The current escalation of the Afghanistan war comes at a new political moment. Unemployment is over 10%. Cities and towns are slashing basic services right and left. People are losing health care in droves, nothing is being done about the foreclosure crisis, and the U.S. is going to Copenhagen empty handed. We need to build a movement that can respond to these challenges- because while this is not a new war, we need to fight it in a new way. We need to build new alliances into a movement that can bring this war and occupation to a rapid end, so that we can begin to make good on our real obligations to the peoples of Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as to the people of our own country who struggle to find jobs, health care, and climate justice.
We need to build a movement with roots in the labor movement, and among those struggling for economic rights, particularly among communities of color.
Congress hasn't given Obama a blank check for this war yet - not even a $30 billion check. And there's still time for us to make sure they don't.
Take action today. Please call your member of Congress at 202-224-3121>>>>Read more
On December 5, the U.S.-Russian Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty
(START) will expire. Hopefully, the two nuclear superpowers will sign a
replacement agreement by the end of this year, as Presidents Obama and Medvedev
pledged in June. However, even if they do, the agreement will only reduce
ready-to-use, long-range warheads. It will not affect those held in
reserve, non-strategic warheads, or the size of the total stockpiles, nor will
it require dismantlement of any nuclear warheads.It will
not affect either country's nuclear use policies, and in 2016 each side will still retain a total inventory of more than 7,000
nuclear weapons- still enough to destroy all life on this planet! While
the START follow-up agreement represents a modest step toward reestablishing
nuclear arms control, much more must be done if the U.S. and Russia are to
meet their 40-year old Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) obligation to
negotiate in good faith the elimination of their nuclear
arsenals.It's time to START the process of abolishing nuclear weapons!
As we continue our efforts to end the U.S. wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, UFPJ is working with dozens of international and U.S. peace organizations to bring pressure to bear on the U.S. and other nuclear powers to do more than just talk about a nuclear weapons free future, but to create it. We need your help! Please donate today!
Next May, a critically important NPT Review Conference will take place in New York City. Groups from around the world are planning a series of inspiring and powerful activities to demand that President Obama and the leaders of the other nuclear-armed nations commence negotiations on a treaty to eliminate nuclear weapons within a timebound framework.
We urge your organization to SIGN ON to the Disarm Now! Mobilizing Call for the 2010 NPT Review Conference shown below. To sign on to the call, send an e-mail to npt@ialana.de.
The planned activities include: a massive global petition campaign, an international peace conference (April 30 and May 1), and an International Day of Action for a Nuclear Free World (May 2).
UFPJ recognizes that nuclear weapons are at the core of U.S. militarism, and that working for their abolition is a fundamental part of our work for peace and justice.
Nuclear disarmament should serve as the leading edge of a global trend towards demilitarization and redirection of resources to meet human needs and restore the environment.
For nuclear disarmament resources from UFPJ member groups, click here. For more information contact Jackie Cabasso, UFPJ Nuclear Disarmament/Redefining Security working group convener: wslf@earthlink.net.
UFPJ needs your financial support, now more than ever! To donate: click here.
Nuclear Disarmament should serve as the leading edge of a global trend towards demilitarization and redirection of resources to meet human needs and restore the environment.
In addition, the UFPJ Nuclear Disarmament/Redefining Security has provided additional action items that you can take to join up with this growing movement to abolish nuclear weapons. Click here for links to these additional actions.
Let’s make Tax Day the day we recommit ourselves to ending the excessive spending on war and call on the Obama administration to reduce the military budget by 25%. This goal, a major part of UFPJ’s Beyond War, A New Economy Is Possible campaign, has resonance with people from different backgrounds – working families, business owners, senior citizens, etc. Even the Tea Party conservatives are calling for a reduction in military spending!
To influence our elected leaders on this issue, we must build our grassroots power.UFPJ is starting up a petition drive to do just that. The petition drive will target the Obama administration and Congress calling on them to end the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, cut military spending, and re-invest those funds in human needs, green jobs, and clean energy.
UnitedforPeace.org is a nonpartisan resource for anti-war and social change activists. The information and events on this site are not necessarily endorsed by members of United for Peace and Justice. Please see our
editorial policy
for more information.
The current escalation of the Afghanistan war comes at a new political moment. Unemployment is over 10%. Cities and towns are slashing basic services right and left. People are losing health care in droves, nothing is being done about the foreclosure crisis, and the U.S. is going to Copenhagen empty handed. We need to build a movement that can respond to these challenges- because while this is not a new war, we need to fight it in a new way. We need to build new alliances into a movement that can bring this war and occupation to a rapid end, so that we can begin to make good on our real obligations to the peoples of Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as to the people of our own country who struggle to find jobs, health care, and climate justice.
Let’s make Tax Day the day we recommit ourselves to ending the excessive spending on war and call on the Obama administration to reduce the military budget by 25%. This goal, a major part of UFPJ’s Beyond War, A New Economy Is Possible campaign, has resonance with people from different backgrounds – working families, business owners, senior citizens, etc. Even the Tea Party conservatives are calling for a reduction in military spending!
