Stunning news on Syria

Americans don't want to get involved in another bloody war in the Middle East. But things have been moving so fast in Washington, we don't have much time. Can you chip in $5 to help mobilize massive days of action and cut a TV ad—before Congress votes as soon as next week?   Chip in $5

Dear MoveOn member,

Huge news from Washington.

A week ago, it seemed inevitable that America would attack Syria. But as of this morning, after an outpouring of public opposition, more than 200 members of Congress are now saying they're likely voting against bombing.¹ And according to some reports, top administration officials are starting to rethink the idea of bombing Syria in the first place.²

But they're still pushing Congress hard to authorize bombing, and this fight will likely go down to the wire. The work of MoveOn members will be crucial because so many of the undecided votes in Congress are Democrats—people progressives helped elect from districts where we have tons of members.

And we have to act now, because once the bombing starts, no one can be sure what will happen next.³

Last night thousands of MoveOn members took to the streets with an urgent message opposing strikes against Syria. Now our creative team is working overtime to create a sharp, memorable ad that will remind everyone why it's so dangerous to get involved in someone else's civil war. 

We're asking you to chip in because it's costing $200,000 to mobilize massive actions like last night and to get our new TV ad noticed. Can you donate $5?

Click here to donate $5 and help stop the rush to war in Syria.

It's all so familiar. Politicians are telling us that Bashar al-Assad is like Adolf Hitler and that the intelligence is rock solid.⁴ Democrats who should know better are standing silent.⁵ And the media is beating the drum for war, promising that military engagement will be quick and easy.⁶

Make no mistake: There's no such thing as a simple, limited military strike, and neocons in Washington are already pushing for America to go "all-in."⁷

The Syrian Civil War is a tragic humanitarian disaster, and MoveOn members have been donating to relief efforts for refugees and pressing our elected officials for non-violent paths to respond to the reported use of chemical weapons. But the truth is that there isn't really a "good guy" in the war. On one hand you have a bloody dictator, and on the other you have rebel forces affiliated with al-Qaeda—in some cases literally the same people who were fighting us in Iraq and simply crossed the border.⁸

But while Washington might not have learned the lessons of the past decade, the American people have. Members of Congress are saying that more than 95% of the calls to their offices are against bombing, and if we can keep the pressure up, we can stop this war before it starts.⁹

Can you chip in $5 today?

Click here to donate $5 and help stop the rush to war in Syria.

Thanks for all you do.

–Anna, Joan, Mariana, Alex, and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. "Will Congress Authorize A Strike On Syria?" The Huffington Post, accessed September 6, 2013
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=293232&id=74708-10220574-%3Do1noFx&t=4

2. "Kerry's Comments Are a Shift Over Strike," The New York Times, September 9, 2013
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=293500&id=74708-10220574-%3Do1noFx&t=5

3. "Dempsey: Syrian rebels wouldn't back US interests," Associated Press, August 21, 2013  
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=293231&id=74708-10220574-%3Do1noFx&t=6

4. Meet the Press transcript, September 1, 2013
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=293163&id=74708-10220574-%3Do1noFx&t=7

5. "MoveOn.org lobbies against Syria resolution, while OFA stays neutral," The Washington Post, September 5, 2013
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=293164&id=74708-10220574-%3Do1noFx&t=8

6. "Media Cheerleads For Another War: Blasts Obama For Not Rushing Into Syria," Think Progress, September 1, 2013
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=293165&id=74708-10220574-%3Do1noFx&t=9

7. "Neocons Push Obama to Go Beyond a Punitive Strike in Syria," Mother Jones, August 28, 2013
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=293168&id=74708-10220574-%3Do1noFx&t=10

8. "Syria's Nusra Front eclipsed by Iraq-based al Qaeda," Reuters, May 17, 2013
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=293169&id=74708-10220574-%3Do1noFx&t=11

9. "DeFazio Will Likely Vote Against an Attack on Syria," KLCC, September 5, 2013
http://klcc.org/Feature.asp?FeatureID=4813

 

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