The decision by President Obama to seek authorization to attack Syria presents people opposed to war with a challenge. We can stop this war, but only if we take action to do so.
To stop this war we must contact our elected representatives now; both your Senators, but especially your Representative in the House and keep doing so until the vote.
First step: Call Congress. The Congressional switchboard is 202-224-3121. Ask to be connected to the office of the senator or representative you are calling. Or you can reach them at this link.
Here are some things you can say:
1. Vote “no” on the authorization for use of military force against Syria.
2. Attacking Syria militarily is not an effective way to send a message to President Assad. US military leaders have warned the president this is a risky mission without a clear strategy. Military leaders, including the chairman of the Joints Chief of Staff, have expressed skepticism about the advisability of intervening militarily in the Syrian civil war.
3. The risk of escalation, ‘mission creep,’ is very real and is likely to involve the United States in a longer and wider war that will be very expensive in dollars and lives.
4. Intelligence officials have expressed doubts about the intelligence saying there are lots of gaps and it is not a “slam dunk.”
5. Not attacking Syria will not damage the presidency, hurt U.S. credibility, and certainly not injure U.S. national security.
6. The United States is virtually isolated in the world in pursuing military action. The UN Security Council has not approved a military attack. This makes an attack on Syria illegal under international law. Neither NATO or the Arab League have supported military action against Syria.
7. None of the military options are good, and all will likely have negative consequences for the United States. The conflicts in Syria cannot be resolved militarily.
Plan additional actions with people in your community. Plan to visit your Member of Congress or protest at their office. The will be home until September 8, so focus on them while they are home.
If you can come to Washington, DC plan to do so for the Saturday, September 7th march and Monday, September 9th when Congress returns to debate this issue.
We will be publishing updates on protest activities. Visit here for a compilation map. If you are planning a protest or antiwar event let them know at shenny@interoccupy.net.
Please pass along this message to others in your network whom you believe will be supportive. The White House is engaging in a “full court press” to win approval for U.S. military involvement in Syria. So we need to do all we can to prevent U.S. engagement in still another costly war in the Middle East.