Bring The Money Home Now Toolkit

The downloadable copy is available at www.citiesforprogress.org

Table of Contents

- Sample Resolution

- Sample Petition

- Talking Points on Iraq War: Quick Facts

- Resources

o Additional Talking Points/Opinion Pieces

o Websites

Contact Information

Karen Dolan
Director, Cities for Progress/Cities for Peace
Fellow,
Institute for Policy Studies
1112 16th St NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
kdolan@igc.org
202.234.9382 x228

Sample Resolution: Bring the Money Home Now Resolution

(please click here for original Gary, Indiana Peace Resolution)

A RESOLUTION EXPRESSING THE (YOUR CITY/TOWN NAME HERE) CITY COUNCIL'S SUPPORT FOR THE U.S. TROOPS CURRENTLY SERVING IN IRAQ, AS WELL AS THOSE THAT HAVE PREVIOUSLY SERVED, AND THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN KILLED OR WOUNDED DURING SUCH SERVICE, AND THEIR FAMILIES; AND EXPRESSING THE COUNCIL'S PREFERENCE THAT MISDIRECTED FUNDS TO CONTINUE THE WAR IN IRAQ BE REDIRECTED TO DOMESTIC PRIORITIES, INCLUDING PRESSING NEEDS IN THE CITY OF XXX.

WHEREAS, more than 150,000 United States military personnel, including many from the city, are bravely and honorably serving in Iraq and deserve the support of all the city citizens and Americans; and

WHEREAS, the people of this city will always honor the sacrifices of the American soldiers who have died or been wounded in combat in Iraq, including the more than 4,000 United States military personnel who have died in Iraq and the more than 29,000 who have been wounded; and

WHEREAS, the proposed war budget of year 2008 is 27.2% of the total proposed security budget; and

WHEREAS, our state's cost of war is XX (http://www.nationalpriorities.org/costofwar_home), and our city's cost of the war is XX, (http://www.nationalpriorities.org/costofwar_home) while community development block grants are being cut by XX in our state (http://www.nationalpriorities.org/table1_cdbg); and

WHEREAS, the CITY Council of the city hereby expresses its deep opposition to the current budget of increasing military and war spending in Iraq, in part due to the impact on the available federal resources required to provide for the urgent needs of the most vulnerable portions of the American population, including the need to provide for the health, education, and homeland security of the City and of other major urban areas within the United States; and

WHEREAS, in excess of $526 billion has been appropriated by Congress to fund military operations and reconstruction in Iraq while in contrast, the City's total amount of HUD grants has decreased significantly since 2002, the year before the commencement of the war in Iraq; and

WHEREAS, this decrease in federal grant money severely lessens the ability of the City to rebuild its urban core, promote home ownership opportunities in the city, and provide critical housing services for the poor, the disabled, and for people with HIV-AIDS and other medical needs; and

WHEREAS, according to analysis by the Task Force on a Unified Security Budget for the United States published by the Institute for Policy Studies 55.91 billion dollars of the total military spending could be cut allowing for development of domestic nonmilitary goals and redirect funds for immediate domestic goals in this city; and

WHEREAS, polls show that greater than 60% of Americans oppose sending additional American troops to Iraq, which indicates that the majority of Americans share this Council's concerns with increasing funding levels in Iraq at this time

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF XX:

SECTION 1. That X City Council supports the U.S. troops currently serving in Iraq, as well as those that have previously served, and those that have been killed or wounded during such service, and their families.

SECTION 2. That X City Council expresses its opposition to President Bush's increased war and military funding

SECTION 3. That the city, its elected leaders and its citizens have a responsibility to highlight the implications of sending available federal resources, which are urgently needed by the most vulnerable portions of the American population in the city and other major urban areas within the United States.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the city shall forward copies to President George W. Bush, United States Senators --- and ---, House Representative ---- and members of the state U.S. Congressional delegation.

ADOPTED by the Common Council of the city, state this 2nd day of June, 2008.

So and So, President
City Council

[Resolution xxx will now be forwarded to the Mayor for signature.]

Sample Petition

BRING THE MONEY HOME NOW
Petition for the City Council to Pass a Resolution for and End to Funding of the War in Iraq, a Timely and Safe Withdrawal of US troops to Begin Immediately, and a Redirection of Federal Budget Priorities to Decrease Military Spending and Increase Spending to Fund Urgent Domestic Needs in Our Own Communities.

We, the undersigned, request that the City Council pass a resolution calling for all of the above.

Our reasons are:

-The justifications for the invasion were false and violated the public trust.

-Iraq presented no threat to the U.S. at the time of the invasion and the U.S. war violates international law.

-The U.S. government has spent more than $500 billion on the war in Iraq while the U.S. deficit climbs.

- The war’s funding has greatly influenced the economic downturn and oncoming recession

-Astronomical military spending steals from city citizens through cuts in social programs as well as job loss from economic downturn

-As of 6/08, the cost of the war to the city was xx (STATISTICS FOR YOUR COMMUNITY: http://www.nationalpriorities.org).

