Ending the war in Iraq has been DFA's priority from day one, and we will not stop until every soldier is home. Now we're at another critical juncture. On September 11, General Petraeus is expected to report to Congress on the success of the "surge" in Iraq. He's supposed to outline our progress and our setbacks over the past few months.

But, we already know that's not going to happen. The General's report is going to "actually be written by the White House, with inputs from officials throughout the government."¹ President Bush will try to mislead the public again with a whitewashed progress report from Iraq.

We won't let him get away with it.

America needs the truth about what's happening in Iraq. The media must be stopped from blindly "reporting" more positive spin from the Administration.

At your September Link-Up Event, please write letters to the editor of your local paper. In your own words, demand that they report the truth about the situation in Iraq. Tell them you're tired of yes-men and faulty White House reports with cherry-picked facts that hide the big picture. It's time for the media to "Tell the Truth" about what's happening on the ground.

On September 12, we'll follow up with something the media won't be able to ignore. Organize a "Tell the Truth" event outside your local media outlet.

Here's how to do it:

• Pick a local T.V. station near you. If you have a FOX affiliate pick them, but any of the networks will do.
• Keep it simple. Make at least a dozen signs in advance, the bigger the sign the better, with only three words: TELL THE TRUTH
• Don't stand still. Think of the event as a picket line, not a vigil.
• Think visually. What you wear will help sell the message. If possible - veterans, clergy, etc. should be easily identifiable.
• Timing matters. Hold your event during the evening news. Networks love to report live. Make sure your event happens from 5 to 7pm.
  
• When organizing your event, you might find the links below helpful:
  • Find a list of media outlets in your community
  • September agenda, talking points and material are available here

Post your event on our website so other DFA members can find it.

The Republicans are planning to exploit the memory of September 11 to support their failing war of choice. The Bush administration's rhetoric can not go unchallenged. The media is not at the command of the White House Press Secretary. You have the power to pressure the media to tell the truth.