I recommend, however, that you avoid posting the same comment on different blog entries. If you want to directly engage the topic being discussed in the comments sections (I phrase this because sometimes the comment threads are off-topic, or not discussing their blog entry’s given topic), and then bring up Peace Action as it relates, great, but your cut-and-paste comments are tantamount to spam.

#74 I can understand your frustration … but, be careful with what you ask! you might get it!

Peace Action, the merger of SANE and The Nuclear Freeze, has effectively mobilized for peace and disarmament for nearly fifty years.

As the nation’s largest grassroots peace group we get results: from the 1963 treaty to ban above ground nuclear testing, to the 1996 signing of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, from ending the war in Vietnam, to blocking weapons sales to human rights abusing countries, and eliminating funding for new nuclear weapons, Peace Action and its 100,000 members have been, and continue to be, at the forefront of the international movement for peace.

At Peace Action we believe…

…that war is not a suitable response to conflict.

For nearly 50 years Peace Action has worked for an environment where all are free from violence and war. We understand that long standing global conflicts require long-term solutions, and that US foreign policy has a lasting effect on the world. We are working to promote a new US foreign policy that is based on peaceful support for human rights and democracy, reducing the threat from weapons of mass destruction, and cooperation with the world community. We are against pre-emptive war, and call for a full withdrawal of American troops from Iraq.

…that every person has the right to live without the threat from nuclear weapons.

There are still over 30,000 nuclear weapons in the world. The US and Russia still have thousands of nuclear weapons, on hair trigger alert—ready to launch in minutes. While the Cold War may have ended, the nuclear threat has not. The only way to ensure that nuclear weapons will never be used – whether purposefully, or accidentally – is global abolition. The U.S. must lead the way to a safer world by taking our weapons off hair trigger alert, halting our research and development of new nuclear weapons and disarming and demilitarizing our warhead stockpile of over 10,000 nuclear warheads. We can reduce the threat to the world posed by nuclear weapons, but we must start by getting serious about getting rid of our own weapons of mass destruction.

…that America has the resources to both protect and provide for its citizens.

As the Pentagon’s budget soars to $400 billion, 17% of American children live in poverty. Basic infrastructure is crumbling, school are using outdated textbooks, and millions of Americans are without basic health insurance.

For what the US will spend on the War in Iraq, 26,701,621 children could have attended a year of Head Start, we could have built 1,815,194 additional housing units for the poor, we could have hired 3,493,706 additional public school teachers for one year, and we could have provided 9,772,998 students four-year scholarships at public universities(source – National Priorities Project). We believe that these are priorities that should come before war.

What we do at Peace Action…

We are the nation’s largest grassroots Peace network, with over 28 state affiliates, and over 100 local chapters. We organize our grassroots network to place pressure on Congress and the Administration through write-in campaigns, internet actions, citizens lobbying and direct action. Through a close relationship with progressive members of Congress, we play a key role in devising strategies to move forward peace legislation, and, as a leading organizing member of United for Peace and Justice and the Win Without War coalition, we lend our expertise and large network to achieving common goals.

Through our Peace Voter awareness campaigns, we inform citizens about their choices for both local and national campaigns, by highlighting different candidates’ stances on issues relating to peace. Our annual Congressional Voter Guide gives credit to those in Congress who voted for a peaceful future, while holding accountable those who voted for larger Pentagon budgets, spending tax dollars on nuclear weapons, and voted for wars of aggression and occupation.

Given the right tools, ordinary people can change the world.

At Peace Action, we recognize that real change comes from the bottom up and we are committed to educating and organizing at the grassroots level.

When you join Peace Action you become part of an effective citizen movement. We work hard to keep you informed through our quarterly newsletter and publications about the most important news and issues in the peace movement. As a member you can join our Action Alert Network which allows citizens throughout the country to rapidly respond to important legislation online. As a member, you can become an important part of a fast growing national movement, and help us change the direction of our country and the world towards a more sustainable, peaceful future.

Together, we have the power to change the world.

Support Peace.

http://www.peace-action.org/

Congress voted to allow the use of force in October 2002 in case Saddam refused to allow the UN inspector into Iraq with full access, as defined by the UN inspectors.

The UN inspectors arrived in Iraq about December 2002. It was in February 2003 that Blix reported back to the UN that inspections had failed to uncover any WMD in Iraq or that Saddam had restarted a nuclear program. One month later, Bush kicked the UN inspectors out and we invaded.

A lot happened in the 5 months between when Congress passed the resolution on use of force should Saddam not comply with UN resolutions and when the invasion started. It was not concurrent action by a long shot.

Phylo out

American soldiers, just like any country´s soldiers are being used since day one for the benefit of the few powerful people in the country. Wars are made by the ruling class to hold more power and they have to convince their soldiers that there is an evil enemy waiting to attack that country, thats what Hitler´s junta and propaganda did to convince german soldiers about jews, polish, russians, etc. Now, the only wars for justice are fought by the people: Viet-cong and russian people, for example. The vietcong werent soldiers in the usual sense, russian people were repairing tanks while the fight raged on in Stalingrad. So, soldiers are toys, sadly. Organized people are unstoppable.

…what are the american people going to do about it?

Not only did Cheney orchestrate the outing of a covert CIA operative, but he outed the whole WMD unit operating under the brass-plate cover company Brewster Jennings. How many of our operatives were tortured and/or killed because of Cheney?

Comment by Jay Randal #20

Whoa Jay!

…are you helping THEM?

Phylo out.

Furthermore, Cheney said there was “No Doubt” Iraq had WMD’s because that is what he believed.

Phylo: Does it not bother you that he had no evidence to back it up? Are you telling me that it’s okay to go to war if the VP concocts fictional stories in his mind about WMD? Where is your evidence that Cheney had any any evidence on which to base this “no doubt” assesment?

And why don’t you respond to my specific charges in comment #50?

And why do you think that the White House never bothered to ask for an NIE?

Phylo out.

Comment by Juan C

The American soldiers are kicking ass… I am just doing my duty as a citizen that depends on their ass kicking to look out for THEIR asses back here at home. The soldiers fight in the field… and our duty is to make sure they are never abused by our elected leaders and to make our elected leaders pay when they do abuse the willingness to sacrifice that the soldiers have demonstrated for over 200 years.

do a Google search on this:

“roger_roger wmd site:thinkprogress.org”

Really, it’s all the link you need.

Comment by Roger_Roger

The white house came to Congress asking for an authorization to go to war with the entire middle east according to Dick Lugar (R-Senate).

They not only refused they put preconditions on the use of force against Iraq. Those preconditions did not occur and the White House attacked anyway…. real simple isnt it?

Assassinations and military coups are the greatest dangers to a democracy.