Huge news from Washington.
Still, this vote will likely go down to the wire, and the work of MoveOn members will be crucial because so many of the undecided votes in Congress are Democrats—people progressives helped elect from districts where we have tons of members.
And we have to act now, because once the bombing starts, no one can be sure what will happen next.2
Our plan is to organize a massive day of action this week to get all the people who oppose another war out in the streets. And our creative team is working overtime to create a sharp, memorable ad that will remind everyone why it's so dangerous to get involved in someone else's civil war.
We're asking you to chip in because it'll cost $200,000 to pull off the day of action and get our new TV ad noticed. Can you donate $5?
It's all so familiar. Politicians are telling us that Bashar al-Assad is like Adolf Hitler and that the intelligence is rock solid.3 Democrats who should know better are standing silent.4 And the media is beating the drum for war, promising that military engagement will be quick and easy.5
Make no mistake: There's no such thing as a simple, limited military strike, and neocons in Washington are already pushing for America to go "all-in."6
The Syrian Civil War is a tragic humanitarian disaster, and MoveOn members have been donating to relief efforts for refugees and pressing our elected officials for non-violent paths to respond to the reported use of chemical weapons. But the truth is that there isn't really a "good guy" in the war. On one hand you have a bloody dictator, and on the other you have rebel forces affiliated with al-Qaeda—in some cases literally the same people who were fighting us in Iraq and simply crossed the border.7
But while Washington might not have learned the lessons of the past decade, the American people have. Members of Congress are saying that more than 95% of the calls to their offices are against bombing, and if we can keep the pressure up, we can stop this war before it starts.8
–Anna, Joan, Mariana, Alex, and the rest of the team
Sources:
1. "Will Congress Authorize A Strike On Syria?," The Huffington Post, accessed September 6, 2013 http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=293232&id=74669-7538606-hGqPAjx&t=4
A week ago, it seemed inevitable that America would attack Syria. But as of this morning, after an outpouring of public opposition, more than 200 members of Congress are now saying they're likely voting against bombing. And according to some reports, if the vote was held today, we'd win.1
And we have to act now, because once the bombing starts, no one can be sure what will happen next.2
Our plan is to organize a massive day of action this week to get all the people who oppose another war out in the streets. And our creative team is working overtime to create a sharp, memorable ad that will remind everyone why it's so dangerous to get involved in someone else's civil war.
We're asking you to chip in because it'll cost $200,000 to pull off the day of action and get our new TV ad noticed. Can you donate $5?
It's all so familiar. Politicians are telling us that Bashar al-Assad is like Adolf Hitler and that the intelligence is rock solid.3 Democrats who should know better are standing silent.4 And the media is beating the drum for war, promising that military engagement will be quick and easy.5
Make no mistake: There's no such thing as a simple, limited military strike, and neocons in Washington are already pushing for America to go "all-in."6
The Syrian Civil War is a tragic humanitarian disaster, and MoveOn members have been donating to relief efforts for refugees and pressing our elected officials for non-violent paths to respond to the reported use of chemical weapons. But the truth is that there isn't really a "good guy" in the war. On one hand you have a bloody dictator, and on the other you have rebel forces affiliated with al-Qaeda—in some cases literally the same people who were fighting us in Iraq and simply crossed the border.7
But while Washington might not have learned the lessons of the past decade, the American people have. Members of Congress are saying that more than 95% of the calls to their offices are against bombing, and if we can keep the pressure up, we can stop this war before it starts.8
–Anna, Joan, Mariana, Alex, and the rest of the team
Sources:
1. "Will Congress Authorize A Strike On Syria?," The Huffington Post, accessed September 6, 2013 http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=293232&id=74669-7538606-hGqPAjx&t=4
"If the House voted on Syria today, Obama would 'lose big'," The Washington Post, September 6, 2013 http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=293242&id=74669-7538606-hGqPAjx&t=52. "Dempsey: Syrian rebels wouldn't back US interests," Associated Press, August 21, 2013 http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=293231&id=74669-7538606-hGqPAjx&t=6
3. Meet the Press transcript, September 1, 2013 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=293163&id=74669-7538606-hGqPAjx&t=7
4. "MoveOn.org lobbies against Syria resolution, while OFA stays neutral," The Washington Post, September 5, 2013 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=293164&id=74669-7538606-hGqPAjx&t=8
5. "Media Cheerleads For Another War: Blasts Obama For Not Rushing Into Syria," Think Progress, September 1, 2013 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=293165&id=74669-7538606-hGqPAjx&t=9
6. "Neocons Push Obama to Go Beyond a Punitive Strike in Syria," Mother Jones, August 28, 2013 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=293168&id=74669-7538606-hGqPAjx&t=10
7. "Syria's Nusra Front eclipsed by Iraq-based al Qaeda," Reuters, May 17, 2013 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=293169&id=74669-7538606-hGqPAjx&t=11
8. "DeFazio Will Likely Vote Against an Attack on Syria," KLCC, September 5, 2013 http://klcc.org/Feature.asp?FeatureID=4813
3. Meet the Press transcript, September 1, 2013 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=293163&id=74669-7538606-hGqPAjx&t=7
4. "MoveOn.org lobbies against Syria resolution, while OFA stays neutral," The Washington Post, September 5, 2013 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=293164&id=74669-7538606-hGqPAjx&t=8
5. "Media Cheerleads For Another War: Blasts Obama For Not Rushing Into Syria," Think Progress, September 1, 2013 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=293165&id=74669-7538606-hGqPAjx&t=9
6. "Neocons Push Obama to Go Beyond a Punitive Strike in Syria," Mother Jones, August 28, 2013 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=293168&id=74669-7538606-hGqPAjx&t=10
7. "Syria's Nusra Front eclipsed by Iraq-based al Qaeda," Reuters, May 17, 2013 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=293169&id=74669-7538606-hGqPAjx&t=11
8. "DeFazio Will Likely Vote Against an Attack on Syria," KLCC, September 5, 2013 http://klcc.org/Feature.asp?FeatureID=4813