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People in Olympia, Washington protest the use of
their harbor for the transport of military equipment
Photo Credit: Robert Whitlock
The spectacular failure of the war in Iraq to establish a peaceful, democratic state demonstrated to the world the limits of military force. While the U.S. has invested hundreds of billions of dollars to build capabilities to fight and win wars, little money or time has been invested in developing the tools necessary to prevent deadly conflict.
As a result, when U.S. policymakers look for tools to respond to wars and escalating conflicts, they find a toolbox with only one implement—a military hammer.
You don't have to be Quaker to understand the importance of nonmilitary engagement to national security. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has been a strong advocate of better funding for diplomatic intiatives and nonmilitary international support programs since his induction in 2007.
Getting a "War Is Not the Answer" sign is simply the first step towards injecting peace and justice issues into the political dialogue, not only in your home, but in your neighborhood and in your nation.
Three Steps Congress Can Take to Build the Peace Toolkit
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1) Fill the Empty Desks at our Embassies:
In 2008 nearly one-quarter of all U.S. diplomatic posts around the world were vacant. In 2009 Congress should provide funding to hire and train 1,000 new foreign service officers who can be deployed to conflict zones.
2) Reform Foreign Aid:
Congress has cut funding for core development
assistance programs that address the poverty, lack of education, and inequality that fuel conflict.
Urge your representative to double funding for core development assistance accounts from
$4.4 billion to $8.8 billion and to focus foreign assistance on long-term development.
3) Fund the United Nations:
U.N. peacekeeping operations can cost less than half what the U.S. government would have to spend for a similar effort. In 2009 Congress should repay the nearly $1.6 billion in U.S. debt to the United Nations and end the restriction on paying this country’s full share of peacekeeping costs.
Here's a full list (PDF) of steps Congress could take right now to build a more peaceful world.
The Next Steps |
Get Educated!
The Peaceful Prevention of Deadly Conflict: solutions for a safer world.
Join the Campaign!
Order Your Free " War Is Not the Answer" Sticker and Sign Today!
Visit the "War Is Not the Answer" Homepage
New:
FCNL constituents share their "War Is Not the Answer" experiences.
Browse FCNL's April Newsletter about "War Is Not the Answer" in the 2008 elections (PDF). |
Representative John Lewis (GA-5), a civil rights
movement leader, spoke to FCNL staff and
constituents about his experiences practicing
active
nonviolence as a U.S. Congressman |
Every April, young people from across the country
come to Washington for FCNL's Young Adult Lobby Weekend to meet their representatives, learn to implement effective lobbying techniques, and take their nonviolent activism to a whole new level. |
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Reviewed:
11/26/2008
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