A brief snapshot of the past week's news:
- In Congress, the House debates destruction of the fragile remains of our frayed social safety net for the rest of this fiscal year with its "continuing resolution," while holding military spending harmless.
- The President submits a budget for FY 2012 that increases military spending while freezing domestic spending.
- We continue to spend about $468 million/day in Afghanistan, a war that everyone admits cannot be "won" militarily but for which the money is endless.
- In Montgomery County and elsewhere, school teachers and public service workers (librarians, park service personnel, service providers to the poorest) are being demonized and threatened with additional cuts to salaries and benefits.
- In Maryland, a new report finds that 44% of roads are in bad condition and 25% of bridges are deteriorating or obsolete.
We spent over $100 billion last year on our war in Afghanistan, a country with a GDP of $16 billion. We spent $2 billion of that to temporarily clear the hamlet of Marjah, with a population of some 50,000 people.
We could have used that $2 billion here in Montgomery County; it's more than half our total County budget.
We live in a rich country, and there is money available to pay for quality education for our children, services for the most vulnerable, libraries, parks, infrastructure repairs and climate protection measures.
But we are choosing instead to fund endless war, unnecessary and extraordinarily expensive weapons systems, and a vast network of foreign military bases.
And Congress rarely hears from constituents that any of us care.
What can we do to change this?
Please respond with your thoughts by sending us an e-mail: What can we do to get more people to press for a change in national priorities?
In peace and solidarity,
Jean, Pat, Pam, Alex, Dave, Nik, Steve, Tim, Bahram, Karen, Melinda, Fran, Josh, Mike, Shelley
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Today's Quote
| "There is no way in which a country can satisfy the craving for absolute security, but it can bankrupt itself morally and economically in attempting to reach that illusory goal through arms alone."
President Dwight D. Eisehower
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 Calendar | 
Sun., Feb. 20: 2 to 5 p.m., community-wide conference on "Teaching Peace," at Friends Meeting School, 3232 Green Valley Road, Ijamsville, Maryland 21774. The keynote speaker is Colman McCarthy. For further information, contact Pat Elder Sun., Feb. 27: 1 p.m., UnblockAID Gaza! Join the Committee for Palestinian Rights for a discussion with activists who sailed aboard the Jewish boat to Gaza and were violently attacked by Israeli forces on 28 September 2010. They will talk about their experience in the context of a growing international movement to end the siege on Gaza. Reuven Mokowitz, Holocaust survivor and peace activist; Elik Elhanan, co-founder of the Bereaved Parents for Peace; and Glyn Secker, ship captain and member of Jews for Justice for Palestinians will share their experiences at Howard County Central Library,375 Little Patuxent Parkway,Columbia, Maryland 21044. Thurs., March 3: 7 p.m. Peace Action Montgomery meeting at the home of one of our members. All welcome. For directions, contact us here.*
Sun., March 6: 2:30, Prince George's County Peace & Justice Coalition hosts an open house at the New Deal Café, Roosevelt Center, 113 Centerway, Greenbelt. Jean Athey, coordinator of Peace Action Montgomery, discusses "The Militarization of America: At What Cost?" and the new Fund Our Communities, Bring the War Dollars Home coalition.*
Sun., March 6 - Mon., March 7: Interfaith Peace-Builders' Grassroots Training and Lobby Day focused on Israel/Palestine, in D.C. Registration fee is on a sliding scale of $40 - $110 (student rate: $35). Ralph Krause of Peace Action Montgomery has requested appointments with Rep. Chris Van Hollen, Sen. Ben Cardin, and Sen. Barbara Mikulski for March 7 to discuss U.S. policy towards the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the U.S. role in the peace process and invites constituents to join him in visiting them. E-mail him here to sign up and for more information. Mon., March 7: 4:30 p.m. Press conference to release the letter from Maryland state senators and delegates to the Maryland Congressional delegation asking them to work to reduce the military budget and fund needs at home. House Ways and Means Committee Hearing Room, Annapolis, MD. Everyone invited.