Legislative Action Message: August 14, 2008

Is War the Answer?

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Take Action
Urge Candidates to Invest in Diplomacy

We at FCNL don’t think so. Yet no matter what the crisis —in Afghanistan, in Pakistan, or even in the Republic of Georgia — the solution proposed by the U.S. political leadership always seems to focus on more guns, more troops, and more military strategies. Our political leaders are so committed to military solutions that both major party presidential candidates have announced plans to expand the size of the U.S. military by about 100,000 soldiers.

Opinion polls suggest that a majority of the U.S. population doesn’t support more spending on the military, or increasing the size of the military. The election season provides an opportunity to start real conversations on real issues. For example, instead of pouring hundreds of billions of additional dollars into fighting more wars, all of the candidates should be challenged to invest in the tools necessary to prevent deadly conflict.

Take Action

Write a letter to your local newspaper urging the candidates to expand federal government funding for proven programs that can prevent war. Challenge them to rethink increasing the size of the U.S. military and instead agree to the following strategies.

Invest in diplomacy: Provide sufficient funding to fill the 1,000 unfilled U.S. diplomatic positions around the world.
Fund peacebuilding: Create a standby force of civilian peacebuilders ready to go to areas emerging after conflict to win the peace.
Pay U.N. dues: Fully pay U.S. dues to the United Nations and pay off the $1.9 billion in unpaid dues from previous years.

Instead of preparing to fight new wars, the candidates should invest in the peaceful prevention of deadly conflict.

Background

Read what Sens. John McCain (AZ) and Barack Obama (IL) are saying about expanding the size of the U.S. military.

Learn what three simple steps Congress could take right now to prevent war.

Read “Make Diplomacy, Not War”

Learn more about how to talk to candidates about preventing war.

Find Out More

Contact your members of Congress through FCNL's web site.

Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121

Sen. ________
U.S. Senate

Washington, DC 20510

Rep. ________
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515