Day of National Action, Nationwide Call-In to Congress: "Bring the Troops Home"
December 2005

On December 6, 2005, Win Without War and United for Peace and Justice, the two largest antiwar coalitions in the country, participated in an unprecedented, nationwide call-in to Members of Congress to demand an end to the US occupation of Iraq. According to a recent Time magazine poll, 60% of Americans disapprove of President Bush's handling of the war in Iraq, and as Members returned from their Thanksgiving recess, they were bombarded by constituents calling to bring the troops home.

2000th US Military Fatality Reported; Win Without War Member Organizations To Participate in Nationwide Vigils and Remembrance Weekend
October 2005

Win Without War member groups participated in nationwide vigils and remembrance events across the country to honor the 2000 soldiers that have died in the war in Iraq.

MoveOn.org and TrueMajority hosted over 1300 vigils in all 50 states and DC with more than 100,000 people to remember and honor our fallen soldiers and ask, "How many more?"

American Friends Service Committee organized over 600 events nationwide as part of their "Not one more death. Not one more dollar." campaign to show that the country's pro-peace majority wants Congress to stop the deaths by stopping the dollars that are funding the war.

Religious leaders of every faith called on houses of worship across the country to participate in Remembrance Weekend over the weekend of October 29th and 30th. Over 360 churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, and other houses of worship joined this national observance by recognizing this tragic milestone during their worship service.

"They Lied. They Died." Win Without War Launches a National Ad Campaign
Fall 2005

Millions of newspaper readers from Colorado to Pennsylvania saw a two-page newspaper ad on Thursday, Sept. 22, linking the lies of the Bush administration in the days leading to and immediately following the US invasion of Iraq to those Americans who have lost their lives as a result.

Win Without War National Director Tom Andrews joined the Gold Star Families at the National Press Club in Washington, DC to discuss the newspaper ad and a new TV ad featuring three Gold Star family members who lost loved ones in Iraq.

Click here to view the "They Lied. They Died." ad. It ran in the following papers: USA Today, Washington Post, Denver Post, Rocky Mountain News, Palm Beach Post, Des Moines Register, Louisville Courier-Journal, Minneapolis Star Tribune, Rochester Post-Bulletin, Omaha World-Herald, Cincinnati Inquirer, Philadelphia Inquirer, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Charleston Daily Mail

Read the supporting "They Lied. They Died." paper
Read the "They Lied. They Died" fact sheet.

Win Without War Endorses Bipartisan Resolution Calling On the President to Begin Withdrawal of US Forces from Iraq
Fall 2005

Win Without War has endorsed the bipartisan resolution, H.J.RES.55, that calls on President Bush to set a plan for beginning the phase-out of U.S. troops in Iraq. The resolution, sponsored by Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-HI) and Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC) declares that a plan for withdrawal should be announced by December 31, 2005, and the initiation of such a withdrawal should begin as soon as possible but not later than October 1, 2006.

H.J.RES.55 has been also been endorsed by General William Odom, former Director of the National Security Agency during the Reagan Administration and former Senator Max Cleland, Vietnam War veteran, former chief of the Veterans Administration and Senate Armed Services Committee member.

View the Homeward Bound resolution
View a list of current cosponsors

Attorney General Gonzales and the 'Declaration Against Torture'
Spring 2005

Last month we launched a campaign to hold Attorney General nominee Alberto Gonzales accountable for his central role in the authorization of torture and abuse of detainees at U.S. military facilities. Thanks to you, the campaign exceeded everyone's expectations. More than a quarter-million members of Win Without War organizations called, faxed, or emailed their Senators to demand that they hold Mr. Gonzales and the administration accountable.

We teamed up with new partner organizations that are on the front lines of torture and other human rights issues including Amnesty International, Human Rights First, the International Federation for Human Rights and Faithful America.

