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Testifying before the full Senate Appropriations Committee last week, Secretaries Clinton and Gates explained their strategies and budget needs in preparation for a vote on the Supplemental Appropriations for Iraq and Afghanistan. Both repeatedly said that economic assistance and diplomacy are the keys to stability and security in the region.

Well, at least the rhetoric has changed, and no wonder. Every day it becomes clearer that there is no military solution to our problems in Iraq, Afghanistan or Pakistan. The suffering caused by American air strikes inside Afghanistan and Pakistan only stirs up more fear and hatred towards the United States. Deploying 21,000 more soldiers to Afghanistan without a viable, accountable exit strategy only decreases the prospects of a negotiated settlement.

A change in rhetoric alone, however, is not enough. You wouldn't know it to hear Secretaries Clinton and Gates, but only 8% of the funds in the Supplemental bill in question - which has swelled in the last ten days from $84.3 to 94.2 billion - have anything to do with non-military measures! All the rest is standard military funding.

Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) is now introducing a bill that will require Secretary Gates to present Congress with an exit strategy for Afghanistan by December 2009. This bill already has 40 co-sponsors. To become a viable Amendment to the Supplemental, it needs more co-sponsors. Currently, the only NY Representatives on board are Maurice Hinchdy (D-22), Yvette Clarke (D-11), and Jose Serrano (D-16).

In your five minutes for peace this week, please join the National Congressional Call-in on Afhghanistan and Iraq. Call you Representative toll-free today or tomorrow at 1-800-517-5696. Ask to speak to the Foreign Policy staffer if available. Let them know that you want your Representative to:

• Join the co-sponsors of the McGovern bill as an amendment to the Supplemental;
• Insist on a exit stratgies and timelines for bringing troops home from Afghanistan and Iraq;
• Move the majority of money for Afghanistan and Iraq from the military to constructive aid, development, and diplomacy toward a negotiated settlement

Once again, thank you for your continuing efforts for peace.

In Peace,

John Bostrom and Cheryl Wertz
Peace Action Fund of New York State
info@panys.org
646-723-1749