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Press Release
Win Without War
1320 18th Street, NW, Fifth Floor
Washington, DC 20036
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, June 16, 2005
CONTACT: Jessica Smith or Trevor FitzGibbon, Fenton
Communications (202) 822-5200
Win Without War Coalition Endorses Bi-Partisan Joint
Resolution to End the War in Iraq
To Launch National Grass-Roots Campaign to
“Bring our Troops Home”
Win Without War Director, Fmr. Congressman Tom Andrews (D-ME)
Available For Interviews
Washington DC – Win Without War, the nation’s
largest antiwar coalition, announced its support today of bi-partisan
legislation calling for an end to the war in Iraq. The resolution,
introduced today by a bi-partisan group of members led by Rep. Walter
Jones (R-NC) and Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-HI) calls for the Bush
Administration to announce a plan for the withdrawal of all U.S.
forces from Iraq by the end of the year and to initiate the plan
as soon as possible.
“We are pleased that there are members of Congress from both
political parties who are willing to speak for the strong majority
of Americans who believe it is past time to start bringing our troops
home from Iraq,” said Former Congressman Tom Andrews (D-ME),
National Director of Win Without War. “The administration’s
policy in Iraq is failing. There is no light at the end of the tunnel,
only the lights from oncoming trains in the form of daily suicide
bombings and ambushes. It is time to start bringing our men and
women in uniform home.”
According to a Gallup poll released last week, three-quarters of
Americans support a withdrawal of some or all troops starting immediately.
The national coalition, that includes MoveOn.org, the National Council
of Churches, True Majority, Sojourners, Working Assets and the National
Organization of Women, is planning a national grassroots outreach
campaign encouraging Members of Congress to sign onto the bi-partisan
resolution.
“The administration says the 140,000 American men and women
in uniform will leave only when Iraqi security forces can do the
job of battling the insurgency. But this is not an ‘exit strategy.’
U.S. military forces are a continuing incitement to nationalist
insurgency and regional anti-Americanism. We are locked in a battle
against an insurgency that can be continually replenished and will
fight to the end to get the United States out of its country. For
every insurgent killed, three take his place,” Andrews said.
U.S. Generals are now quoted as saying that training Iraqi security
forces could take two years or more. Others privately say this is
optimistic. Iraqi security troops, although growing in number, are
not gaining in effectiveness.
“Iraq’s future will be determined by how the political
struggle among its factions plays out. The U.S. military occupation
only complicates, and defers resolution of that struggle,”
said Susan Shaer, Co-Chair of Win Without War and Executive Director
of Women’s Action for New Directions. “Meanwhile, over
1,700 American soldiers have been killed in Iraq. Many tens of thousands
of Iraqis have also died,” she said.
“It is a truism that there are no longer any good options
in Iraq. The question is how long will U.S. policy makers pursue
a failing policy at an unacceptable cost, human and financial. It
is time the Congress demand a plan for a phased withdrawal of U.S.
forces,” Andrews said.
Win Without War National Director Tom Andrews is available for
interviews. Please contact Trevor FitzGibbon or Jessica Smith at
202-822-5200.
Win Without War members include: 20/20 Vision, American
Friends Service Committee (AFSC), American-Arab Anti-Discrimination
Committee, Business Leaders for Sensible Priorities, Center for
International Policy, Citizens for Global Solutions, Conference
of Major Superiors of Men, Council for a Livable World, Families
USA, Feminist Majority, Fourth Freedom Forum, Global Exchange, Greenpeace,
Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR), MoveOn, NAACP,
National Council of Churches USA, National Gay and Lesbian Task
Force, National Organization for Women (NOW), NETWORK A National
Catholic Social Justice Lobby, Pax Christi USA, Peace Action, Physicians
for Social Responsibility (PSR), Psychologists for Social Responsibility,
Rainbow/Push Coalition, Shalom Center, Sojourners, Soulforce, The
Tikkun Community, TrueMajority, Unitarian Universalist Association
of Congregations , United Church of Christ, United Methodist Church
General Board of Church and Society, Us Foundation, USAction, Veterans
for Peace, Women's Action for New Directions (WAND), Working Assets,
Artists United to Win Without War, Musicians United to Win Without
War.
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