CODEPINK : CODEPINK brings the public's anti-war message to General Petraeus and Congress

CODEPINK brings the public's anti-war message to General Petraeus and Congress

Contact:
Medea Benjamin 415-235-6517
Desiree Fairooz 202-423-3654
April 7th, 2008

Vibrant anti-war turnout anticipated inside & outside the hearing

What: Press conference
When: Tuesday, April 8, 1pm
Where: Atrium of the Senate Hart Building

CODEPINK anti-war activists will comment on the morning Senate Armed Services hearing with General Petraeus. They will also be in the hearings on both Tuesday and Wednesday to demonstrate that the public is not buying the Petraeus/Bush/McCain spin that the surge is working. A New York Times poll reported last week that 81% of Americans (polled) believe "things have pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track," which is up from 69 percent a year ago and 35 percent in early 2002. CODEPINK will be inside the hearing rooms and in the hallways to say: "The surge has not worked. There is no military solution. Bring the troops home!" CODEPINK will create a powerful visual representation of death and sorrow to complement its anti-war message.

"While General Petraeus and John McCain are trying to spin the surge as a success, Iraq is engulfed in a horrifying spiral of violence that won't end as long as our troops are there," says Medea Benjamin, co-founder of the national peace group CODEPINK. "We will be inside and outside Congress to tell our elected officials that the American people are sick and tired of the deaths, the suffering and the hemorrhaging of our taxdollars. We say ENOUGH!"

"We are spending $5,000 per second in Iraq on military operations, we are gambling daily with Iraqi and American lives with no end game in sight . It is time for Congress to withhold funding, except for withdrawal of all US troops and contractors by the end of Bush's term! 81% of Americans want to see us back on the right track- we hope Congress listens to more than Gen. Petraeus's and Ambassador Crocker's lip-service this week," stated Gael Murphy, CODEPINK co-founder and Congressional Co-chair of the nation's largest anti-war coalition, United for Peace and Justice.