Gonzales' record is appalling. Prisoners of war from all nations have long been protected by the Geneva Conventions. In 2002, Gonzales wrote a memo to President Bush arguing the war on terror renders the Geneva Conventions "quaint" and "obsolete." His radical legal reasoning opened the door to the terrible abuses at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay. Torture isn't just immoral and illegal -- it's a strategic mistake that makes us all less safe.

View the New York Times ad.
Read the Declaration Against Torture.

Senate to Vote on $82 Billion in Additional Funds for Iraq
Spring 2005

Why should we condition approval of the $82 billion supplemental appropriation request on these conditions?

Senator Boxer just returned from Iraq and, based on what she saw, believes that a deadline for the removal of US troops is imperative.

The failure of the Bush administration to establish a plan for the withdrawal of US forces – and declare that the US will not maintain permanent military bases in Iraq – continues to make things worse. It is time for the US Congress to do what it should have done years ago – hold the Bush administration accountable.

Conditions:
1. First, that the US establishes an exit strategy with a clear timeframe for the withdrawal of US military forces; and
2. Second, that the US unequivocally declares that it will NOT construct or maintain permanent military bases or maintain permanent combat operations in Iraq.

"Successful" Incursion in Falluja Is a Major Political Defeat
Fall 2004

Win Without War's National Director Tom Andrews today called on Congress to take a close and honest look at the Bush Administration’s Iraq policy before it votes on new appropriations, calling the current fighting a successful military effort that is becoming a massive political setback.

Andrews pointed to the withdrawal from the interim Iraq government of the most prominent Sunni political party, the call for an election boycott by Sunni clerics and increased attacks by insurgents in Baghdad and other parts of the country as evidence that the U.S. military action is undermining any chance of holding legitimate elections.

Congress, said Andrews, should hold public hearings and reassess this dead-end strategy. He cited a study last May by military analyst Anthony Cordesman, published by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, which concluded: "The US can, of course, defeat the Iraqis. However, any military solution is now likely to be the kind of 'victory' that creates a new firestorm of excessive force, civilian casualties and collateral damage."

Andrews faulted the Bush Administration for failing to listen to the man it chose to be the interim Iraqi president, as well as to advice from U.N. Secretary General Kofi Anan. Speaking in opposition to an attack on Falluja, President Ghazi al-Yawar likened it to “someone firing bullets at his horse’s head because a fly landed on it. The horse died and the fly went away.”

Kofi Anan said the use of force would deepen alienation among many Iraqis and strengthen an unwanted perception there of an unending U.S. military occupation.

Tell the Truth About Iraq
Fall 2004

Late last week, the media reported that contents of the NIE analysis had been leaked which described conditions for stability and democracy in Iraq as “bleak.” Public officials who have reviewed the estimate describe the document as painting a dark assessment of the prospects for Iraq. It presents three possible scenarios: worst case is that current developments will lead to civil war and regional instability; best case is that stability will remain tenuous. The NIE report is the first on Iraq since 2002, represents the consensus view of all U.S. intelligence agencies, and was given to the President in July.

The document, prepared by the National Intelligence Council and approved by the National Intelligence Board, sharply contradicts the optimistic picture being presented by President Bush. “President Bush has had this document since July but he persists in telling the American people a very different story. The first step in getting out of a quagmire is to recognize that you are in one. President Bush is apparently unwilling or unable to take that first step,” said WWW National Director and Former US Congressman Tom Andrews.

Here’s what you can do. Together with our members MoveOn, TrueMajority, and Working Assets, we are pushing for public disclosure of the facts about the quagmire in Iraq.

Sign the petition at MoveOn.org
Send a letter to the editor (the quick and easy way) with TrueMajority.

