E-News: Call on Congress to Prevent War with Iran

September 18, 2012

Call on Congress

The drum beat for war with Iran is growing in Washington and Israel. As FCNL and now Washington Post writer Walter Pincus have warned, our country should not make the same mistakes with Iran that were made with Iraq.

This week, as Congress returns to Washington, please call your senators to urge them to give diplomacy a chance. Ask your senators to read a new report by nearly three dozen former U.S. military officers and national security experts in which they warn that bombing Iran would be costly and potentially counterproductive. Many of these experts add that there is still time for diplomacy with Iran. Encourage your senators to make a speech on the floor of the Senate in support of the report's findings.

When you use FCNL’s toll free number 855-68 NO WAR (855-686-6927) to call the congressional switchboard, you must ask for your senators by name. After you call, please let us know what reaction you received and we will put your action on the map.

What's New

• Checkbook Checklist: Your action now could help determine what Congress does to manage our nation’s checkbook after the elections. Will you follow this checklist of actions to persuade Congress to make sharp cuts in Pentagon spending? This week, encourage 5 friends to email their members of Congress.
• Countdown to the Quaker Public Policy Institute! Less than two months from now, Washington will be full of advocates for a more peaceful federal budget. Will you be there?
• What would budget sequestration mean for the federal spending that matters most to you? Tila Neguse takes a look at the White House report released last week.
• The presidential candidates are finally talking about climate disruption. Keep the climate emergency on the agenda by asking your candidates whether they believe climate disruption is a threat to their constituents now and in the future.
• Welcome Barbara Monahan, our new associate executive secretary for development. Barbara joins us from Hopkins School in New Haven, CT. A member of New Haven Friends Meeting, Barbara brings years of experience in fundraising in academic and nonprofit settings.
• This week, meet two more of our program assistants:
  
  Rachel Kent works with David Culp in the nuclear disarmament program. Despite a good innate sense of direction, Rachel has enjoyed frequently getting lost in DC and going on adventures throughout the city.
  
  Christine Letts is one of two program assistants with a twin (Rachel is the other). While not raised a Quaker, both Christine and her sister now work for Quaker organizations. Christine works with Alicia in communications.
• What supports all of this work? Your generosity! Your donation today helps provide the resources, trainings, and tools to make you a more effective advocate for the issues of most concern to you – preventing war with Iran, stopping climate disruption, and more. What is that worth to you?

War Is Not the Answer Photo of the Week: Chapel Hill, NC to Washington, DC

Policy Committee member Eric Ginsburg rode his motorcycle for peace -- all the way from Chapel Hill, NC to Washington, DC. Eric traveled 280 miles to participate in the committee’s discernment about our legislative priorities for 113th Congress.

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.