USAction’s Members Demand Firm Withdrawal Date for U.S. Troops

WASHINGTON - June 8 - Brave New Foundation and TrueMajority today announced the purchase of a full-page advertisement in Politico calling for President Obama and Congress to ensure a responsible troop withdrawal from Afghanistan ending no later than December 2011. When asked to contribute to cover costs for the ad, the two organizations' supporters donated the necessary funds within a matter of hours, underscoring a growing, intensifying impatience across the country with policy-makers' unwillingness to end the military conflict and pursue non-military solutions. The ad will run in Politico on Wednesday.

The ad leads with a quote from Pentagon-Papers whistle-blower Daniel Ellsberg, reminding policy-makers that, “it was always a bad year to get out of Vietnam.” On Monday, June 7, the war in Afghanistan surpassed the Vietnam War as the longest war in U.S. history.

To preview the ad, please click the link below:

http://act.bravenewfilms.org/go/148?akid=1126.29664.ruaeEh&t=3

As of Monday, the U.S. has been in Afghanistan for 104 months—more than eight-and-a half years—surpassing the war in Vietnam. In his December 2009 West Point speech, President Obama announced a U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan would begin in July 2011. However, he set no end date, leaving open the possibility that U.S. combat troops could remain there indefinitely at enormous cost to taxpayers. While Congress debates adding another billion to fund an ongoing escalation in Afghanistan, more than half of the American people say the war is not worth the cost, according to a recent Washington Post-ABC News poll.

Brave New Foundation and True Majority intend to use the ad to send a strong message to Congress on behalf of their supporters that this war has gone on long enough.

“We can no longer afford to spend U.S. lives and U.S. dollars on a war in Afghanistan that is not making us any safer. Members and supporters of Brave New Foundation and True Majority are making their voices heard and telling Members of Congress and the President in clear terms that we expect a responsible withdrawal completed by December 2011.” Director, Robert Greenwald, Brave New Foundation

"This war has already gone on too long. It's time for Congress to stop talking, and demand an exit strategy from President Obama. Millions of American voted for change in 2008, it's time for President Obama and Democrats in Congress to deliver some." Matt Holland, Online Director, TrueMajority/USAction