Withdraw the Troops

A message from MoveOn.org:

As President Obama decides how many troops to bring home and how quickly, add your name to this petition to bring our troops home: "President Obama, we need to end the war in Afghanistan. Please keep your commitment to begin an accelerated withdrawal of troops in July." 

Add your name

It's already started—hawks in the media and military saying that the killing of Osama bin Laden is proof that the war in Afghanistan is working and that we should redouble our efforts.

Even though bin Laden was captured in another country entirely. Even though the operation was executed by a small, specialized force and not the continued occupation of a nation by over 100,000 of our soldiers. Even though the man we ostensibly invaded Afghanistan to capture is no longer a threat.

And even as the war continues to be a drain on our resources at a time when we need them spent at home, more than ever.

In 2009, President Obama committed to begin bringing troops home from Afghanistan this July. Right now he's deciding how many troops to withdraw and how quickly. The New York Times reports that people in his Administration are divided, with pressure from some senior figures to minimize the withdrawal, and some voices of reason calling for an accelerated drawdown.¹

But he hasn't heard from us yet. At this moment of decision, a collective call from hundreds of thousands of Americans to bring our troops home will give the President the public support he needs to begin a swift, safe, and significant withdrawal of our troops. You can do your part by adding your name:

Click here to sign the petition to bring our troops home.

We are not alone in wanting to bring this war to an end. Representative Chellie Pingree has her own petition for a significant troop drawdown, which she plans to deliver to the White House. If we can get over 125,000 signatures on our petition, she'll deliver it too.

She's one of 81 members of Congress who signed a letter to President Obama, organized by Representative Barbara Lee, calling on him to make a "significant and sizeable" withdrawal of troops this July.

And even before this week, 73% of Americans believed we should be making a substantial withdrawal this Summer.² So we're joining with other progressive groups who are mobilizing their members to support President Obama in his commitment to bring our troops home.

Can you help reach that goal of 125,000 signatures so we can stand up to the warmongers and have Rep. Pingree deliver our message of encouragement to the White House?

Yes, I can sign the petition to bring our troops home.

–Justin, Adam Q., Eli, Laura, and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. "Killing Adds to Debate about U.S. Strategy and Timetable in Afghanistan," The New York Times, May 2, 2011 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=208244&id=27213-18623853-nVNmLKx&t=4

2. Washington Post-ABC Poll, March 13, 2011 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=208245&id=27213-18623853-nVNmLKx&t=5

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