New US War, US Military Bases in Colombia
July 30, 2009
Hello Friends,
I am very concerned about the US recently announced plans to construct military bases in Colombia. As you know, I have been a volunteer with Christian Peacemaker Teams since 2002, accompanying Colombian farmers who are threatened by guerrillas, paramilitaries, and Colombian military forces. As we have often told these armed groups, “You have been trying to resolve the conflict in Colombia for the last 50 years with a gun. Can’t you see it just does not work? It just results in more suffering and death of people each day.”
To build military bases in Colombia is continuing this same false assumption that the conflict in Colombia can be solved with a gun. Lasting resolutions to conflict always are resolved with negotiations. Let’s support President Barak Obama’s proclamation to make diplomacy central in US foreign policy.
I sense this is a very pivotal point in US Colombian foreign policy that could go the wrong way or the right way. And so I would like to encourage you to consider praying for and writing our government, asking that we start talking today with the FARC, the ELN, the paramilitaries and Hugo Chavez. Insist that the Colombian government to be part of those talks.
Ask them for the sake of Colombians and all Latin Americans to not build military bases in Colombia. Instead, let us send aid for health, education and diplomacy, which all are constructive rather than destructive.
This would also be much more in line with the teaching of Jesus.
At the current US military aid rate of a million dollars a day to Colombia, I imagine the corporate suppliers want to keep the civil war going. But I say it is past time to stop it. Below is a generic letter which you can use or change as you wish to send to your representatives
Thanks for your consideration on this matter.
Pray for Peace,
Jim Fitz
PS. An easy way to inform the government of your thoughts is the following: If you go to Friends Committee on National Legislation web site: http://www.fcnl.org/index.htm and click on “Contact Congress” and fill in your zip code, you than can send your letter to your Senators, Congressperson, and President Obama with just one click. Just copy and paste the letter into the box. I would encourage you to consider signing up for the FCLN email list. It is a very easy way to let your representatives know what you are thinking. Democracy only works if we use it. Generic letter
Greetings,
I am very concerned about the US plans to construct military bases in Colombia. Since 2001 Christian Peacemaker Teams has been accompanying Colombian farmers who are threatened by guerrillas, paramilitaries, and Colombian military forces. They have often told these armed groups, “You have been trying to resolve the conflict in Colombia for the last 50 years with a gun. Can’t you see it just does not work? It just results in more suffering and death of people each day.”
To build military bases in Colombia is continuing this same false assumption that the conflict in Colombia can be solved with a gun. Lasting resolutions to conflict always are resolved with negotiations. Let’s support President Barak Obama’s proclamation to make diplomacy central in US foreign policy. Let’s start today talking with the FARC, the ELN, the paramilitaries and Hugo Chavez. Please insist the Colombian government to be part of those talks.
This would also be much more in line with the great religious teachers of the world, including Jesus of Nazareth.
At the current US military aid rate of a million dollars a day to Colombia, I imagine the corporate suppliers want to keep the civil war going. But I say it is past time to stop it.
Please, please for the sake of Colombians and all Latin Americans, do not built military bases in Colombia. Instead, let us send aid for health, education and diplomacy, which are all constructive rather than destructive.
Thanks for your consideration on this matter. I would welcome your response.
Praying for Peace,
Your name and address.
July 30, 2009
Hello Friends,
I am very concerned about the US recently announced plans to construct military bases in Colombia. As you know, I have been a volunteer with Christian Peacemaker Teams since 2002, accompanying Colombian farmers who are threatened by guerrillas, paramilitaries, and Colombian military forces. As we have often told these armed groups, “You have been trying to resolve the conflict in Colombia for the last 50 years with a gun. Can’t you see it just does not work? It just results in more suffering and death of people each day.”
To build military bases in Colombia is continuing this same false assumption that the conflict in Colombia can be solved with a gun. Lasting resolutions to conflict always are resolved with negotiations. Let’s support President Barak Obama’s proclamation to make diplomacy central in US foreign policy.
I sense this is a very pivotal point in US Colombian foreign policy that could go the wrong way or the right way. And so I would like to encourage you to consider praying for and writing our government, asking that we start talking today with the FARC, the ELN, the paramilitaries and Hugo Chavez. Insist that the Colombian government to be part of those talks.
Ask them for the sake of Colombians and all Latin Americans to not build military bases in Colombia. Instead, let us send aid for health, education and diplomacy, which all are constructive rather than destructive.
This would also be much more in line with the teaching of Jesus.
At the current US military aid rate of a million dollars a day to Colombia, I imagine the corporate suppliers want to keep the civil war going. But I say it is past time to stop it. Below is a generic letter which you can use or change as you wish to send to your representatives
Thanks for your consideration on this matter.
Pray for Peace,
Jim Fitz
PS. An easy way to inform the government of your thoughts is the following: If you go to Friends Committee on National Legislation web site: http://www.fcnl.org/index.htm and click on “Contact Congress” and fill in your zip code, you than can send your letter to your Senators, Congressperson, and President Obama with just one click. Just copy and paste the letter into the box. I would encourage you to consider signing up for the FCLN email list. It is a very easy way to let your representatives know what you are thinking. Democracy only works if we use it. Generic letter
Greetings,
I am very concerned about the US plans to construct military bases in Colombia. Since 2001 Christian Peacemaker Teams has been accompanying Colombian farmers who are threatened by guerrillas, paramilitaries, and Colombian military forces. They have often told these armed groups, “You have been trying to resolve the conflict in Colombia for the last 50 years with a gun. Can’t you see it just does not work? It just results in more suffering and death of people each day.”
To build military bases in Colombia is continuing this same false assumption that the conflict in Colombia can be solved with a gun. Lasting resolutions to conflict always are resolved with negotiations. Let’s support President Barak Obama’s proclamation to make diplomacy central in US foreign policy. Let’s start today talking with the FARC, the ELN, the paramilitaries and Hugo Chavez. Please insist the Colombian government to be part of those talks.
This would also be much more in line with the great religious teachers of the world, including Jesus of Nazareth.
At the current US military aid rate of a million dollars a day to Colombia, I imagine the corporate suppliers want to keep the civil war going. But I say it is past time to stop it.
Please, please for the sake of Colombians and all Latin Americans, do not built military bases in Colombia. Instead, let us send aid for health, education and diplomacy, which are all constructive rather than destructive.
Thanks for your consideration on this matter. I would welcome your response.
Praying for Peace,
Your name and address.
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