog on what we can tell U.S. policymakers about Kenya policy.
Caption: Attendees of the World Conference of Friends in Kenya gather with an FCNL "War is Not the Answer" sign.
Action for Conflict Prevention in Kenya
Our work on U.S. policy can complement the work of our colleague organizations on the ground in Kenya working to prevent violence. We are lobbying Congress and the Administration here in Washington. You can help by contacting your own members of Congress and urging them to invest in conflict prevention.
The Complex Crises Fund, a State Department account that has played an important role in supporting peacebuilding efforts in Kenya, is being threatened with deep budget cuts.
Read the letter FCNL sent to President Obama this week that includes specific recommendations for U.S.-Kenya policy. Too often, our government is trying to stop deadly violence that is already taking place. Right now, our government has an opportunity to support Kenyans who are trying to create structures to address the root causes of instability and prevent violence around the Kenyan elections.
What's New:
Congress is drawing up blueprints for war with Iran that will be included in next week's vote on military spending. Read more.
U.S. and Israeli security officials agree that Iran does not have nuclear weapons and has not decided to build one. Download our new flyer and share it.
Intern Hilary Johnson (center) is leaving us to continue her studies at Georgetown. In addition to working with Kate Gould on the Hill to prevent war with Iran, Hilary also helped manage the Iran postcard campaign. We'll miss you Hilary!
Real Jobs and Real Security are what Congress should be debating. The Keystone XL Pipeline will provide neither. Read more.
Fact Sheet: Practical Options to Save Billions in the Military Budget. This sheet details just a few of the many ways that the U.S. can cut the Pentagon.
- "One Year Later: Bin Laden and the Cycle of Violence," Sojourners, 5/1/12
See more recent mentions of FCNL in the news
- Faith Statement on Unemployment
- Convention on the Rights of the Child Sign-on Letter
- Interfaith Letter to the President on LGBT Discrimination
War is Not the Answer Photo of the Week: Washington, DC
FCNL's Kate Gould joined a lobby visit to Rep. Keith Ellison's (MN) office with the Minnesota Peace Project, colleagues from Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP), and the National Iranian American Council (NIAC).
Order your own War Is Not the Answer sign and see where this movement is showing up across the country. Find out how to submit your photo.
