Article from AfterDowningStreet.org
By Mike Hersh
Unfortunately, despite calls like the letter below and common sense, the US Senate today voted overwhelmingly to take a first clear step toward war with Iran. The Kyl-Lieberman Amendment is exactly as described in the letter from 25 organizations. 76 to 22. It wasn't even close!
What are we going to do about it?
Will the US attack Iran? Why not a sense of Congress vote against it? Why not a public outcry against the next horrendous, illegal, immoral, self-defeating war?
How can anyone vote for a Senate resolution seeking international doom? This story isn't covered at all. That's why the neocons feel (know?) they can act with impunity. I'm tired of playing defense and I'm tired of arguing about how best to protest / end a war that should never have started. I don't want to spend the next five or ten years protesting against another war we should work together to prevent. What are we doing about it now?
Code Pink, the encampment against war in DC, and others are already working on projects, but we have to come together and break through into the general public. It's up to us to galvanize opposition to war with Iran NOW before the drum beat drowns out all opposition. We're already
hearing the demonization of Iran. The media are ready to pick up their pompoms and start cheerleading us into yet another war. It's impossible to play "catch up" after the "shock and awe" begins. By then it's way too late. What are you and I doing today to prevent war tomorrow?
We need to call our Senators, write letters to the editors, and get active. It's time for all sane Americans to join the call: NO WAR WITH IRAN! Let's get on with it.
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Dear Senator,
We are writing to urge you to vote "No" on the Kyl-Lieberman Amendment
No. 3017 to the Fiscal year 2008 Defense Authorization bill. The
Kyl-Lieberman amendment is a provocative measure that will only
undermine efforts to resolve tensions with Iran through diplomacy.
Provocative measures such as the Kyl-Lieberman amendment can lead to a
tit-for-tat escalation resulting in military confrontation between the
U.S. and Iran. There are no good military options for solving our
disagreements with Iran. By further destabilizing the Middle East, a
military confrontation with Iran would result in disastrous and
unintended consequences damaging to the interests of U.S., Israel, and
indeed the entire world. If we have learned nothing else from Iraq, it
is that there are limitations to the use of military force.
We strongly caution against any legislation that increases the chances
of military force being used against Iran. The current crises must be
resolved through diplomacy, not military action. A military
confrontation with Iran would have disastrous consequences for security
throughout the region and put U.S. forces in Iraq in far greater danger.
We urge all Senators to vote "No" on the Kyl-Lieberman amendment No.
3017 to the Fiscal Year 2008 Defense Authorization bill.
Signed,
Former Congressman Tom Andrews
National Director
Win Without War
Medea Benjamin
Founding Director
Global Exchange
John Burroughs
Executive Director
Lawyers' Committee on Nuclear Policy
Jacqueline Cabasso
Executive Director
Western States Legal Foundation
Will Callaway
Legislative Director
Physicians for Social Responsibility
Simone Campbell
Executive Director
NETWORK, A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby
Tim Carpenter
Director
Progressive Democrats of America
Michael Eisenscher
National Coordinator
U.S. Labor Against the War
Adam G. Gerhardstein
Legislative Assistant for International Issues
Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations
Morton H. Halperin
Executive Director
Open Society Policy Center
Amy Isaacs
Executive Director
Americans for Democratic Action
John Isaacs
Executive Director
Council for a Livable World
(Rev.) James Kofski, M.M.
Associate, Asia/Pacific and Middle East Issues
Maryknoll Global Concerns
Washington, D.C.
