September 16, 2011 Dear Zubaidah.shah@yahoo.com, On October 6, we will have been fighting in Afghanistan for 10 years! If you, like me, think our endless occupations of Afghanistan and Iraq are wrong, then join me in DC, starting on October 6, for an ongoing occupation of Freedom Plaza to demand an end to these wars. When I volunteered to be part of the team that reopened the U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan in December 2001, I believed the U.S. actions in Afghanistan were justified. But I later realized that the presence of U.S. troops was only fueling the cycle of violence. And when President Bush decided to invade Iraq on the basis of what I knew were lies, I resigned from the State Department after 16 years of service. It was with a heavy heart that I watched the Bush administration commit torture and completely ignore the Geneva Conventions and the Constitution. I am delighted that CODEPINK continues to call for accountability for those war criminals. Whether interrupting speaking engagements across the country, pressuring the Justice Department to take action or moving Cheney's book into the Crime Section, we can take action. We must also come to the aid of those who are attacked for telling the truth. The latest object of such attacks is Nobel Prize-winning writer Paul Krugman, who dared criticize the post-9/11 actions of our leaders. Sign this petition, and watch CODEPINK's defense of Krugman on Fox News. It's critical that we stand up to abusive power. If you can't make it to DC, perhaps you can help occupy Wall Street on September 17 or join an action in your city. As founding father James Madison wrote, "No nation can preserve its freedom in the midst of perpetual war." Let's honor all those who died on 9/11 and the ensuing years by ending the wars that are tanking our economy, killing our loved ones and sullying our reputation worldwide. Onward for justice, Ret. Col. Ann Wright If you wish to unsubscribe from this email please click here. CODEPINK respects your privacy. For more information, please view our Privacy Policy.