Dr. Rashad Pleads with You: Call Congress

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Dr. Rashad Pleads with You: Call Congress!

Long but a lot of very good info

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On Wednesday Dr. Rashad Zidan, an Iraqi pharmacist and humanitarian, gave a powerful, moving, eloquent talk at NCSU at a wonderful event organized by the CodePink, NC Peace & Justice, the NCSU campus democrats, NCSU campus greens, MENASA (Middle Eastern & North African Student Association) and with great assistance from Dr. Gerald Surh. With over 130 people in attendance, Dr. Rashad spent nearly 2 hours answering audience questions about the reality of war and occupation in Iraq. An outstanding article by Saja Hindi and Curtis Martin in Thursday's Technician outlines many of her arguments for a speedy withdrawl by US occupation forces - online at: http://www.technicianonline.com/media/paper848/news/2006/03/23/News/Iraqi.Pharmacist.Relates.Experiences-1713981.shtml?norewrite200603231425&sourcedomain=www.technicianonline.com

At the heart of many Iraqi's call for an end to the occupation are many of the same concerns of the peace & justice movement:

*The presence of US troops puts ordinary Iraqis in a catch 22 - If they work with the occupation forices, they are collaborators. If not, they are targeted as insurgents.
*Occupation troops fuel the fire of a growing insurgency, which attracts foreign fighters and terrorists into the battle, and creates divisions among Iraqis where there were none before.
*The US Occupation has used divide and conquer tactics, arming the very militias which commit acts of atrocity against fellow Iraqis.
*The Occupation forces and mercenaries in Iraq are getting away with crimes that undermine any attempt at establishing a justice system or civil society.

Once US troops leave, the majority of Iraqi's can put their energy into building a coalition government, holding accountable elections, rebuilding their society, and providing for their security. The hard-core foreign and fundamentalist fighters still represent a small proportion of the resistance, and Iraqi society will better be able to handle this element once the fuel to their fire has been removed. The sooner the occupation ends, the more likely it is that Iraq as a society can survive.

Dr. Rashad met with Representative Price and Miller during her visit, pleading with them to end the suffering by ending the occupation. She also asked that all of us support her and all those in Iraq working for peace by being a voice for change with our elected officials.

NC Peace & Justice again encourages everyone across the state to contact members of Congress while they are on recess in their districts. If you haven't already, please make a call or fax to your Representative and Senator to their district and DC offices by Monday - you can even leave a voice mail over the weekend!

House Votes to Spend Another $72 Billion on War; Peace Movement Victory on "No Permanent Bases"March 17th, 2006

First, the Bad News ...Rushing through debate in order to get out of town for the St. Patrick's Day Recess, the House passed Bush's $92 billion Emergency Supplemental Appropriation request. The request included $19 billion for hurricane relief, which caused some Representatives to vote for the bill.

Silver Lining:In a voice vote, the House approved the Lee-Allen-Hinchey-Schakowsky Amendment, assuring that "None of the funds in this Act may be used by the US government to enter into a basing rights agreement between the United States and Iraq." This victory is a direct result of the pressure the peace movement. Although the House passed the supplemental spending bill, we can take heart in the 71 votes against the bill. Last year only 43 members of the House were willing to stand up against the war.

Some Resolutions to ask Congress to Support:

Rep Conyer’s H.Res.635 - Creating a select committee to investigate the Administration's intent to go to war before congressional authorization, manipulation of pre-war intelligence, encouraging and countenancing torture, retaliating against critics, and to make recommendations regarding grounds for possible impeachment. http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:HE00635:@@@P No NC co-sponsors

Rep Murtha’s H.J.Res.73 - To redeploy U. S. Forces from Iraq. http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:HJ00073:@@@P - Cosponsors include NC Rep Butterfield

The Senate will begin to consider the supplemental appropriation on March 30, aiming to finish before their Spring Recess (April 7–24). The Senate is generally more willing and able to consider amendments to appropriations bills, and we can expect a "No Permanent Bases" amendment to be offered in the Senate. Your Senators will be in their home states March 17–26, make sure they hear from you. Your message: Support a "No Permanent Bases" amendment, and vote against any appropriation for the War in Iraq.

Free Call to All Congress… 877-762-8762House of Representatives

(Name, DC Phone, NC Phone, Office Location)
Rep. G. K. Butterfield (D - 01) 202-225-3101, 252-237-9816 Wilson
Rep. Bobby Etheridge (D - 02) 202-225-4531, 910-814-0335 Lillington
Rep. Walter B. Jones (R - 03) 202-225-3415, 800-351-1697 Greeneville
Rep. David E. Price (D - 04) 202-225-1784, 919-967-7924 Chapel Hill
Rep. Virginia Foxx (R - 05) 202-225-2071, 828-265-0240 Boone
Rep. Howard Coble (R - 06) 202-225-3065, 336-333-5005 Greensboro
Rep. Mike McIntyre (D - 07) 202-225-2731, 910-735-0610 Lumberton
Rep. Robert Hayes (R - 08) 202-225-3715, 888-207-1311 Concord
Rep. Sue Myrick (R - 09) 202-225-1976, 704-362-1060 Charlotte
Rep. Patrick McHenry (R - 10) 202-225-2576, 828-327-6100 Hickory
Rep. Charles H. Taylor (R - 11) 202-225-6401, 828-251-1988 Asheville
Rep. Melvin L. Watt (D - 12) 202-225-1510, 704-344-9950 Charlotte
Rep. Brad Miller (D - 13) 202-225-3032, 919-836-1313 Raleigh

Senator Burr http://burr.senate.gov/
Washington, DC Office 217 Russell Senate Office BuildingWashington, DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-3154 Fax: (202) 228-2981
Asheville OfficeFederal Building151 Patton Avenue, Suite 204Asheville, NC 28801
Phone: (828) 350-2437 Fax: (828) 350-2439

Gastonia OfficeCity Hall181 South Street, Room 222Gastonia, NC 28052
Phone: (704) 833-0854 Fax: (704) 833-1467
Rocky Mount Office100 Coast Line Street, Room 210Rocky Mount, NC 27804
Phone: (252) 977-9522 Fax: (252) 977-7902
Wilmington Office201 North Front StreetSuite 809Wilmington, NC 28401
Phone: (910) 251-1058 Fax: (910) 251-7975

Winston-Salem Office2000 West First StreetSuite 508Winston-Salem, NC 27104
Phone: (800) 685-8916 Add. Phone: (336) 631-5125 Fax: (336) 725-4493

Senator Dole http://dole.senate.gov/ 555 Dirksen Office BuildingWashington, DC 20510
Ph: 202.224.6342 Fax: 202.224.1100

Raleigh Office:310 New Bern AvenueSuite 122Raleigh, NC 27601
Ph: 919.856.4630 Fax: 919.856.4053

Salisbury Office:225 North Main StreetSuite 304Salisbury, NC 28144
Ph: 704.633.5011 Fax: 704.633.2937

Western Office:401 North Main StreetSuite 200Hendersonville, NC 28792
Ph: 828.698.3747 Fax: 828.698.1267

Eastern Office:306 South Evans StreetGreenville, NC 27835
Ph: 252.329.1093 Fax: 252.329.1097

Forwarded by N. C. PEACE ACTION