Today, as General Petraeus testified before the House Armed Services Committee in his effort to extend the war, members of CODEPINK challenged the General’s lies and rosy painted picture of Iraq’s successes.10 activists were arrested: Mona Hall, 70, grandmother of 4 from Dallas, Desiree Fairooz, 50 of Arlington, Medea Benjamin, 54 (today) of San Francisco, Liz Hourican, 41 of Phoenix and Lori Perdue, 41 of Indianapolis. Also arrested were Rev. Yearwood, 36 of the Hip Hop Caucus, peace mom Cindy Sheehan, her sister DeDe Miller, her daughter Carly Sheehan and Tiffany Burns, 30 of Los Angeles. Leslie Angeline and Lydia Vickers of CODEPINK, Adam Kokesh of Iraq Veterans Against the War and retired CIA officer Ray McGovern were all escorted out for disrupting the hearing. Many of the CODEPINKers are being held overnight by the Capitol Police. The growing diversity of groups and concerned citizens from around the country that were present today is more proof that as the occupation of Iraq continues and the Bush Administration asks for more and more funding, the American people are becoming increasingly weary and ready to ask the tough questions the Congress is not.

"The Bush/Petraeus spin paints a false, rosy picture of Iraq and it is our duty to make sure Congress and the rest of America knows the surge isn't working, there is no military solution and the troops need to come home," said Medea Benjamin, co-founder of the national women's peace group.
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