BRING OUR WAR $$ HOME!


"…to end U.S. funded wars and occupations, to challenge militarism globally, and to redirect our resources into health care, education, green jobs and other life-affirming activities."CODEPINK Mission Statement

Since our first White House vigils in fall 2002, CODEPINK has opposed not only the U.S. war on Iraq with its ongoing catastrophic consequences but all the wars and "special operations" that the United States wastes human lives and tax dollars on. The "war on terror" has been the pretext for the US military-industrial complex to metastasize, with steadily increasing budgets to a Warfare State whose representatives declare: "The world is a battlefield."

“I respectfully disagree with plans... nearly 10,000 troops and an unknown number of contractors in Afghanistan beyond 2014 and to extend U.S. troop presence in Afghanistan until 2016." — Congresswoman Barbara Lee

It costs over $1 million a year for each US soldier in Afghanistan. Meanwhile back home, long-term unemployment insurance goes unrenewed, millions of families live in harsh poverty, and our infrastructure is in bad need of repair. After 13 years, join us in telling our elected officials that it’s time to bring our war dollars home for real human needs.

  • Call the White House and tell President Obama: I agree with Congresswoman Barbara Lee - troops home from Afghanistan now! 202-456-1111.
  • Call your Senator and demand a NO vote on the FY15NDAA as it stands: 202-224-3121.
  • Sign our petition to tell the president you want all our troops home, with none left behind in Afghanistan!

In September 2013, the people of the United States expressed their war-weariness by telling their reps and senators in no uncertain terms to stay out of military involvement in Syria -- and the US push to war was halted! We can do this, too. Bring our troops, our military contractors, and our tax dollars home. As Barbara Lee also said about the US war in Afghanistan: “Enough is enough.”

More Ways to take action and bring our war $$ home!

1. Connect the Dots
Communicate with your community about how military spending, including surveillance, leads to cuts in domestic programs:

  • Download the NEW War Dollars Home Flyer (pdf) and pass it out at congressional town halls, school board meetings, civic events, panel discussions on economic matters - wherever people are considering where their tax dollars go, or should go.
  • Bring this sign-up sheet to rallies and events to gather signatures to build your own local group and listserv, and add to CODEPINK's national email list.
  • Use the National Priorities Project "Trade-Offs" tool to find the cost of wars and surveillance to your state, city, county, or congressional district.
  • Wear the "truth tee" - it's a great conversation starter!
  • Need one or more banners? Buy these popular, all-weather banners in a variety of six different but related messages.
  • Write letters to the editor of your local newspaper, referring to news articles about city and state budget crises, school closures or other local issues and connecting those to the tax dollars drained from your community to fund wars, militarism and surveillance.

2. Communicate with Congress
Contact your senators and member of Congress with a Bring Our War $$ Home message, adding the "ask" to defund the NSA now. Call 202-224-3121 and ask for your member of Congress or senator by name. Or use our Letter to Congress tool.

3. Conduct a Penny Poll on Real People's Economic Priorities
This is a fun activity to do at a farmers' market, in front of a post office or any popular community spot. Here's your "recipe":

  • Assemble 100 - 200 pennies, and set up a table with "Penny Poll" sign, coins and jars.
  • Give participants 10 pennies to distribute among 5 glass jars labeled: Education, Environment, Health Care, Housing, Military.
  • Have a Bring Our War $$ Home sign-up sheet available so people can sign up to receive email alerts on these issues.
  • Invite the local media by sending a press release! And during the penny poll, greet reporters and photographers and help them get interviews and photos.
  • Afterward, send out another press release providing the results of your penny poll. Or, send a letter to the editor of your local paper, announcing the results.

4. Use online tools/social media

  • When you read an article online about the federal budget, surveillance, the costs of war, or related issues, go to the comments section and add your thoughts.
  • Follow @WarDollarsHome on Twitter, and/or use your own twitter account to post links to articles of interest, and your opinions on war spending.
  • Let your Facebook friends know your thoughts, and make suggestions about actions they can take.
  • Watch the trailer for the brilliant new documentary "Terms And Conditions May Apply" http://tacma.net/tacma.php about government and corporate surveillance of our electronic communications, and use the handy tips and tools provided on the website.

For your inspiration:

See the Bring Our War $$ Home flickr set

"I believe the public has a right to know"
—Alexa O'Brien, journalist and unofficial civilian transcriber of the Bradley Manning trial.

“Not only is another world possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.”
—Arundhati Roy

"It isn't enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn't enough to believe in it. One must work at it."
—Eleanor Roosevelt