This money could have funded: (STATISTICS FOR YOUR COMMUNITY: http://www.nationalpriorities.org)

-83,601 4-year scholarships at public universities,

-health insurance for 1,032,648 Chicago children,

-228,414 Head Start students for one year,

-29,886 public school teachers for one year

-15,572 housing units in city

Name ____________________________________
Address __________________________________
City/State_________________________________
Telephone (optional) ________________________
E-Mail (optional)____________________________

Talking Points on Iraq War: Quick Facts

As of March 3, 2008
U.S. military killed in Iraq: 3,973
Number of U.S. troops wounded in combat since the war began: 29,203
Iraqi Security Force deaths: 7,924
Iraqi civilians killed: Estimates range from 81,632-1,120,000

Internally displaced refugees in Iraq: 3.4 million
Iraqi refugees living abroad: 2.2-2.4 million
Iraqi refugees admitted to the U.S.: 3,222

Number of U.S. soldiers in Iraq: 155,000
Number of "Coalition of the Willing" soldiers in Iraq:
     February 2008: 9,895
     September 2006: 18,000
     November 2004: 25,595

Army soldiers in Iraq who have served two or more tours: 74%
Number of Private Military Contractors in Iraq: 180,000
Number of Private Military Contractors criminally prosecuted by the U.S. government for violence or abuse in Iraq: 1
Number of contract workers killed: 917

What the Iraq war has created, according to the U.S. National Intelligence Council: "A training and recruitment ground (for terrorists), and an opportunity for terrorists to enhance their technical skills."

Effect on al Qaeda of the Iraq War, according to International Institute for Strategic Studies: "Accelerated recruitment"

The bill so far: $526 billion
Cost per day: $275 million
Cost per household: $4,100
The estimated long-term bill: $3 trillion

What $526 billion could have paid for in the U.S. in one year:
     Children with health care: 223 million or
     Scholarships for university students: 86 million or
     Head Start places for children: 72 million

Cost of 22 days in Iraq could safeguard our nation's ports from attack for ten years.
Cost of 18 hours in Iraq could secure U.S. chemical plants for five years.

Iraqi Unemployment level: 25-40%
*U.S. unemployment during the Great Depression: 25%
70% of the Iraqi population is without access to clean water.
80% is without sanitation.
90% of Iraq's 180 hospitals lack basic medical and surgical supplies.

79% of Iraqis oppose the presence of Coalition Forces.
78% of Iraqis believe things are going badly in Iraq overall.
64% of Americans oppose the war in Iraq.

What the "Declaration of Principles" has set according to Defense Secretary Robert Gates: "A mutually agreed arrangement whereby we have a long and enduring presence."

Resources

Additional Talking Points/Opinion Pieces

Iraq Outlook 2008 – Erik Leaver – 1/9/08

<http://www.fpif.org/fpiftxt/4882>

The Surge: Illusion & Reality – Conn Hallinan – 12/24/07

<http://www.fpif.org/fpiftxt/4846>

Blank Checks for Defense Spending: Where's the Fight from Congress? - Tom Dispatch- Robert Dreyfuss- 6/6/07

< http://alternet.org/waroniraq/53236/>

We're All Feeling Impact of War -Morning Sun- 6/3/07

<http://www.themorningsun.com/stories/060307/loc_opinion.shtml>

The Destruction of Iraqi Healthcare Infrastructure - Foreign Policy in Focus- Adil Shamoo- 5/31/07

<http://www.fpif.org/fpiftxt/4277>

The Democrats’ Support for Bush’s War - Foreign Policy in Focus- Stephen Zumes- 5/31/07

<http://www.fpif.org/fpiftxt/4278>

Federal Spending

<http://fedspending.org>

Websites

Cities For Peace

<http://www.citiesforpeace.org/>

Institute for Policy Studies

<http://ips-dc.org/iraq/index.htm>

The National Priorities Project: Cost of War

<http://www.nationalpriorities.org/costofwar_home>

Coalition on Human Needs

<http://chn.org>

United For Peace and Justice

<http://www.unitedforpeace.org/>

Code Pink

<http://www.codepink4peace.org/>

Global Exchange

<http://globalexchange.org>

After Downing Street

<http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/>

Bring Them Home Now

<http://www.bringthemhomenow.org/index.html>

Vermont Network on Iraq War Resolutions

<http://iraqresolution.org/>

Foreign Policy In Focus

<http://www.fpif.org/>

AntiWar

<http://antiwar.com/>

Stop the War Coalition

<http://www.stopwar.org.uk/>

Iraq Veterans Against the War

<http://www.ivaw.org/>

Military Families Speak Out

<http://www.mfso.org/>

More Than a Number

<http://www.morethananumber.org/>

Veterans for Peace

<http://veteransforpeace.org/>

What About Peace?

<http://www.whataboutpeace.org/>

Bring Them Home Now.com

<http://www.bringthemhomenow.com/>

The Declaration of Peace

<http://declarationofpeace.org/>

Fellowship of Reconciliation

<http://www.forusa.org/>

Iraq Body Count

<http://www.iraqbodycount.org/>

Iraqi Democrats Against Occupation

<http://www.idao.org/>

Iraq Action Coalition

<http://www.iraqaction.org/>