Last week Sam Stein reported that the U.S. Conference of Mayors were working on an anti-war resolution for the first time in nearly forty years, the Vietnam War era.
U.S. Mayors To Push For First Anti-War Resolution Since Vietnam
WASHINGTON -- As the Obama administration readies plans for U.S. offices in Afghanistan, it's not just national office-holders who are demanding an expedited drawdown.
On Friday, the U.S. Conference of Mayors will introduce a resolution calling for a quicker end to the war and a speedier withdrawal of troops. If it passes -- a vote will come on Monday -- it will be the first time the body has formally called for an end to an military engagement since Vietnam.
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The basis of the mayors' objections is not strictly the morality or strategic basis of the war, but the price tag. The resolution's first clause references the "severity of the ongoing economic crisis" and "budget shortfalls at all levels of government" as reasons to "re-examine our national spending priorities." [ ... ] "As mayors, we recognize there is an absurdly false choice being put to Americans that we somehow have to pick between all the priorities we care deeply about but can't touch massive spending on the military," said Rybak
And today, they passed that resolution.
U.S. Mayors Pass Resolution To Bring 'War Dollars' Home
BALTIMORE -- The U.S. Conference of Mayors approved a resolution on Monday calling for an accelerated end to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
That resolution will now become official policy of the mayors' organization -- a small symbol of growing opposition to the war in Afghanistan. The mayors are asking that money spent on wars abroad be used in the United States to develop cities and towns. The last time the conference approved a resolution like this was during the Vietnam War.
The resolution was amended to make sure no one could interpret it as a statement against service members [ ... ] Another amendment suggested by Mayor Mick Cornett (R-Oklahoma City) made sure the resolution also called on President Obama -- in addition to Congress -- to redirect funds to cities and towns.
Antonio Villaraigosa, the Mayor of the City of Los Angeles, and the President of the United States Conference of Mayors wrote a column in the Huffington Post just a few hours ago
Time for Mayors to Take the Lead Time for Mayors to Take the Lead
As Mayors, we represent -- and reside in -- communities that are far removed from the partisan paralysis of Washington, DC. We know how hard it is for families struggling while living paycheck to paycheck. We've seen cities swamped by the mortgage crisis and entire neighborhoods left to rot. We've dealt first-hand with the aftermath of a huge employer leaving town for $2-a-day labor abroad, or the devastation of a tornado sweeping through town.
Legislators are hired to talk, but mayors are hired to act. And the American people desperately need us to act.
Throughout this conference, we've discussed how mayors across the country can come together in support of what America needs most. [ ... ] And we've asked Congress to responsibly bring our troops home and dedicate the billions currently being spent in Iraq and Afghanistan to creating jobs, developing sustainable energy, and repairing our crumbling infrastructure.
CommonDreams.org:
US Mayors Tell Congress: Bring War Dollars Home
BALTIMORE, June 20 – Mayors from around the US met in Baltimore this week to set public policy for the millions of people living in big cities, depending on municipal services to stay safe. While Congress considered allocating another $118 billion to conduct wars next year – and President Obama absurdly maintained that the costly bombing of Libya is not an act of war, and thus not subject to Congressional oversight – mayors listened to the people.
Following a lively debate about adding stronger language supporting troops and their families, and adding President Obama as a recipient, mayors voted in their June 20 plenary session to call on the federal government to stop funding wars, and bring the money home.
The speeches from the US Conference of Mayors are available on livestream here:
http://www.livestream.com/...
There is a lot of activity on Twitter.
@thegreatturning Kat Gjovik
US Conference of Mayors call for end to wars, bring money home! bit.ly/lht3yh #uscm2011 #neweconomy
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@JudithLeBlanc Judith LeBlanc
Thx Mayors. MT @RT @jackiecabasso US Mayors overwhelmingly reject war; call 4 massive redirection $ to meet the needs of #cities #USCM2011
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@JackieCabasso Jacqueline Cabasso
#USCM2011 America's Mayors overwhelmingly reject nuclear weapons and war; call for massive redirection of $ to meet the needs of cities
http://twitter.com/...
Right on!