Media was abuzz with laughter last week at President Trump’s failed history lesson saying the continental army took over airports during the Revolutionary war. The history that was barely mentioned, however, was that of America’s war mongering. The combat aircraft cheered by Trump’s supporters as they flew low over the Lincoln memorial are the same fighter jets that fly over Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Libya, Syria, Yemen and Palestine terrifying families and wreaking havoc on their lives. Unlike the low flying jets in DC on July 4, these fly so high that are not seen or heard—until the massive explosions obliterate everything and everyone in their radius.
July 4 may also have been a preview of the bombs that would drop in Iran if warhawks like John Bolton get their war. To prevent these fighter jets from raining terror on Iran — which could happen at any moment — Representatives Ro Khanna and Gaetz have introduced a biparitsan amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to prevent federal funds from being used for any military force in Iran without congressional approval. It should be voted on this week and we need you to contact your member of Congress and tell them to vote yes.
The bombers that were such crowd pleasers on July 4 have been used by the US Army to blow up homes and cars filled with civilians in Afghanistan and Iraq. The Israeli military uses them to kill Palestinian civilians in Gaza and the Saudi military has killed children in Yemen with these death machines. If John Bolton has his way, they will soon drop bombs on Iran.
John Bolton, who has the ear of the president every day, wrote in an op-ed in 2015 saying that in order to stop Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, the U.S. should bomb Iran. Now that he has goaded Iran into stepping up its enrichment of uranium as a result of the U.S. reneging on the nuclear deal and European signatories bailing out on their responsibilities in the agreement, Bolton is itching to start the bombing. So are Bibi Netanyahu and Mohammad Bin Salman.
It’s urgent that you ask your member of Congress to vote yes on Khanna and Gaetz’s Amendment to the NDAA to prevent US military force in Iran without congressional approval.
With the U.S. political and media dogs of war howling again for blood in Iran, Trump’s decision to showcase America’s aerial firepower on July must have been cheered by his war hawks in the administration and Congress and their friends in the weapons industry. But to those of us who want peaceful resolutions to international disputes, the Fourth of July display was a chilling reminder of the horrific deaths caused by successive Administrations’ propensity for war and the terror that might soon be raining down on the people of Iran if John Bolton gets his way. Send a message right now to Congress to vote yes on the Khanna-Gaetz Amendment to the NDAA.
Towards peace,
Ann, Ariel, Carley, Clara, Jodie, Lily, Maya, Mark, Medea, Megan, Nancy, Paki, Ryan, Sarah, Teri, Tighe, Umama, Ursula, and Zena
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