American troops have unnecessarily been in harm's way for far too long. The invasion of Iraq, begun in March 2003, has dragged on with no end in sight. Long after Bush's infamous "Mission Accomplished" appearance in May of 2003, American casualties continue to mount: over 3500 dead and tens of thousands seriously wounded. The American occupation has failed to stabilize Iraq, instead fanning the flames of civil war. Rather than acknowledge his mistakes and bring our troops home, Bush incredibly escalated this unjust war.

Concerned citizens and dedicated activists must continue to take action to safely bring our troops home and bring this unnecessary war to an end. You can help: write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper, calling for an end to our involvement in Iraq. 

Actions: 

1. Write letters to local, state, and national publications, calling for a safe withdrawal of our troops out of Iraq now.
   
   New Jersey area newspapers: Go to our NJ Media Corps Online Action Center:
   
   http://www.usmediacorps.org/nj/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=40
   
   National media: Use to the Congress.org Media Guide at:
   
   http://www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/media/
2. Sign any or all of the below petitions:
   
   End War Funding, Begin War Investigations
   http://www.democrats.com/peoplesemailnetwork/90
   
   Tell Our Congress START Bringing Our Troops Home NOW (CODEPINK/The Peace Team)
   http://www.peaceteam.net/
   
   Finally, A Plan to End the War - Support HR508
   http://capwiz.com/pdamerica/issues/alert/?alertid=9264251
   
   The Declaration of Peace: Taking Action for a New Course in Iraq:
   https://secure.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizationsORG/declaration/sign-the-declaration.jsp

Letter writing tips: 

In your letter, use some (not all) of the talking points (see below). Two or three is a good number. Keep your letter short and to the point. For more background, see the articles and research linked below.

Good luck and hope to see you in print!

NJ Media Corps

Talking points: 

•  American operations in Iraq now cost $12 billion a month, and the total cost of the war could reach $1.4 trillion, according to a new report from the Congressional Research Service.
• According to the Global Policy Forum, since 2003, the US has been building long-term military bases in Iraq and a mammoth embassy complex in Baghdad. Although Washington refuses to acknowledge that the bases are permanent, the billions of dollars spent on these projects suggest that the US sees Iraq as a client state.
• According to the Bush Administration, the notion that the occupation of Iraq was a means to gain control over that country’s vast oil reserves is “nonsense” and “a myth.” However, in February, 2007, the proposed draft of a new law to structure Iraq’s oil industry was leaked, and it is now being considered by the Iraqi parliament. This constitutes a plunder of Iraqi oil wealth and confirms that this was a war for oil.
• We've been fighting in Iraq for longer than we fought in World War II. There is a full-blown civil war there.
• No weapons of mass destruction were ever found. The Bush administration cooked the intelligence data, The war was based on lies.
• Saddam Hussein is gone and the Iraqi people held multiple elections.  For the Iraqi people to be truly free, the United States must stop occupying their country.
• The 2006 elections were a referendum on Iraq, and the president lost.
• The occupation has caused a humanitarian crisis in Iraq. According to UNHCR, there are 1.9 million internally displaced people in the country and 2 million refugees escaped to neighboring countries, especially Syria and Jordan. Unemployment and poverty rose sharply, too.

Articles and Research:  

Poll: Calls To Get Out Of Iraq Escalate
77% In CBS News Poll Say War's Going Badly
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/06/29/opinion/polls/main2998882.shtml

Iraqi Oil Law
http://priceofoil.org/thepriceofoil/war-terror/iraqi-oil-law/

Tomgram: Michael Schwartz on The Prize of Iraqi Oil
http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/7303

Permanent Bases
http://www.globalpolicy.org/security/issues/iraq/permindex.htm

Iraq's Humanitarian Crisis
http://www.globalpolicy.org/security/issues/iraq/attack/crisisindex.htm

CRS Report for Congress on the Cost of Iraq, Afghanistan and Other Global War
on Terror Operations Since 9/11
http://blog.wired.com/defense/files/RL33110.pdf

A Nationwide Campaign Between Now and September 21, 2007 To Defund the War
and Establish a Comprehensive Peace Plan for Iraq
http://declarationofpeace.org/

An Open Letter to America: "Now is the time for us to stand up and stand together"
By Rev. Lennox Yearwood, PDA Advisory Board Member
http://www.pdamerica.org/articles/news/2007-07-02-09-16-41-news.php

Pelosi: Ending the War in Iraq
July 3, 2007, Washington, DC
http://www.pdamerica.org/articles/alliances/2007-07-03-11-28-23-alliances.php

H.R.508
Title: To require United States military disengagement from Iraq, to provide United States assistance for reconstruction and reconciliation in Iraq, and for other purposes.
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:h508:

Important Links:  

CODEPINK
http://www.codepinkalert.org/

Iraq Veterans Against the War
http://www.ivaw.net/

United for Peace and Justice
http://www.unitedforpeace.org/

Veterans For Peace:
http://www.veteransforpeace.org/

Global Policy Forum
http://www.globalpolicy.org/

Troops Out Now Coalition
http://troopsoutnow.org/index.html

The Smirking Chimp
http://www.smirkingchimp.com/

Camp Casey Peace Institute
http://www.thecampcaseypeaceinstitute.org/

Progressive Democrats of America
http://www.pdamerica.org/