Congratulations! Because of the persistence and hard work of the antiwar movement, the Iraq debate in Congress has shifted from "if" to "when" we pull out of Iraq. As the new Congressional majority and the President move into a clearer confrontation around the war in Iraq, the antiwar movement must seize this moment to press our demand: "End the War and Bring All the Troops Home Now!"

Keeping the Pressure on Congress
The next step for Congress will be to pass a compromise funding bill that reconciles the House and Senate versions. That compromise bill could be voted on as early as April 16 (Tax Day, this year). If it passes with a withdrawal timeline intact, Bush has said he will veto the funding bill. This is where our pressure is critical -- we must insist that what comes out of the conference committee sets a firm end date for our military presence in Iraq. As weak as these bills are, the compromise version must not be weakened behind closed doors. We will not tolerate political machinations when U.S. and Iraqi lives are at stake.

Once again, Congress needs to hear from us. Congress begins its recess today, giving us an opportunity to take our message directly to them in their homes offices: Start bringing the troops home from Iraq now, bring all the troops home in 2007, and no war in Iran! The House of Representatives will be on recess March 31-April 15, and the Senate from March 31-April 9. Now is the time to make our voices heard.

Ways to take action:

• call your Senators' and your Representative's home offices today to set up meetings with them while they are in recess (click here to find their names and contact information);

• call, email or fax their offices with a clear message (e.g., Start bringing the troops home from Iraq now, bring all the troops home in 2007, and no war in Iran!) -- and organize others to also call, email or fax;

• set up a vigil or other public protest in front of the local office of your member of Congress (be sure to post your events on our calendar);

• if appropriate, plan to take more dramatic action: go into the office and read the names of people killed in this war (both Iraqi civilians and U.S. servicepeople), organize a sit-in inside the office or at the front of the building where the office is located or in front of their homes, lower the flag on the building to half mast to honor all of those senselessly killed, or develop your own creative ideas (visit vcnv.org or dontbuybushswar.org for more action ideas, and email your action ideas to congress at unitedforpeace.org).

• whatever action you take, be sure to take the media along -- and flood your local newspaper with letters to the editor explaining why you want your Congressional members to use their power to end the war now. Click here for talking points and more resources.
  

In addition to Bush, so-called "moderate" Democrats and Republicans stand in the way of a more rapid troop withdrawal. Expose them as obstructing real support for the troops!

We also encourage you to include messaging about preventing a new war with Iran in all of your activities and meetings with members of Congress.

BACKGROUND AND RESOURCES
It is significant that Congress has finally challenged Bush on Iraq and passed versions of the Supplemental Funding bill in each house that set a date certain for troop withdrawal. This would not have happened without your continued work and the unrelenting pressure from the peace movement.

But the two versions of the war spending bill are deeply flawed. In addition to giving Bush and Cheney roughly $100 billion to continue and expand the war, they never truly end the occupation. Both versions could allow as many as 80,000 troops to remain behind after their "deadlines." In addition, the bills do nothing to prevent an attack on Iran, and the House version pressures the Iraqi government to adopt a law that could practically give Iraq's oil away to foreign (i.e., U.S.) companies. (For a more thorough analysis, read Phyllis Bennis' new piece.)

Within United for Peace and Justice, different groups and activists are interpreting the developments in Congress in a variety of ways. But we all agree that our work is not finished and that we must use this opportunity to build support for the return of all our troops this year.

In the weeks and months ahead, Congress will debate more funding for the war in Iraq as part of the regular defense budget authorization and appropriations process. This is another key opportunity to tie funding to ending the occupation and preventing expansion of the war into Iran. Stay tuned for more analysis and suggested actions related to the defense budget process.

Click here for resources on Iraq.

Click here for resources on Iran. The toolkit includes information on how to schedule a meeting, talking points, legislative asks, tips for successful lobby visits, and a meeting debriefing form.