With the 5th anniversary of the beginning of the war and occupation in Iraq and the 4,000th U.S. serviceperson killed in Iraq this past week, people in every corner of the country have been out in the streets, protesting and demanding an end to this horror.

We now look forward to the work ahead.

They say April is the cruelest month, and this year it's not just because of Tax Day. Sometime this April Congress will debate and vote on the Bush administration's request for yet another $102 billion for the occupation of Iraq.

We encourage you to use both of these occasions as opportunities to call attention to how our tax dollars are used, and to make the connection between our country's current financial troubles and the more than $505 billion that has already been spent on the occupation of Iraq.

Here are some ideas for taking action and educating others on April 15th and when Congress takes up the supplemental funding request (we'll send an update once we know when exactly that will be):

• Hand out leaflets making the connections between the war and our growing economic crisis here at home. (See below for resources.) You can distribute this material at your local post office, at busy transportation hubs during rush hour, and in other locations where you can talk with people.

• Hang banners that link the war to the economic crisis from major highway overpasses.

• Organize a day of calls to local radio talk shows, and get folks to write letters to the editor of your local newspapers.

• Be sure to call your representatives and your senators in Congress and urge them to use their power to bring all of the troops home!

• Order and distribute our new "It's the War Economy, Stupid!" stickers in your community.

And if you're receiving a refund this year, consider dedicating it to peace! Click here to donate your refund to UFPJ.

Here are some resources you can use created by UFPJ and a few of our member groups:

1) Code Pink has initiated a campaign to get 100,000 people to pledge to resist paying taxes for war:

Over the past year, citizens have voted, lobbied, marched, and taken direct action to end the war in Iraq. Courageous soldiers have refused to fight the war. But Congress has appropriated billions of dollars to continue the war and appears ready to authorize a future military attack on Iran. It's time for taxpayers who oppose this war to join together in nonviolent civil disobedience and show Congress how to cut off the funds for this war and redirect resources to the pressing needs of people. There is a great tradition of war tax resistance in the United States. When our political leaders have not listened to the will of the people, individuals have engaged in civil disobedience. If we enlist over 100,000 pledge-takers by April 5th, we will engage in a mass action of civil disobedience on April 15, 2008 by withholding a portion of our taxes that pay for the war in Iraq!

2) The War Resisters League's federal pie chart illustrates how much of our tax dollars really go toward military spending.

3) This new UFPJ leaflet urges people to pressure Congress to stop funding the war! The leaflet has a box for you to add local contact information -- just click inside that box and type.

4) "Healthcare Not Warfare" is a new campaign initiated by PDA. Click here to find out more about the campaign and download resources.

5) The National Priorities Campaign's website has up-to-date breakdowns of what the war in Iraq is costing your state and your community!

6) The National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee's website offers many resources.