10 Weeks To Testimony
if you Meant it when you said you supported the troops, your time has come
By haystack Posted in War — Comments (14) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
An organization some of you may have heard of, Vets For Freedom has stepped up to the plate. With a hat tip to gideon1789's latest here, and just before that, here, where he called out Redstate editors to stand up and be counted, and with further deference to smagar and many others who have blogged or commented on this, the MOST critical issue facing this Republic in my opinion, I offer an opportunity for all of you to coordinate your efforts with this initiative.
That's not to say you should drop your own, but everyone should be contacting these guys and aligning themselves in a central area to maximize results.
Below the fold I have pasted their release in full. To inspire you to click thru for what you can do and how you can get involved, here's a snippet of what a typical anti-war wingnut group has planned during these same 10 weeks. VFF Executive Director Pete Hegseth thinks you should know what these people are planning:
More than 100 anti-war organizers, including many students and youths, labor, community and immigrant organizers, veterans and GI organizers gathered June 16 at the Solidarity Center in New York City for the standing-room only National Antiwar Strategy and Planning Meeting. They came from as far away as California, Cleveland, North Carolina, New Orleans and Boston to discuss the need to move from protest to resistance and build a grassroots movement to stop the war. [emphasis mine]
...
The war in Iraq is not a “failed policy;” it is a horrendous crime against the Iraqi people. It must be stopped! Everyday the occupation brings more death and destruction to the Iraqi people. It brings more deaths and serious injuries to U.S. youth who are trapped in this war, and return home to find inadequate medical care and benefits.It will take an independent movement to stop the war, a movement that takes an independent road geared to mobilizing people in this country to challenge all of the war makers in Washington, that strongly demands the withdrawal of all U.S. troops NOW and calls for ending ALL war funding immediately.
Their list of demands?
* No War against Iran
* End all occupations now - from Iraq to Palestine, the Philippines, Haiti, Puerto Rico, and Afghanistan
* Impeach Bush & Cheney for War Crimes
* No to U.S. intervention – Hands off Cuba, Venezuela, Zimbabwe, and the Sudan
* Stop the raids against immigrant workers -- Full rights for undocumented workers
* Justice for Katrina survivors – End racist police terror
* Free Mumia Abu-Jamal and all political prisoners
* Money for health care, jobs and education, not endless war
Some sanity below the fold...
From the VFF announcement this morning:
The next ten weeks will be absolutely crucial in determining the fate of the Iraq War. Over the summer, Democrats (and some Republicans) on Capitol Hill, pressured by radical anti-war activists, plan to introduce legislation to undermine the mission in Iraq, just as General Petraeus, and his counter-insurgency strategy, are showing real signs of progress.
Despite the great courage and success of our troops in Iraq, many Senate Republicans are wavering in their support for the mission. And in the past two weeks alone, 3 Republican senators have raised the white flag on Iraq. If just a few more defect, the Senate could over-ride a presidential veto and set a deadline for defeat.
Amongst this political noise, in ten weeks General Petraeus will testify before Congress about the situation in Iraq. Vets for Freedom plans to lead the charge to support General Petraeus and stop anti-war radicals and politicians on Capitol Hill from undermining the troops-and their mission-for the sake of short-term political gain.
If you believe America must defeat radical Islamists in Iraq, we need you to get involved with Vets for Freedom's "Ten Weeks to Testimony." For the next ten weeks, you will receive an email every Monday morning, outlining how you can make a difference during that week. This is a call to duty! The time for action is now!
And if you're not sure if you should get involved, check out what radical anti-war groups are planning. They go so far as to "express solidarity with the resistance movements in [Iraq and Afghanistan]." This is an outrage, and we mustn't let groups like this-and their loud voices-intimidate Congress. There is too much as stake!
What You Can Do This Week!
Week #1: Call 10 Senators
Below is a list of 9 Republican Senators who-this week-could end up wavering on their support for the mission in Iraq. Over the course of the week, call all 9 senators-and call at least one senator from your home-state. These senators need to hear from Iraq & Afghanistan veterans, and those who support them, about the need to complete the mission in Iraq and defeat Al Qaeda & Co. When you call, the following 3 points should be emphasized:
1. General Petraeus deserves enough time to implement a winning counter-insurgency strategy in Iraq.
2. Retreat means a failed state in Iraq and a safe haven for Al Qaeda to plan future attacks against America and her allies.
3. Decisions about Iraq should be made by military commanders and generals on the ground-not politicians in Washington, DC.For more tips and information about what to say when you call, please read the "Call Tips" section at the end of this email. We have provided a word-for-word script.
Here is the list of Republican senators to call:
01)Lamar Alexander (Tennessee) (202) 224-4944
02)Sam Brownback (Kansas) (202) 224-6521
03)Saxby Chambliss (Georgia) (202) 224-3521
04)Norm Coleman (Minnesota) (202) 224-5641
05)Susan Collins (Maine) (202) 224-2523
06)Michael Enzi (Wyoming) (202) 224-3424
07)Jeff Sessions (Alabama) (202) 224-4124
08)Ted Stevens (Alaska) (202) 224-3004
09)John Sununu (New Hampshire) (202) 224-284110) Your Senator [Follow this link for a directory of all U.S. Senators]
* When you're done with the calls, just shoot a quick email to info@vetsforfreedom.org and let us know. We will compile the volume of calls and make sure our presence is heard. If you had any particularly interesting exchanges, we'd love to hear about it.
* Remember: 10 calls will take less than 30 minutes. Please do your duty for the country today!
