Dear friend,
It’s been a few weeks since we talked to you about Ukraine. All eyes have been on Palestine, where the call for a ceasefire is heard all over the world and gathering support in Congress. As the second anniversary of the Russian invasion approaches, and as the two countries enter the dead of winter at a complete stalemate, our call for a ceasefire could not be clearer.
In the last two months, so many people have taken to the streets and picked up the phones that the number of representatives calling for a ceasefire in Palestine has gone from 0 to nearly 50! Reaching out works. We need to do the same for Ukraine.
Passing this bill would be a disgrace. Not only does it include tens of billions for more weapons for Ukraine, but also $14 billion for more weapons for Israeli genocide in Gaza, billions for weapons for Taiwan to prepare for another US proxy war–this one against China, and billions to militarize the southern border.
This weapons whopper is a giant money laundering operation for Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, Boeing and Northrop Grumman. Fifty billion of the $105 billion proposed will go to military contractors.
A vast majority of Americans do not support funding more war. A majority of Americans want negotiations in Ukraine, a ceasefire in Gaza and our money invested in urgent needs at home, not more wars.
But I have good news: this weapons bill faces a bunch of political problems. Some republicans don’t like it because of the Ukraine funding. Some democrats don’t like it because of the funding that would go to militarizing our border. And more and more Senators are growing hesitant of sending weapons to Israel with no conditions attached.
Your senators could use a nudge: Tell them to vote NO on more money for war!
More and more analysts are saying that negotiations may be the only way to end the war in Ukraine- and we at CODEPINK have been saying this from day 1. Both sides reportedly have depleted morale because of the stalemate. The Ukrainian counteroffensive has been a disaster and the cost of prolonging this conflict has been countless human lives. The time is now. We need a ceasefire. We need negotiations.
Tell the Senate to vote NO on more weapons to Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan and border police!
In Solidarity and Peace,
Medea, Marcy, and the whole CODEPINK team.