* Mon., March 7: 5:30 p.m. Progressive Summit to meet and then lobby the Maryland General Assembly in support of state-level progressive legislation. House Ways and Means Committee Hearing Room, Annapolis, MD. Click here for more information.* Sun., March 14: 4 p.m., Fund Raiser for Bradley Manning, Busboys And Poets, 5th and K Streets, NW, DC. Emma's Revolution, folk singer Perry King, speakers. $20 donation, silent auction, all proceeds to the Bradley Manning Defense Fund. Cosponsored by Peace Action Montgomery.* Thurs., March 17: 7 p.m., Peace Action Montgomery meeting at the home of one of our members. All welcome. For directions, contact us here.* Sat., March 19 - Tues, March 22: Peace Action's spring lobby weekend in D.C. To register and for more information, click here. Sat., March 19: Veterans for Peace sponsors a protest of the war in Afghanistan at the White House. Cosponsored by Peace Action Montgomery. Details here.* Sat., March 19: - Pax Christi Metro DC-Baltimore Annual Assembly - "From the Ruins of Iraq and Afghanistan: Building a Catholic Movement to End War and Build Peace" - speakers will include Andrew Bacevich, Michael Baxter (Catholic Peace Fellowship), Marie Dennis, Jean Stokan, Rep. Donna Edwards, Art Laffin, and Karen Korol. Details to come. Sun., March 20: 2 p.m., Rally and March to Quantico to Support Bradley Manning, Main Street and Rt. 1 (Jeff Davis Hwy.), Triangle, VA. Organized by the Washington Metro Chapter of the Bradley Manning Support Network. Every Saturday: Join the Olney Peace Witness, corner of Rt. 108 and Georgia Ave., 10:30-11:30 a.m.*
Every Friday: Vigil at Walter Reed, in the open plaza between Dahlia and Elder streets, 7 to 9 p.m., come for any amount of time during that period.*
*Events that Peace Action Montgomery has discussed and formally endorsed.
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| | TO DO THIS WEEK |
Call your Congressional representative today and ask that he/she vote YES on the Lee-Nadler-Stark amendment to the Continuing Resolution.
This amendment strikes funding for the war in Afghanistan for the rest of this fiscal year, leaving sufficient funds for the safe withdrawal of U.S. troops.
Capitol switchboard: 202-224-3121
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When you call about the Lee-Nadler-Stark amendment, please also mention this:
If your representative is Donna Edwards, thank her for cosponsoring Barbara Lee's bill to end the war in Afghanistan.
If you representative is Chris Van Hollen, ask why he isn't a cosponsor to Rep. Barbara Lee's bill to end the war in Afghanistan.
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Commentary
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Ray McGovern was the keynote speaker at last year's Peace Action Montgomery luncheon.
If you came, you were certainly inspired by his brilliance and humanity!
This week, Ray was treated in a
shocking manner
--attacked and injured by security guards and arrested for a peaceful protest, at an event in which Hillary Clinton was castigating foreign countries for the ways in which they treat nonviolent protesters!
Tell Clinton what you think of this! Call her office at 202-647-4000.
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Afghanistan
Update |
For a highly readable and comprehensive update on the latest in Afghanistan, click here. |
| Those Who Died Jan. 23 - Feb. 12 | |
In Iraq:
292 Iraqis
In Afghanistan:
Sgt Leslie Williams 36 Juneau AK
Pvt Martin Bell 24 Engkand
Sgt Anthony Venetz Jr 30 Prince William VA
Spc Joshua Campbell 22 Bennett CO
Spc Shawn Muhr 26 Coon Rapids IA
Spc Omar Soltero 28 San Antonio TX
Spc Ryan Gartner 23 Dumont NJ
Cpl Richard Atkinson 22 Australia
Cpl David Dalzell 20 Northern Ireland
Cpl Lucas Pyeatt 24 West Chester OH
WO Colin Beckett 36 England Sgt Patrick Carroll 25 Norwalk OH
Cpl Aaron Swanson 21 Jamestown NJ Spc Nathan Carse 32 Harrod OH Pvt Lewis Hendry 20 England Pvt Conrad Lewis 22 England
204 Afghans and Pakistanis
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