Ask Congress About Afghanistan!

Posted by CODEPINK Staff

From Rethink Afghanistan:

President Obama has committed 17,000 more troops to Afghanistan. This decision raises serious questions about troops, costs, overall mission, and exit strategy. Historically, it has been Congress' duty to ask questions in the form of oversight hearings that challenge policymakers, examine military spending, and educate the public. After witnessing the absence of oversight regarding the Iraq war, we must insist Congress hold hearings on Afghanistan.

A growing number of Members of Congress are questioning a troop escalation in Afghanistan.  Here's what you can do:

1. 
   Submit a video to Congress asking your questions about Afghanistan. You could ask, why do you fund weapons and warriors, not doctors, teachers, and farmers? Wouldn't a humanitarian approach be more effective than a military one? How many years, dollars, and lives will this war cost? What are our objectives in Afghanistan and what is our exit strategy? You can also check out what questions others are asking on Rethink Afghanistan. Here's how you can submit:
   
   
   
   • Using your webcam or video camera, record a message to Congress. Identify yourself as a CODEPINK member in your video.
   
   
   • Upload your video to YouTube.
   
   
   • Email the link to videos4codepink@gmail.com. 
   
   
   
   

 

2. 
   Contact your Representative today to ask him/her to sign on to the Congressional Letter to Obama, that asks Obama to reconsider the escalation of 17,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan. Learn more here.

 

3. Join us on Facebook

Want to learn more about the issue of Afghanistan? Check out these resources: Afghanistan 101  on the PINKtank; the Rethink Afghanistan video series; Sending Troop of Doctors, Teachers, Farmers on the PINKtank; Get Afghanistan Right; the primer on Ending the Failed Military Strategy in Afghanistan by September Eleventh Families for Peaceful Tomorrows.