[Occupymendocino] petition-No war against syria

[agnes at mcn.org]

Background

The neocon war criminals who took the U.S. into an illegal and disastrous
war in Iraq are back - and demanding a Syria War.

The Shock and Awe bombing of Baghdad in 2003 that launched the disastrous
Iraq WarWe say No!

Attacking Syria won't reduce the violence - it will only escalate it with
devastating consequences for Syrians and Americans, as we learned so
painfully in Iraq.

The U.S. invasion of Iraq killed 100,000 to 600,000 Iraqi civilians. For
Americans, the invasion killed 4,486 U.S. troops and wounded 32,223. Of
the 2.3 million U.S. troops who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, roughly
20% suffer from PTSD or Traumatic Brain Injury, and hundreds commit
suicide each year. For returning troops and their loved ones, the war is
never over.

President Obama may prefer sending missiles and bombs from a distance, but
these are acts of war that can easily lead to all-out war with Syria.

Moreover Syria, unlike Iraq, has the support of major military powers like
Russia and Iran, which could lead to a much larger war across the entire
Middle East.

Economically, the U.S. absolutely cannot afford war with Syria. The Iraq
War cost the U.S. economy $3 trillion and helped cause the Great Recession
of 2008, which has still not ended.

Since Republicans refuse to raise taxes, the inevitable costs of a Syrian
War will come from food stamps, education, health care, environmental
protection, and Social Security. The American people adamantly oppose cuts
to these essential programs.

These are among the reasons a solid majority of Americans oppose a Syria War.

The U.S. cannot solve Syria's civil war by turning that war into a U.S.
war - instead we must increase our efforts to find a diplomatic solution.
Petition

A solid majority of Americans oppose a Syria War - and I am one of them.

The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq were disastrous, both in human and
economic terms. War in Syria is likely to be even worse.

We have no idea who we're fighting for - Al Qaeda?

Moreover we already have a federal budget crisis that is causing
devastating cuts to food stamps, Head Start, and other crucial programs.
We have absolutely no money for a new Syria War.

A U.S. war is not the solution to Syria's civil war - we need increased
diplomacy instead.

As your constituent, I demand that you vote against a Syria War, and block
any funds for any military actions that could start such a war.