Reply #4: Force a Fully Funded Safe and Orderly Withdrawal from Iraq [View All]

"As a growing majority of the American public continues to demand that we bring our troops home from Iraq, it is essential that we have a coordinated grassroots effort to hold elected officials accountable. PDA has understood this from the very beginning and their new 'Pledge for Peace' initiative is a great way to organize."
-- Rep. Lynn Woolsey, co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus

Rep. Lynn Woolsey Calls on Colleagues to Force a Fully Funded Safe and Orderly Withdrawal of U.S. Troops and Military Contractors from Iraq

PDA - Pledge For Peace - Sign the Petition.Washington, DC - The Co-Chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA) today issued the following statement in response to the testimony by General David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker:

"No amount of sugar coating and spin can change one simple fact - four years after the President's invasion of Iraq our troops are caught in the midst of a civil war with no end in sight, and it's up to the U.S. Congress to use the power of the purse to force the President to bring them home.

"Those of us in Congress have the power, and the responsibility, to make sure that the only funding that we approve is used to fully fund the safe and orderly withdrawal of our troops and military contractors and bring them home to their families. Last year, the American public put into power a new Democratic Majority on this very issue, and it is far past time that we live up to the trust that they have shown in us. If we fail to stand up to the President, we will fail our country morally and economically."

The voters agree with Congresswoman Woolsey. We demanded complete withdrawal of troops and military contractors from Iraq in the 2006 elections. Support Rep. Woolsey and her courageous colleagues Rep. Maxine Waters and Rep. Barbara Lee as they lead the moral, sensible members of the House demanding a fully funded, safe and orderly withdrawal. Support our troops by bringing them home safely. PDA and our grassroots allies are putting the Bush Administration and the Democratic Leadership on notice. Help keep the pressure on! Remind your Representative that the voters spoke clearly at the ballot box, telling them to end the Iraq War. Congress members must listen to their constituents if they want to keep their seats in 2008.

What you can do:

1. sign the online petition http://pdamerica.org/petition/pledge-for-peace.php

2. see if your member of Congress has already signed on the Open Letter: http://pdamerica.org/articles/misc/2007-07-20-07-59-11-misc.php

a) If so ask that he or she work with Representatives Woolsey, Waters and Lee to get more signers for the Open Letter.

b) If your Representative is not on the list they may have recently signed on, so ask if the Representative has or is going to stand with the voters and sign this historically important letter.Please explain that to sign the letter, Congress members should contact Rep. Barbara Lee or Lynn Woolsey directly. Staffers should contact Bill Goold, Executive Director of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

Contact your Congress member here: http://capwiz.com/pdamerica/issues/alert/?alertid=10170176&PROCESS=Take+Action

For more information, see: http://pdamerica.org/articles/news/2007-09-11-07-40-04-news.php

Progressive Democrats of America is a grassroots PAC that works both inside the Democratic Party and outside in movements for peace and justice. Our goal: Extend the victory of Nov. 2006 into a permanent, progressive majority. PDA's advisory board includes seven members of Congress and activist leaders such as Tom Hayden, Medea Benjamin, Cindy Sheehan and Rev. Lennox Yearwood. More info: http://pdamerica.org/