(1) Why should I sign the Voters for Peace Pledge?

The majority of Americans think the occupation of Iraq is a mistake and want to see our troops return quickly. A July 2008 CNN poll showed 68% of Americans oppose the war, but their views are not reflected by most of our elected officials and Congressional candidates. That's why we have to create a strong anti-war voter bloc. We must convince candidates and elected officials that we are determined to elect leaders who reflect our desire to end the occupation and to focus on non-violent approaches to resolve future conflicts.

(2) What do you mean by "speedy end" to the war?

A "speedy end" to the war means that withdrawal is carried out in a rapid and responsible manner in order to maintain the highest level of safety for U.S. troops and Iraqi civilians. We want to see US troops leave, AND an end to the violence in Iraq, and we think that the two are intimately connected.

The CODEPINK cofounders have traveled to the Middle East numerous times, including a 2006 delegation to the Middle East to meet with Iraqi parliamentarians, religious leaders and members of non-governmental organizations. From our meetings, we learned about the effort by Iraqis themselves to come up with a Reconciliation Plan to stop the violence. A key element of that plan is a fixed timetable for the withdrawal of US troops. While George Bush says that fixing a timetable for withdrawal will embolden the insurgents, Iraqis told us just the opposite. They said that as in the case of Lebanon, this conflict can only be solved through negotiations, and that the insurgents will only negotiate if they know that the Reconciliation Plan will include the speedy withdrawal of all foreign troops.

Any candidate who is truly concerned about the well-being of our soldiers and the Iraqi people must commit to a speedy withdrawal and support the Iraqi-led efforts at reconciliation.

(3) The Voters for Peace Pledge contains the term "war of aggression". How do you define a war of aggression? I'm against this war, but not sure how I will feel about future conflicts.

The "war of aggression" term has extensive legal and historical meaning -- going back to the UN Charter and the Nuremberg principles. A war of aggression is the most serious violation of international law that a country can commit -- attacking another country when it is not threatened.

The United States has embarked on a perilous foreign policy that calls for the preemptive use of military and covert force. This policy violates international law, sets a dangerous precedent for other nations, and leads to a state of "perpetual war" that makes us, and the world, less safe. Our aim must to be to use our diplomatic might to STOP war, not to be the aggressor attacking nations that have not attacked us.

We expect candidates to represent this basic commitment to respect international law.

(4) How do I find out if my candidate qualifies as an "anti-war candidate"?
What source can tell me where the candidates in my state and district stand?

Due to the federal tax laws, I Am a Voter For Peace is not able to provide links to candidates who have signed the pledge, nor are we able to endorse any individual candidate or party. So it's up to you to investigate. You can find an incumbent candidate's stance on the war by examining his/her voting record. You can do an Internet search for your candidate or access the websites of Congressional incumbents through these links:

• http://www.house.gov/
  http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm.
• United for Peace and Justice has several downloadable charts that will show you how your Representative stands on the Iraq War. To find out how your Representative has voted on Iraq legislation, visit: http://www.unitedforpeace.org/article.php?id=3116
• Also, Peace Action is developing a Voter Guide that might be useful.
  See http://www.peace-action.org/2006/voterguides.html.

But many candidates, incumbent and non-incumbent, have been modifying their positions recently to reflect the massive voter dissent. Cong. Christopher Shays, R-CT, who recently moved from supporting Bush's position to calling for a fixed timetable for withdrawal is a good example.

So read through the candidates' website and literature. Do they call for a timetable for withdrawal or for a speedy end to the war? Do they call for no permanent bases in Iraq? Are they standing for diplomacy not war with Iran? If you still haven't found your answer, call the campaign office. They should have a position statement ready to read to you, and if they don't, push them to develop one. Better yet, go to a candidate forum and ask them in person!

(5) What should I do if there's no good candidate?

First of all, make sure to use the time from now until November to push the candidates to take a principled stand on this war. Gather as many Voters for Peace Pledge signatures as you can and encourage others to do the same. Use the signatures you gather to meet with or birddog candidates to persuade them to take a strong anti-war stance. In a close race, candidates are going to take notice.

Then, on Election Day, vote for the candidate who reflects your principled stand.

(6) Isn't it important to for the Democrats to maintain a majority in the House and strengthen their Senate, regardless of the stance of individual candidates on the war?

I Am a Voter For Peace is a non-partisan effort to create a voter bloc committed to peace. With the US bogged down in the quagmire in Iraq, and the Bush administration threatening to get us involved in another conflict in Iran, we think it's critical to get people elected who are committed to peace.

We also feel it is essential to tap into the peace voter bloc for the upcoming presidential elections. In 2004, we were faced with two candidates from the major parties who were both pro-war. John Kerry has since modified his position, but at the time, he supported the war in Iraq and mistakenly, took the support of peace voters for granted. We can influence the campaign positions of presidential candidates while they are on the trail by strongly advocating for peace issues.

(7) The war isn't the only issue. How can you ask us to ignore all other issues?

So many other issues are intimately related to the war in Iraq. How can there be more funds for health care or our schools if we are spending over $1 billion a week in Iraq? How can we put our energies into combating global warming if we continue to fight oil wars? How can we stop violence in our communities or violence again women if we glorify war? Yes, the war in Iraq is not the only issue, but as long as we are at war, we cripple our ability to tackle so many other issues that are near and dear to us.

(8) I signed the Voters for Peace Pledge. How can I take further action to support this campaign?

Now that you've committed your vote to peace candidates, you can help by getting other people to sign on. We're looking for 1,000 people who will collect 100 peace voters each. To become an official "Peacemaker," visit the Be a Peacemaker section of this website. You can also make a tax-deductible donation to the I Am a Voter For Peacecampaign.