Cost of War

Rural Organizing Project
PO Box 1350, Scappoose, OR 97056

(503) 543-8417 Fax: (503) 543-8419

THE CO$T OF WAR

Campaign to Keep National Guard in Oregon

Back in June of 2003, ROP coordinated a weeklong Walk for Truth, Justice and Community that involved thousands of Oregonians. Walkers and their supporters were outraged by current policies entrenching not just wars abroad but also wars at home. We marched from our starting point in Salem to take over the Governor’s office with veterans and military families at the front of the room. We were there to demand that the Governor show some backbone regarding the role of the Oregon National Guard and other Oregon resources being deployed in the war/occupation. Later that week, he delivered his strongest statement yet in opposition to the war in Iraq. The war has spiraled into an occupation with no sign of an end. Let’s turn up the heat in Oregon to prevent further deployments. Oregon peace and justice groups in June of 2008 join with similar groups across the nation for parallel state efforts to reduce the flow of resources to the wars/occupations.

Let’s gather signatures that show just how fed up Oregonians are with the so called war on terror. And then let’s plan a time to reconvene (with or with out a formal invitation) back in the Governor’s office in Salem.

Here's what it says on the petition:

To the elected officials in the state of Oregon:

We, the undersigned, urge you to take the steps necessary to prevent the further deployment of Oregon's National Guard to Iraq and Afghanistan.

--The Authorization for Use of Military Force in Iraq (2002) is based on Iraq having weapons of mass destruction, harboring Al Qaida members responsible for 9/11, and enforcing UN resolutions against Saddam Hussein's regime, reasons which were never or are no longer valid.

--The Authorization for Use of Military Force of September 2001, which launched the "War on Terror," is overly broad and has allowed the US to occupy Afghanistan and conduct airstrikes on other countries while chipping away Americans' human, civil and constitutional rights.

--Oregonians have shown a desire to bring the troops home: 61 elected officials from 27 counties signed a letter to President Bush in September, 2007; the Oregon State House and Senate passed resolutions in March and May, 2007; the cities of Corvallis, Portland and Eugene passed similar resolutions in 2006 and 2007; thousands of Oregonians have written letters, postcards and emails, made phone calls, marched and protested.

--Governor Ted Kulongoski told the Oregonian in October, 2006 that he believes the continued presence of U.S. troops in Iraq "is making things worse" and that the U.S. should set a strict timetable for getting out.

--Legislation to de-federalize the Guard due to the expiration of the Iraq AUMF has been introduced in Vermont, New Jersey, and several other states.

--Oregon needs its National Guard to respond to forest fires and natural disasters and for search and rescue missions.

To download your copy of the petition, CLICK HERE

Dismantling the War at Home and Abroad:

As we work to advance our progressive vision of rural Oregon founded in true democracy, human dignity, and justice, we see the war at home and abroad as our barrier. We are working to dismantle this war and the common systems and inequalities in power that have created the global war on "terror", the war in Iraq, and subsequent erosion of civil liberties, breakdown of the safety net, and targeting of immigrant communities. Our overarching strategy is to build a growing movement of rural people committed global justice, peace, and real democracy that will be the undoing of all these wars. Read more about the War at Home and Abroad

Announcements
On April 26, join your peers from around the state for a day of strategizing to Dismantle the War at Home and Abroad in 2008 at the Rural Caucus & Strategy Session. Together we will be developing next steps for building our movement in 2008, getting the cost of war back into the headlines, inserting a Cost of War message into the election cycle and more. Read more and register here.

Tools for your local Co$t of War Campaign
* Read Naomi Wolf's Letter to a Young Patriot and start a study circle in your community
* Expand your local Cost of War movement by building relationships with those most impacted by the Cost of War through social service agencies
* Ask your community's elected officials to sign onto a letter calling for the defunding of the war in Iraq. Letter available in Word or PDF
* Starting a Student Opt Out campaign
* Oregon Eyes Wide Open exhibit

Local Organizing Highlights
Over 60 Oregon elected officials have signed onto a letter calling for a defunding of the war in Iraq Read more

Rural Women Arrested while demanding Congressman Walden vote against war funding Read more

The Co$t of War campaign in 2006 & 2007: Constituents from across their district came together for People's Town Halls on the Cost of War. Testimonials from Iraq veterans, military families in mourning, teachers, nurses, immigrants, youth, County Commissioners, and City Councilors held up the personal experiences and the community impact of lives destroyed by a war that has cost billions while social services and programs go unfunded here at home. Read more about the history of the Co$t of War campaign.