Bail Our Troops Out of Iraq & Afghanistan/Accountability NOW

WHAT: Veterans, Military Families and concerned citizens will deliver United States, Afghanistan and Iraqi flagged draped coffins and hold a memorial service outside Congressman Henry Waxman’s Los Angeles office.

WHY: As concerned citizens, we oppose military escalation in Afghanistan and support non-military solutions to the conflict. We are intent on disrupting the notion that a 'consensus' exists on the escalation in Afghanistan. We want our representatives to oppose this escalation by signing onto the bipartisan letter drafted by Rep. Walter Jones (NC-R). (See Letter Below)

In addition, We urge our congressman to sign onto the statement below requesting Eric Holder to appoint a non-partisan, independent Special Counsel to immediately commence a prosecutorial investigation into the most serious alleged crimes of former President George W. Bush, former Vice President Richard B. Cheney, the attorneys formerly employed by the Department of Justice whose memos sought to justify torture, and other former top officials of the Bush Administration.

WHEN: 11:15 A.M. April 10, 2009 Friday we will gather behind the Peace Center at 8124 W. 3rd Street, Los Angeles and then proceed with a funeral procession to Waxman’s office. (This is only .46 miles). At 12:00 noon we will arrive at Waxman’s office

We will deliver the coffins and hold a memorial service for all those killed in the occupations.

Parking: Please park near Waxman’s office as there are a number of parking locations at 3rd street and La Cineiga. (The Peace Center has requested we do not park at their location, they will have us towed!). After the event, our cars will be nearby.

WHERE: 8124 W. 3rd Street, Los Angeles; Peace Center
8436 W. 3rd Street, Los Angeles; Waxman’s Office
Walk Route

WHO: Veterans for Peace, LA Chapter; Military Families Speak Out, LA Chapter; A.N.S.W.E.R. LA; and more!

If your organization would like to endorse this action, please email.

ATTACHED LETTERS:

Re: Afghanistan

Dear Mr. President:

We have noted with some concern your announcement that an additional 17,000 US troops would be sent to Afghanistan. As the goals of our seven year military involvement remain troublingly unclear, we urge you to reconsider such a military escalation.

If the intent is to leave behind a stable Afghanistan capable of governing itself, this military escalation may well be counterproductive. A recent study by the Carnegie Endowment has concluded that "the only meaningful way to halt the insurgency's momentum is to start withdrawing troops. The presence of foreign troops is the most important element d riving the resurgence of the Taliban."

The 2001 authorization to use military force in Afghanistan allowed military action "to prevent any future acts of international terrorism against the United States." Continuing to fight a counterinsurgency war in Afghanistan does not appear to us to be in keeping with these directives and an escalation may actually harm US security.

In a tape released in 2004, Osama bin Laden stated that al Qaedas' goal was to "bleed.. .America to the point of bankruptcy" in Afghanistan. He continued, "All that we have to do is to send two mujahedeen to the furthest point east to raise a piece of cloth on which is written al Qaeda, in order to make generals race there to cause America to suffer human, economic and political losses without their achieving anything of note. . . ." We would do well to pay attention to these
threats and to avoid falling into any such trap through escalation of our military presence in Afghanistan.

We are also concerned that any perceived military success in Afghanistan might create pressure to increase military activity in Pakistan. This could very well lead to dangerous destabilization in the region and would increase hostility toward the United States.

Mr. President, in reviewing the past history of Afghanistan and the nations that have failed to conquer it -- Russia spent nine years in Afghanistan and lost many billions of dollars and more than 15,000 Russian soldiers-- we urge you to reconsider the decision to send an additional 17,000 troops and to resist pressure to escalate even further.

Sincerely,

Representative Neil Abercrombie (D-HI 1st)

Representative Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD-6th)

Representative Howard Coble (R-NC 6th)

Representative John Conyers (D-MI-14th)

Representative John J. Duncan, Jr. (R-TN 2nd)

Representative Bob Filner (D-CA-51st)

Representative Michael Honda (D-CA-15th)

Representative Walter Jones, Jr. (R-NC 3rd)

Representative Steve Kagen (D-WI-8th)

Representative Marcy Kaptur (D-OH 9th)

Representative Dennis J. Kucinich (D-OH 10th)

Representative James P. McGovern (D-MA 3rd)

Representative Ron E. Paul (R-TX 14th)

Representative Ed Whitfield (R-KY-1st)

Statement on Prosecution of Former High Officials

We urge Attorney General Eric Holder to appoint a non-partisan independent Special Counsel to immediately commence a prosecutorial investigation into the most serious alleged crimes of former President George W. Bush, former Vice President Richard B. Cheney, the attorneys formerly employed by the Department of Justice whose memos sought to justify torture, and other former top officials of the Bush Administration.

Our laws, and treaties that under Article VI of our Constitution are the supreme law of the land, require the prosecution of crimes that strong evidence suggests these individuals have committed. Both the former president and the former vice president have confessed to authorizing a torture procedure that is illegal under our law and treaty obligations. The former president has confessed to violating the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.

We see no need for these prosecutions to be extraordinarily lengthy or costly, and no need to wait for the recommendations of a panel or “truth” commission when substantial evidence of the crimes is already in the public domain. We believe the most effective investigation can be conducted by a prosecutor, and we believe such an investigation should begin immediately.

--Drafted by The Robert Jackson Steering Committee