It's National Call-in Day: No timeline, no exit strategy. Stop the funding!

Subject: It's National Call-in Day: No Timeline! No Exit Strategy! Stop the Funding!

It's National Call-in Day: No Timeline! No Exit Strategy! Stop the Funding!

To reach the Washington Switchboard: 202-224-3121 or 202-225-3121

Congress is steps away from passing the $625.8 billion 2010 Defense Budget, which contains approximately $128.2 billion to conduct the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq through September 2010.

So far the White House has offered no timetable and no "exit strategy" for Afghanistan. To the contrary, General McChrystal is calling for tens of thousands of additional American troops and a long-term commitment, which could tie the United States down in Afghanistan for years to come.

This is the original meaning of "a quagmire"-when every step taken to escalate a war makes it harder than ever to leave. At this critical moment, members of Congress need to get a powerful message from their constituents that we need a different policy in Afghanistan -one that emphasizes diplomacy and humanitarian assistance. Without any plan to bring the war to an end, Congress should not give another" blank-check" to the White House for continued fighting.

United for Peace and Justice, CODEPINK, Peace Action, Progressive Democrats for America, Just Foreign Policy, AfterDowningStreet and Voters for Peace (list still in formation) believe that a public outcry is vitally important now, when the Pentagon is so obviously leaning on the President and Congress to escalate a costly, destructive and ultimately un-winnable war.

Join the National Call-in Day and tell your Senators and Congressional Representatives to vote against the 2010 Defense Appropriations bill. When making this call, urge them to co-sponsor Congressman James McGovern's H.R. 2404 that would require President Obama to provide an "exit plan" from Afghanistan no later than December 2009. For a list of co-sponsors of the McGovern bill:

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d111:h.r.02404

Growing numbers of Senators and Congressional Representatives have expressed concerns over US policy in Afghanistan. It is hypocritical to raise so many questions and then turn around and provide "blank check" funding for another year of war.

Call the Capitol Hill Switchboard: 202-224-3121.

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