Silent Candlelight Vigils Mark the Loss of 1000 US Soldiers
October 2004

Over 1,000 vigils were held all across the nation to reflect on this terrible moment and honor the fallen. With deep sadness and anger we face the tragic milestone of the death of one thousand patriotic Americans serving their nation in Iraq. We mourn the unnecessary loss of 1,000 American lives and many thousands of Iraqi lives. These victims and their families are paying the ultimate price for a war that was sold to the American people on the basis of false claims and was pursued without a plan to win the peace. The 1,000 fallen American soldiers and their families have honored our nation with their service and their sacrifice. They have suffered the fatal wounds of battle and the failure of their leaders.

As we mourn the loss of these brave Americans, and the thousands of innocent victims who have died in Iraq, we also demand an accounting of those responsible for this tragedy. What is the plan to win the peace in Iraq? How many more American and Iraqi lives will suffer injury and death? What further price will Americans be asked to pay? We deserve to know the truth.

Today, You Still Own Iraq
June 2004

Prior to the invasion of Iraq, Secretary of State Colin Powell reportedly warned President Bush that if he invaded Iraq, "you'll own it all.” Powell was right. The idea that Iraq achieved sovereignty yesterday is as false as the President’s insistence Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. Or that our mission was accomplished. We own it. And we’re paying for it. So far, more than $150 billion, and the requests for more just keep coming.

Sovereignty? Today, 138,000 American troops are stationed in Iraq. And more may be requested. The only true power for the foreseeable future will remain those U.S. soldiers, commanded by U.S. officers. This is the definition of occupation, and it will continue to inflame the insurgency.

View the New York Times ad

Begin the Phased Withdrawal from Iraq
June 2004

The Bush administration’s preemptive war and military occupation of Iraq have left more than 800 American soldiers dead and nearly 5,000 wounded and maimed. An estimated 10,000 Iraqis have lost their lives.

"The prisoner abuse scandal has shamed America and increased the danger to U.S. troops. The occupation is shattering hopes for genuine Iraqi freedom and undermining U.S. and international security," said former Congressman Tom Andrews (D-ME), National Director of Win Without War.

United for Peace and Justice (UFPJ) and Win Without War announced a weekend of nationwide actions including newspaper advertisements, rallies, and vigils on the weekend of June 25 - 27, just days before the US claims it will hand over sovereignty of Iraq.

Read the full statement
Read about June 30 & Iraqi sovereignty.

Military Families Urge Censure for Bush
March 2004

Military families, Win Without War, MoveOn, and representatives from Business Leaders for Sensible Priorities held a press conference on Wednesday to call on Congress to censure bush for deceiving the American public and the world. Volunteers delivered 560,340 petition signatures to House offices.

"My son, Army Lt. Seth Dvorin, who died last month while serving in Iraq, met his responsibility to the nation he loved,” said Sue Niederer of Pennington, NJ. “As his mother, I am joining hundreds of thousands of Americans today in asking that the Congress of the United States meet its responsibility, as well.”

Speaking for herself and other military families, Ms. Niederer said: “Our message to Congress today is clear: spare us the platitudes, the pious rhetoric, the empty slogans. Give us the truth. Do your job and hold those accountable who have denied us the truth. Censure President Bush for the deceptions and manipulations that led our nation to war. You owe the American people, my son and all those patriots who have sacrificed for their nation no less.”

View the MoveON TV Ad: Quicktime | MPEG | RealMedia
Read the press release
View the Business Leaders for Sensible Priorities Print Ad
Read more about the Censure Campaign

Censure the President for Misleading Us
Winter 2003/2004

We know that long before September 11th the Bush Administration was planning for war with Iraq and the subsequent occupation of the country. That decision having been made, the president ran a campaign of misinformation, of cherry-picking and doctoring intelligence, of hype and hysteria that led America into an unnecessary war.

Before the war, the president was repeatedly told there was no definitive evidence that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction. He knew Iraq was not a nuclear threat. He knew there was no Iraq connection to 9/11. Iraq posed no imminent danger to the United States. There was no case for a pre-emptive war.

There must be consequences when a president misleads the American people, and the Congress, with such disastrous results. Censure the president.

