Letter to DEMOCRATS ABROAD
DOWNLOAD LETTER HERE pdf format
sent to Democrats Abroad on June 28, 2007
Dear Democrats Abroad:
We the undersigned anti-war groups call upon Democrats Abroad, its 70 country organizations, its local chapters within those countries and its individual members, to join us in condemning publicly and resolutely the pro-war actions of the Democratic Party.
We do so knowing that within the Democratic Party and Democrats Abroad there are thousands of members who are sincerely against war in general and against the war in Iraq in particular. Increasing numbers have been voicing their dismay and disillusionment about the Democratic Party, including such well-known current and former Democrats as Cindy Sheehan, Jimmy Carter, Dennis Kucinich and Cynthia McKinney.
We know and recognize that in the past Democrats Abroad came out strongly against the occupation in Iraq, against the troop build-up in Iraq, against a possible attack on Iran and against the Military Commissions Act.
However in the past criticism was confined to the Bush Administration and did not acknowledge that many (and in some cases most) Democratic legislators voted to support the Bush Administration in pursuing and justifying the war.
In the November 2006 election the Democratic Party gained control of both houses of Congress. This victory was recognized as a mandate from the American people to bring the Iraq war to an end. The Congress has done very little in this regard. Nor have they made any effort to invalidate The Military Commissions Act or repeal The Patriot Act. Nor have they supported the impeachment of President Bush or Vice-President Cheney.
Instead they have played politics with the lives of thousands of US soldiers and millions of Iraqi people, have failed to defend the US Constitution, and have even increased the possibility of more wars in the future by not taking a firm stand against an attack on Iran.
We are now asking you to broaden your criticism by publicly condemning these actions and omissions of the Democratic Party.
By doing so you will have much more effect than your past criticisms and resolutions against the Bush Administration because you will be putting pressure where that pressure will be felt: on your own organization, in the name of Democrats Abroad.
Just as US citizens have the responsibility to speak out against theaggressive policies of our government, so Democrats should speak out against the Democratic Party whose actions before November did not prevent war and since November have actively facilitated war.
We end by quoting Democratic Senator Robert Byrd's comments opposing the October 2002 Iraq Resolution (supported by a majority of Democratic Senators) which gave President Bush the constitutional authority to invade Iraq:
'Congress might as well just close the doors, put a sign over the doors and say: 'Going fishing.' Put a sign on the Statue of Liberty up here: 'Out of business.' That is exactly, that is precisely what we are about to do, if we vote for this resolution as it is currently written.'
As U.S citizens we must try and prevent the same thing happening now when the Democratic Party controls both houses of Congress (thanks to the anti-war vote of November 2006) and has the constitutional power to end the war.
Yours sincerely in peace and justice:
Americans for Peace and Justice, Montpellier, France
Americans Against the War, France
American Voices Abroad, Beirut, Lebanon
U.S. Citizens Against War, Florence, Italy
U.S. Citizens for Peace & Justice - Rome
Munich American Peace Committee, Munich, Germany
American Voices Abroad Military Project, International
DOWN LOAD LETTER HERE pdf format
sent to Democrats Abroad on June 28, 2007
Dear Democrats Abroad:
We the undersigned anti-war groups call upon Democrats Abroad, its 70 country organizations, its local chapters within those countries and its individual members, to join us in condemning publicly and resolutely the pro-war actions of the Democratic Party.
We do so knowing that within the Democratic Party and Democrats Abroad there are thousands of members who are sincerely against war in general and against the war in Iraq in particular. Increasing numbers have been voicing their dismay and disillusionment about the Democratic Party, including such well-known current and former Democrats as Cindy Sheehan, Jimmy Carter, Dennis Kucinich and Cynthia McKinney.
We know and recognize that in the past Democrats Abroad came out strongly against the occupation in Iraq, against the troop build-up in Iraq, against a possible attack on Iran and against the Military Commissions Act.
However in the past criticism was confined to the Bush Administration and did not acknowledge that many (and in some cases most) Democratic legislators voted to support the Bush Administration in pursuing and justifying the war.
In the November 2006 election the Democratic Party gained control of both houses of Congress. This victory was recognized as a mandate from the American people to bring the Iraq war to an end. The Congress has done very little in this regard. Nor have they made any effort to invalidate The Military Commissions Act or repeal The Patriot Act. Nor have they supported the impeachment of President Bush or Vice-President Cheney.
Instead they have played politics with the lives of thousands of US soldiers and millions of Iraqi people, have failed to defend the US Constitution, and have even increased the possibility of more wars in the future by not taking a firm stand against an attack on Iran.
We are now asking you to broaden your criticism by publicly condemning these actions and omissions of the Democratic Party.
By doing so you will have much more effect than your past criticisms and resolutions against the Bush Administration because you will be putting pressure where that pressure will be felt: on your own organization, in the name of Democrats Abroad.
Just as US citizens have the responsibility to speak out against theaggressive policies of our government, so Democrats should speak out against the Democratic Party whose actions before November did not prevent war and since November have actively facilitated war.
We end by quoting Democratic Senator Robert Byrd's comments opposing the October 2002 Iraq Resolution (supported by a majority of Democratic Senators) which gave President Bush the constitutional authority to invade Iraq:
'Congress might as well just close the doors, put a sign over the doors and say: 'Going fishing.' Put a sign on the Statue of Liberty up here: 'Out of business.' That is exactly, that is precisely what we are about to do, if we vote for this resolution as it is currently written.'
As U.S citizens we must try and prevent the same thing happening now when the Democratic Party controls both houses of Congress (thanks to the anti-war vote of November 2006) and has the constitutional power to end the war.
Yours sincerely in peace and justice:
Americans for Peace and Justice, Montpellier, France
Americans Against the War, France
American Voices Abroad, Beirut, Lebanon
U.S. Citizens Against War, Florence, Italy
U.S. Citizens for Peace & Justice - Rome
Munich American Peace Committee, Munich, Germany
American Voices Abroad Military Project, International
DOWN LOAD LETTER HERE pdf format