Want to talk to Pete direct?
email to pete(at)vetsforfreedom(dot)org.
More to come...
« We need more COIN in the Afghan realm — Comments (0) | Just In Case You Need A Reminder Of What Is At Stake In Iraq — Comments (11) »
10 Weeks To Testimony 14 Comments (0 topical, 14 editorial, 0 hidden) Post a comment »
The Win the War Campaign will try to coordinate with groups like Vets 4 Victory, A Gathering of Eagles, Vets for Freedom, and others.
We need to get together as many as we can now and begin a massive push immediately. August is also an important time because our congressmen will return to their home offices and we can meet with them in person. Get together a group of family and friends, invite the media, and schedule an appointment with your closest Rep and/or Senator.
We cannot wait until September. The anti-war crowd will roar into Washington and try to end the debate before Gen. Petraeus even testifies. A Gathering of Eagles is already planning to intervene http://gatheringofeagles.org/forum?forum=3&topic=105
We will get together with them and others to be as strong as we can. We don't necessarily need to go into the streets. That's the game of the Far Left. We might want to try direct lobbying, for instance, of individual congressmen.
We must rise up as fast as we can.
Join the Win the War campaign, joshlevy@yahoo.com, www.win-the-war.com.
Our leaders waver, but we can give them the courage they need.
We cannot let this fall report be pigeon holed into an all or nothing on the future of Iraq. Like some magical report card to support Iraq or not. I believe the MSM and anti war crowd will try to create unattainable high expectations.
We have to win the war on liberalism here before we can win the war on terrorism there.
Ask not what you can do for your country, ask what your country can do for you. Washington Elected Elite
I've forward this link over to some of my friends. Lamar is my Senator, so I'll call him today and work on the rest of this list ASAP.
"PUT ME IN COACH - I'M READY TO PLAY"
I rec'd my email from GOE and am awaiting further orders to let the President and the troops know that they can and they should win this war.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,288735,00.html
and it says the Iraqi gov't gets an "F".
So what now? Really. What now. where do we go? We never discussed Iraq. We never discussed what to do when it went bad.
What do we do now?
Where have all the Statesmen gone?
And no one responds...
This is tragic...i hope the liberals are right...cause we're out of iraq. I would rather have a national debate on what to do...but we can't. I'd settle for a www.redstate.com debate....but it isn't happening.
We have not direction. We have no leader. It's time to move on.
Please, conservatives...find a new leader. Abondon this one. For the good of the country. I am liberal, but feel this country needs conservatives....give me an alternative, or abandone bush...please...for love of coutry...
Where have all the Statesmen gone?
...the Left is still trying to win by shaving off support from the Right.
You want power? Take it from us, if you think that you're hard enough.
Moe
PS: While we're on the subject: calling-out diaries and comments come under the disruptive-for-its-own-sake section of the Posting Rules. Particularly when the first and second half of them come so close together.
You will now apologize to the board for your attempt at cruelty. :ka-click: Next post, or last post. Your call.
PPS: Your opinion of me is immaterial; your obedience is not.
The Fuzzy Puppy of the VRWC. I've been usurped!
...thought i was being pretty fair. Hoping for honest debate between a conservative leader and a liberal one seems a noble hope.
I'm sorry you took it differently. I was definitely bashing Bush, but meant no disrespect to the board. If you have a particular problem with what I said, or how I called it out, please elaborate and I'll re-evaluate.
In the interest of full disclosure...I'm stlatty72.
I've tried to inquire as to the specific nature of my offense. If I understand my offense then my apology could, you know, be meaningful.
I've read and re-read the posts. If you are referring to my lamanting the lack of response to my message, please know that I wasn't bad mouthing the board, simply frustrated at the lack of those online at the time. I meant no disrespect as I enjoy the debates at redstate.
I see how my words could be construed otherwise, and I'm sorry.
Can I have my ID back?
Thanks
PS...I do disagree with you.
Some who have read my posts might think that I am a liberal because I oppose the current occupation in Iraq, but rest assured I am not a liberal in any way, shape or form. In many cases I'm an extremist. There is a news story about Syria invading Lebanon, excuse me but I really dont care if they kill everyone over there, as long as America isn't involved I could care less.
This list of demands is the kind of thing that enrages me, I would rather see us stay in Iraq for a 100 years then support this kind of liberal crap.
If your rallying against them, count me in!
I listened to the second part of the Fred Thompson interview and although he doesn't support withdrawal from Iraq, I support him. I dont like the quagmire that Iraq has become but I trust that Fred knows a whole lot more then I do and I have to go along with whatever he say's. In my heart and gut I feel that Fred Thompson is the ONE. If you need a person to ralley behind, I cant think of anyone better suited. So, if your going to join in on this fight against the liberals, come on board with Fred and let him lead this fight.
The demoncrats and the enemedia constantly project their actions and responses on republicans. Nice way to "conceal" their actions by blaming the other guy of the methods they employ and intend to use. Whatever happened to putting America first and personal agendas second?
I am angry enough to spit and my wife has kicked me to the back porch to smoke a cigar while I cool down. Our military is the only force capable of winning any war any time period!!!!!!!!
Unfortunately we cannot elect or throw out the bunch soon enough to insure our valiant soldiers have time to win this war!
Demoncrats are all in favor to send our troops to Afghanistan or Sudan or any other place to be in the line of fire or harms way but not in IRAQ; the blatent hypocracy continues to amaze me.
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It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.
--Aristotle