See the Washington Post ad
Read more about the Censure Campaign

Volunteers Offer to Help Bush Find the White House Leak
October 2003

Tom Andrews, National Director of Win Without War, spoke to the volunteers in front of the White House:

“Today’s action was a kind of neighborhood crime watch. A crime has been committed in the White House, only this is not just any crime – leaking the identity of a US agent investigating weapons of mass destruction is a crime against all Americans – endangering our national security as it compromises one of the government’s most important weapons against terrorism – intelligence."

“The administration’s response – denials, inaction and intimidation of investigators by the Attorney General - demonstrates a breathtaking level of cynicism, even for this town. There are some things that are more important than political cover – national security is one of them.”

Wednesday, October 22 marked the 100th day since the national security leak of Valerie Plame's CIA connection. Private citizens, outraged and concerned by this dangerous leak, tried to help President Bush speed up the snail's pace of its investigation of White House staff and other possible Bush Administration leakers. Volunteers organized by MoveOn.org offered affidavits to White House staff members as they came to work.

End the Quagmire in Iraq: Change Course - Change the Team
Fall 2003

The US occupation in Iraq has left American soldiers unprepared and vulnerable, the country degenerating into chaos, and the Iraqi people embittered and hostile. Now the President is asking Congress for a staggering $87 billion blank check to fund more of the same. Until he takes strong steps to correct this failure, Congress shouldn't give him a cent. President Bush needs to fire the team responsible—starting with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld—and transfer authority to the United Nations.

WWW sent an open letter to Congress, telling the Members to hold on to our money until President Bush changes his team and course in Iraq.

Win Without War, MoveOn Launch Ad Campaign
Summer 2003

Many Americans rallied around President Bush when he warned of the imminent danger of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. Now, months later, no weapons have been found. Worse, the evidence suggests that the American people were deliberately misled. Win Without War and MoveOn have launched an ad campaign demanding the truth.

See the New York Times ad
For more information about the controversy over justifying war in Iraq, read the Fourth Freedom Forum report, "Unproven: the Flawed Case for War in Iraq", June 2003

A Citizens' Declaration

The outbreak of war is not the end of our campaign for peace—only the beginning. Join us in signing the Citizens' Declaration to reaffirm our commitment to addressing international conflicts through the rule of law and the United Nations. The online declaration is organized by MoveOn and Win Without War.

To sign the declaration, visit www.moveon.org/declaration

Donate to the Iraqi Emergency Relief Fund
Summer 2003
(donations are closed)

Civil disorder in Iraqi cities has made it dangerous and difficult for aid organizations to carry out large-scale humanitarian relief efforts. Due to unreliable supplies of fuel, water, and electricity, hospitals are struggling to meet basic needs for refrigeration and hygiene. Diarrhea, which results from drinking contaminated water, is rampant among Iraqi children, according to Oxfam America. It can quickly lead to acute malnutrition, so restoring clean water and sanitation is critical.

You can help by contributing to the Iraqi Emergency Relief Fund, which donates all proceeds to the following humanitarian organizations: All Our Children, American Friends Service Committee, Doctors Without Borders, Mercy Corps, Operation USA, Oxfam America and UNICEF. The fund is managed by Working Assets, a Win Without War coalition member.

Urge Congress to Investigate Weapons Claims
June 2003

In the months leading up to the war in Iraq, President Bush told the American people that Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction posed an imminent threat to the U.S. Since the U.S.-led invasion and occupation of Iraq more than two months ago, the administration has not turned up any evidence of weapons of mass destruction. This failure has generated a crisis of credibility at home and abroad. What did the administration know about Iraq’s weapons and when did it know it? The House and Senate have begun holding closed-door hearings on this issue, but only a public and independent investigation will find the answers.

Contact your Senators and Representative to ask for the following:
Independent Commission: Urge your Senators and Representative to join the call for an independent, bipartisan commission to investigate the discrepancies between administration claims about Iraq’s weapons programs and the truth. The investigation should include open hearings with testimony from government and outside witnesses that conclude with an unclassified report to the American people.

