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Win Without War  

For Immediate Release:                                                         Contact:
Tuesday, July 27, 2010                                                             Gena Madow (202) 822-5200 x245 

Win Without War Launches Last Minute Push Against Afghanistan War Funding

146 Votes Will Defeat Afghanistan Appropriation

Coalition Members including MoveOn.org, True Majority, Peace Action, CREDO Action, Urge Membership to Call Congress Before Afternoon Vote

Organizations of the Win Without War coalition have launched a nation-wide effort to flood Congress with appeals for a no vote on the Supplemental Appropriation for Afghanistan.  The debate on the measure occurred this morning and the vote is expected later this afternoon. MoveOn.org is among the coalition member organizations who are making the appeal to their members throughout the nation.

Because the measure is being taken up under suspension of the rules, two-thirds of the House will need to support the bill in order for it to pass. 146 votes against the war funding will defeat the measure.

Tom Andrews, former Member of Congress (D-ME) and National Director of the Win Without War coalition released the following statement:

“The House of Representatives has an historic opportunity today to apply the brakes to the runaway train of endless war in Afghanistan. The secret documents released Sunday by WikiLeaks provide 92,000 additional reasons why they should do so.

It was July 1 when 162 Members of the House voted for Congressman Jim McGovern’s amendment requiring an exit strategy with a time certain for US combat troops to be withdrawn.  The leaked documents underscore why the open ended military commitment to the second most corrupt government on earth makes no sense. Under the rules of the House, if these 162 House Members hold their ground today and vote against sending an additional $33 billion for this endless war, the motion to pass the appropriation will be defeated.

The Wikileaks documents demonstrate why those 162 Members of the House were so right in casting their vote against an open ended military commitment to the government of Afghanistan.  They include detailed accounts, for example, of how the Pakistani government—which receives over $1 billion a year from the U.S.—is supporting attacks on U.S. troops by the Taliban. 

They also include a previously hidden 2007 report by the US Civil Affairs Office about how Afghans view their government: “The people of Afghanistan keep loosing (sic) their trust in the government because of the high amount of corrupted government officials. The general view of the Afghans is that the current government is worst (sic) than the Taliban.” This makes any counterinsurgency strategy mission impossible to achieve regardless of the number of soldiers who are sent into harm’s way.

It is unconscionable to send American men and women to Afghanistan to risk their lives for a strategy that is built on quicksand.  Congress has the power and the duty to stand with our soldiers who have been put into harm’s way and vote against endless war in Afghanistan. All that is required is 146 of the 162 McGovern amendment allies to hold their ground and stand tall today.  We are urging them to do so.”

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