Leaving Afghanistan by Staying?

This article is re-posted from Voices for Creative Non-Violence (VCNV).

President Obama has signed an agreement with President Karzai to keep a major U.S. military presence in Afghanistan (currently about three times the size Obama began with) through the end of 2014, and to allow a significant unspecified military presence beyond that date, with no end date stipulated.

But Obama forgot to provide any reason not to withdraw from Afghanistan now. Rep. Barbara Lee has a bill for withdrawal now.

Tell Congress to back HR 780.



Obama spoke of a transition to Afghan control, but we’ve heard that talk for a decade.  He talked of fighting al Qaeda, but the U.S. has not been fighting al Qaeda in Afghanistan, and has admitted for years that there is virtually no al Qaeda presence there.

The agreement requires that all “entities” involved in a peace process renounce violence, but the Taliban will no more do that while under foreign occupation than the United States will do so while occupying.  This is not a serious plan to leave.  Nor is it a plan based on Afghan sovereignty.

The agreement says it becomes effective when “the Parties notify one another, through diplomatic channels, of the completion of their respective internal legal requirements.”  The U.S. Constitution requires ratification by the Senate of all treaties.

Tell Congress to insist on its right to approve or reject this plan.

A more detailed agreement will be worked out on May 20th when NATO meets in Chicago.  Activists for peace and justice need to be there!

Get involved now!

Roots Action, Veterans For Peace, Fellowship of Reconciliation, and Voices for Creative Nonviolence are working together to end the war in Afghanistan and are jointly issuing this call for peace.