President Obama: Peace in Afghanistan and Pakistan!

The Obama Administration has entered into direct, secret talks with senior Afghan Taliban leaders, according to Steve Coll in an article, "US-Taliban Talks" in this week's The New Yorker Magazine. As further proof, he also quotes Secretary of State Hillary Clinton last Friday from a speech at the Asia Society, "And diplomacy would be easy if we only had to talk to our friends. But that is not how one makes peace."

If it is true that behind the scenes talks have begun, then it could be the first steps toward negotiations between all the political forces in Afghanistan. Diplomacy, not more war, will bring the troops home and end the war in Afghanistan and drone attacks in Pakistan.

Send a strong message now to President Obama: Take bolder steps on negotiations and set a timetable for troop withdrawal.

Candidate Obama has begun preparations for the 2012 elections. And so should we, especially those who were active in the 2008 campaign. President Obama told Bob Woodward during an interview for the book, Obama's Wars, that he was not willing to lose his base over the Afghanistan war.

Eighty percent of Democrats and sixty percent overall do not believe the war is worth fighting. Those who helped elect the President must let him know, "Without a shift in your policy, it is hard to imagine the same kind of movement will develop to support your re-election campaign. Send that message to President Obama.

Peace Action and a number of other peace groups are launching a petition campaign to send a clear message that we and a super majority of Democrats and most voters want an end to the war that is draining scarce resources from the national budget. The $1 million annual cost for each soldier in Afghanistan is a striking example of misguided priorities.

We want Candidate Obama to know, "Just as the Iraq war became a dividing line between you and your opponents, so will Afghanistan."

Thank You,

Judith LeBlanc
National Field Organizer
Peace Action

P.S. - Join the Obama Supporters for Peace in Afghanistan and Pakistan Petition Campaign. Download a paper version of the petition. The petition is also available for general use. The Campaign will run from now until the July 2011 "troop draw down" date. We will target events and venues where 2008 campaign activists gather. Materials and other activities will also be available as well.

If you or your organization would like to join the Campaign, please contact us.