Email Congress at www.moveon.org/distortion
Call Congress at 202-225-3121 (Capitol switchboard)

An Alternative to War for Defeating Saddam Hussein
May 21, 2003

In February, a delegation of U.S. church leaders accompanied by colleagues from the United Kingdom and the worldwide Anglican Communion, met with Prime Minister Tony Blair and his Secretary of State for International Development, Clare Short, to discuss alternatives to war. A six-point plan, An Alternative to War for Defeating Saddam Hussein, was developed from those discussions and subsequent conversations among the U.S. delegation.

Read the plan

Tim Robbins and Tom Andrews Speak at the National Press Club
April 15, 2003

“We are living in a crucial moment. As we eye Syria and begin the chatter that leads to war there, it is imperative for those who oppose the notion of the United States as unchecked Empire to speak out strongly against a foreign policy of military intimidation,” said actor/director Tim Robbins. “We are, as a nation, so much nobler than that.”

Statement from Tim Robbins
Statement from Tom Andrews

United Nations - Not US Military - Should Direct Relief and Reconstruction
April 12, 2003

Waging peace is the next step in Iraq. It is in everyone's best interest that the Bush administration take steps now to protect Iraqi civilians. The U.S. should ensure the following:

Civilian-Directed Relief and Reconstruction: The U.S. should turn over the administration of humanitarian aid and reconstruction in Iraq to civilian authorities. The United Nations—not the U.S. military—should play a leadership role as soon as possible. Military involvement can compromise the effective delivery of humanitarian aid and threaten the security of civilian aid workers.

Adequate Funding for Humanitarian Aid: The U.S. has a moral obligation to pay for humanitarian assistance and long-term reconstruction in Iraq. The $2.4 billion for relief and reconstruction efforts that Congress recently allocated is far less than what is needed.

March for Peace and Democracy in New York
March 22, 2003

On March 22, New York marched to stop the war in Iraq. It was organized by United for Peace and Justice NYC and endorsed by Win Without War.

Global Vigil for Peace March 16th March 16, 2003

On March 16th, 6,850 vigils for peace were held in 140 countries. The first candlelight vigil to sweep around the world was organized by Win Without War, MoveOn and many faith-based organizations. The resounding response demonstrated the widespread global opposition to war with Iraq.

Read the Press Release

Emergency Appeal to the UN Security Council
March 10, 2003

On March 10th, over 1 million citizens around the world sent an emergency appeal to UN Security Council members: Back tough inspections, not war. The petition, organized by MoveOn, was circulated in just 5 days and gathered signatures via the Internet from countries around the world.

Jessica Lange and Ethan Hawke joined Win Without War groups MoveOn and American Friends Service Committee to deliver the petition to the United Nations in New York.

Read the press release.

Virtual March on Washington
February 26, 2003

On February 26th, hundreds of thousands of Americans flooded the Senate and White House with calls and faxes saying: Don't Invade Iraq, Use Tough Inspections to Disarm Saddam Hussein.

It was a quiet, snowy day in the nation's Capitol, but Senate offices were buzzing with a constant stream of calls and faxes. White House and Senate switchboards were so overwhelmed that many callers received busy signals throughout the day.

"Americans want the U.S. to work with our allies through the United Nations to contain the threat from Iraq," said former Congressman Tom Andrews, national director of the Win Without War coalition. "The outpouring of support for tough inspections to disarm Saddam Hussein—and against an invasion and occupation of Iraq—got through loud and clear."

The Virtual March on Washington was organized by Win Without War, a coalition of 32 national nonpartisan organizations. The campaign was also endorsed by many regional organizations and networks, which spread news of the march through e-mails, phone calls and community meetings. MoveOn, a Win Without War coalition member, hosted the online headquarters for the Virtual March.