Thursday, March 10, 2005
PACIFICA COMMENTARY FOR FEBRUARY 9, 2005
THE BUDGET
When you call your members of Congress today and the rest of the week, please consider the following recommendations. Remind them that there is not one cent in this new and massive budget to pay for endless wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Therefore when they receive the new request for 80 billion more as a supplemental appropriation request they should:
1. Oppose any new funds: No supplemental 80 billion dollars for endless war. Any new funds should be allocated solely for troop withdrawal and interim troop protection.
2. End the occupation: Halt U.S. military actions immediately, shift U.S. troops to the borders of Iraq and leave no U.S. bases behind. Support Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey's (D-CA) resolution calling on the President to begin the immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.
3. Support Iraqi sovereignty: Give Iraqis full control over reconstruction funds including Iraqi ministries, new police and security forces. Terminate contracts with U.S. companies and turn projects over to Iraqis while providing transparent accounting of all U.S. contracts.
4. Stabilize Iraq: Commit to long-term U.S. financial support for Iraqi- led reconstruction and allow the UN and other international agencies to support an Iraq democracy free from U.S. intervention.
5. Provide real support for our troops: End the "stop-loss" policies that keep troops on active duty far beyond their contracts. Provide thorough psychological counseling, health care, and benefits to returning Iraq war veterans and their families. Bring our troops home!
And while we hypocritically turn our sights on Iran accusing that country of having an incipient nuclear weapons program, US nuclear weapons spending has grown by 84% since 1995. The total cost of our nuclear forces is 40 billion anually. This includes ten thousand nuclear warheads with some 2,000 on hair-trigger alert. By what warped logic do we think we have a right to these genocidal instuments? And we are the only power that has used them.
The proposed budget is an immoral document. Anyone concerned about moral values in or out of government should simply reject it. Where your treasure is, there your heart will be.
When you call your members of Congress today and the rest of the week, please consider the following recommendations. Remind them that there is not one cent in this new and massive budget to pay for endless wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Therefore when they receive the new request for 80 billion more as a supplemental appropriation request they should:
1. Oppose any new funds: No supplemental 80 billion dollars for endless war. Any new funds should be allocated solely for troop withdrawal and interim troop protection.
2. End the occupation: Halt U.S. military actions immediately, shift U.S. troops to the borders of Iraq and leave no U.S. bases behind. Support Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey's (D-CA) resolution calling on the President to begin the immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.
3. Support Iraqi sovereignty: Give Iraqis full control over reconstruction funds including Iraqi ministries, new police and security forces. Terminate contracts with U.S. companies and turn projects over to Iraqis while providing transparent accounting of all U.S. contracts.
4. Stabilize Iraq: Commit to long-term U.S. financial support for Iraqi- led reconstruction and allow the UN and other international agencies to support an Iraq democracy free from U.S. intervention.
5. Provide real support for our troops: End the "stop-loss" policies that keep troops on active duty far beyond their contracts. Provide thorough psychological counseling, health care, and benefits to returning Iraq war veterans and their families. Bring our troops home!
And while we hypocritically turn our sights on Iran accusing that country of having an incipient nuclear weapons program, US nuclear weapons spending has grown by 84% since 1995. The total cost of our nuclear forces is 40 billion anually. This includes ten thousand nuclear warheads with some 2,000 on hair-trigger alert. By what warped logic do we think we have a right to these genocidal instuments? And we are the only power that has used them.
The proposed budget is an immoral document. Anyone concerned about moral values in or out of government should simply reject it. Where your treasure is, there your heart will be.
