Dear Friends,

With the recent withdrawal from Afghanistan, many believe that the impact of the war against the Taliban and Al Qaeda is now over. While a good start, the U.S. continues to hold 39 detainees from this war in the Guantanamo prison and continues to carry out drone strikes in Kabul and elsewhere. 

Today, Sept. 18th, is the 20th anniversary of the day that President George W. Bush signed the authorization for the use of force that provided a legal justification for this war. This month is a good time for you to write an op-ed or letter-to-the-editor explaining that the war is not over just because American troops have withdrawn from Afghanistan. Your voice is the only thing that will bring pressure on the Biden Administration and Congress to end drone strikes, close Guantanamo, and open our doors to Afghan refugees. 

NRCAT has prepared these talking points that you can use for your opinion piece, sermon, or reflection on these past 20 years and where we go from here as a nation.

One thing is clear. Twenty years of using force as a means of addressing terrorism has only resulted in unnecessary deaths, the destruction of communities, and increasing global hostility toward the U.S. It is time for our country to redeem itself with a new foreign policy based on peace and cooperation.

Sincerely,

Matt Hawthorne
Policy Director