American Friends Service Committee Urges Americans to "Wage Peace"
Bush State of the Union Address Prompts On-line Petition Drive and Movie Launch
PHILADELPHIA, PA — Recently, in his State of the Union address, President Bush painted a rosy picture about democracy
and freedom in Iraq.
The truth is not so simple.
An estimated 100,000 Iraqis and more than 1400 U.S. soldiers have died in the unnecessary war, and the toll mounts
daily. The presence of U.S. occupation forces has been — and will continue to be — a flashpoint for violence.
Today, as part of our growing Wage Peace Campaign, AFSC is launching a new movie that tells the truth about the ongoing
loss of life in Iraq — and encourages viewers to sign our petition to bring the troops home.
The movie can be viewed at the AFSC website: http://www.afsc.org/wagepeace/.
This spring is a critical time to demonstrate the breadth and diversity of opposition to the war. Military families,
veterans, people of faith, students and many others are now speaking out. The momentum is building.
Together we can end this war.
Backed by an 87-year history working for peace, justice and reconciliation in trouble areas of the world, the American
Friends Service Committee is a faith-based organization grounded in Quaker beliefs respecting the dignity and worth of
every person. The search for regional peace has been a major focus of the American Friends Service Committee’s highly
regarded international affairs work.
In 1919 the Service Committee launched massive programs to feed millions of starving children in post-war Germany at the
request of President Herbert Hoover when he was director of the American Relief Administration. During World War II,
AFSC provided temporary aid, housing and other assistance to Japanese-Americans in efforts to get them out of internment
camps.
In 1947, AFSC and the British Friends Service Council accepted the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of the Religious Society
of Friends (Quakers) worldwide.
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The American Friends Service Committee is a Quaker organization that includes people of various faiths who are
committed to social justice, peace and humanitarian service. Its work is based on the belief in the worth of every
person and faith in the power of love to overcome violence and injustice