From: CODEPINK <info@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, February 26, 2021 4:35 PM
To: Miriam Vieni <miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Thank you for standing up for Syria
Miriam --
Thank you for signing our petition to President Biden condemning the bombing of
Syria.
Want to get more involved in actions to stop war? Join CODEPINK Congress weekly
discussions and calls to Congress. <https://www.codepink.org/03022021> RSVP
now!
Here's the full petition:
Biden: Stop Bombing Syria!
Dear President Biden,
We vigorously oppose your February 25 bombing of Syria. Syria is a sovereign
nation. The militia you targeted poses absolutely no threat to the United
States and is actually involved in fighting ISIS. Your actions simply escalate
existing conflicts in the Middle East. This is not what you promised during
your presidential campaign and it is certainly not what the American people
want.
Your administration is claiming that its airstrikes were based on accurate
intelligence regarding who was responsible for a recent rocket attack in Iraq.
But a recent report by Middle East Eye suggests that Iran has strongly urged
the militias it supports in Iraq to refrain from such attacks or any warlike
actions that could disrupt its diplomacy to bring the U.S. and Iran back into
compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). “None of our
known factions carried out this [recent rocket] attack [in Iraq],” a senior
Iraqi militia commander told Middle East Eye. “The Iranians are still keen to
maintain calm with the Americans until they see how the new administration will
act.”
The Pentagon has also made the incredulous claim that the bombing “aims to
de-escalate the overall situation in both Eastern Syria and Iraq.” But this was
countered by a member of Russia’s Federation Council who called the attack
“unlawful” and said any similar escalations in the area could lead to “a
massive conflict.” President Biden, your administration is playing with fire.
Bombing Syria will not strengthen the U.S.’s hand in its negotiations with Iran
over the nuclear deal. Instead, it will make it more difficult for the U.S. to
resume negotiations with Iran as it will give even more power to the Iranian
factions who oppose diplomatic relations with the U.S. and reviving the JCPOA.
Lastly, without an Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF), you have
no congressional authorization to go to war against a sovereign country. You
must respect congressional war powers and cease military actions in the Middle
East. As Representative Ro Khanna said, “We cannot stand up for congressional
authorization before military strikes only when there is a Republican
president. The Administration should have sought congressional authorization
here. We need to work to extricate from the Middle East, not escalate.”
It is urgent that you cease military actions in the Middle East and immediately
get the U.S. back into the Iran nuclear deal. We want diplomacy, not more war.
Please pass this petition along to a friend. Your friends can sign here:
Toward peace,
CODEPINK
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