25 years ago this week in the wake of the September 11 attacks, Congress passed the 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF), opening the door for what became the never-ending “Global War on Terror.”
The AUMF passed unanimously in the Senate. In the House, 420 representatives voted “yes.” Courageously, Rep. Barbara Lee stood alone in voting “no.”
This April, hundreds of people from across the country joined us in Washington, D.C., for our first-ever Friends Changemaker Weekend. Across generations, faiths, and backgrounds, we came together to deliver one clear message to Congress: Not Another Penny for War on Iran.
Members and attenders of the Bridge City Friends Meeting (Quakers) find the US and Israeli attacks on Iran including the bombing of citizens and infrastructure as immoral. Though the Iranian government practices brutal terrorism, US war activities are contrary to our testimonies for Peace and Justice.
Over the past several weeks, the fragile bridge towards peace that was the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the U.S. and Iran has frayed and broken. The U.S. and Iran have started attacking one another again, and more countries are getting involved.
This week, the House of Representatives narrowly passed, by a vote of 216-212, its annual military policy bill, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). This bill would authorize an astounding $1.15 trillion in Pentagon spending. Most years, this bill moves forward with strong bipartisan majorities, so this level of debate is a real win.
Lawmakers across partisan divides are reconsidering if they should authorize a massive bill for weapons and war.
For the first time in generations, the Pentagon spending machine is not running on autopilot.
On Tuesday, the Senate blocked this year’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) from proceeding, with every Democratic senator present voting against greenlighting a massive increase in funding for weapons and war.
Weeks earlier, the House’s own version of the bill was also stalled when a procedural vote failed on the floor.
We are heartbroken and outraged by ICE killing another person this week, this time in Houston. This is the latest incident of murderous state violence by immigration enforcement in our communities.
On Tuesday, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a 52-year-old from Mexico, was shot and killed by an ICE agent while driving with his brother and two other co-workers. We are holding his family and community in the Light.
At present, there are more armed conflicts and conflict-related fatalities around the globe than humanity has suffered since World War II. The war with Iran and Lebanon, initiated by the U.S. and Israel, has cost many lives and much economic harm.
This week, the Supreme Court issued two harmful decisions on immigration, with a landmark decision on birthright citizenship also expected over the next few days.
Denying Asylum
On Thursday, the court ruled that people turned away at a border are not entitled to apply for asylum.
After months of devastating war, the U.S. and Iran have formally signed a memorandum of understanding that opens the door for peace.
This 60-day framework agreement is a hopeful step toward the diplomatic resolution this crisis always demanded.
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