Lynn Kunkle
Policy Director
3D Security Initiative
Rabbi Michael Lerner,
Editor, Tikkun Magazine
Chair, The Network of Spiritual Progressives
Kevin Martin
Executive Director
Peace Action
Tom Mattzie
Washington Director
Moveon.org
Mary Ellen McNish
General Secretary
American Friends Service Committee
Gael Murphy
Co-founder
CODEPINK:Women for Peace
Robert Naiman
National Coordinator
Just Foreign Policy
Trita Parsi
President
National Iranian American Council
Marie Rietmann
Public Policy Director
Women's Action for New Directions
Sue Udry
Legislative Coordinator
United for Peace and Justice
Joe Volk
Executive Secretary
Friends Committee on National Legislation
James E. Winkler, General Secretary
General Board of Church and Society
United Methodist Church
_____________
Here are two ideas:
SIGN THIS: http://www.dontattackiran.org
COME TO THIS: Saturday September 29 noon at US Capitol http://www.troopsoutnow.org
______________
Senate vote:
Akaka (D-HI), Nay
Alexander (R-TN), Yea
Allard (R-CO), Yea
Barrasso (R-WY), Yea
Baucus (D-MT), Yea
Bayh (D-IN), Yea
Bennett (R-UT), Yea
Biden (D-DE), Not Voting
Bingaman (D-NM), Nay
Bond (R-MO), Yea
Boxer (D-CA), Nay
Brown (D-OH), Nay
Brownback (R-KS), Yea
Bunning (R-KY), Yea
Burr (R-NC), Yea
Byrd (D-WV), Nay
Cantwell (D-WA), Not Voting
Cardin (D-MD), Yea
Carper (D-DE), Yea
Casey (D-PA), Yea
Chambliss (R-GA), Yea
Clinton (D-NY), Nay
Coburn (R-OK), Yea
Cochran (R-MS), Yea
Coleman (R-MN), Yea
Collins (R-ME), Yea
Conrad (D-ND), Yea
Corker (R-TN), Yea
Cornyn (R-TX), Yea
Craig (R-ID), Yea
Crapo (R-ID), Yea
DeMint (R-SC), Yea
Dodd (D-CT), Nay
Dole (R-NC), Yea
Domenici (R-NM), Yea
Dorgan (D-ND), Yea
Durbin (D-IL), Nay
Ensign (R-NV), Yea
Enzi (R-WY), Yea
Feingold (D-WI), Nay
Feinstein (D-CA), Yea
Graham (R-SC), Yea
Grassley (R-IA), Yea
Gregg (R-NH), Yea
Hagel (R-NE), Yea
Harkin (D-IA), Nay
Hatch (R-UT), Yea
Hutchison (R-TX), Yea
Inhofe (R-OK), Yea
Inouye (D-HI), Nay
Isakson (R-GA), Yea
Johnson (D-SD), Yea
Kennedy (D-MA), Nay
Kerry (D-MA), Nay
Klobuchar (D-MN), Yea
Kohl (D-WI), Yea
Kyl (R-AZ), Yea
Landrieu (D-LA), Yea
Lautenberg (D-NJ), Nay
Leahy (D-VT), Yea
Levin (D-MI), Nay
Lieberman (ID-CT), Yea
Lincoln (D-AR), Yea
Lott (R-MS), Yea
Lugar (R-IN), Yea
Martinez (R-FL), Yea
McCain (R-AZ), Yea
McCaskill (D-MO), Yea
McConnell (R-KY), Yea
Menendez (D-NJ), Nay
Mikulski (D-MD), Yea
Murkowski (R-AK), Yea
Murray (D-WA), Nay
Nelson (D-FL), Yea
Nelson (D-NE), Yea
Obama (D-IL), Not Voting
Pryor (D-AR), Yea
Reed (D-RI), Nay
Reid (D-NV), Nay
Roberts (R-KS), Yea
Rockefeller (D-WV), Nay
Salazar (D-CO), Yea
Sanders (I-VT), Nay
Schumer (D-NY), Nay
Sessions (R-AL), Yea
Shelby (R-AL), Yea
Smith (R-OR), Yea
Snowe (R-ME), Yea
Specter (R-PA), Yea
Stabenow (D-MI), Nay
Stevens (R-AK), Yea
Sununu (R-NH), Yea
Tester (D-MT), Yea
Thune (R-SD), Yea
Vitter (R-LA), Yea
Voinovich (R-OH), Yea
Warner (R-VA), Yea
Webb (D-VA), Yea
Whitehouse (D-RI), Nay
Wyden (D-OR), Nay
