Call to Act for Freedom From Fear

In the aftermath of September 11, 2001, the U.S. faced a choice: seek an outlet for immeditae revenge or build the foundation for enduring peace.

U.S. leaders chose to invest in preventive violence and retribution....and the nation has been paying for that choice ever since.

The administration says its top priority is to keep the nation safe. But their choices have not made the U.S. more secure:

• The U.S. military budget has increased by 45 percent—yet more violent groups are planning attacks on the U.S. than immediately after 9/11

• Record budget surpluses have turned to record deficits—yet the U.S. has cut funding for the tools of development and diplomacy that foster world stability

• Civil liberties have been seriously eroded in the name of security— threatening the very democracy this nation has gone to war to protect.

The nation has mortgaged its future to pay for the wrong answers from the administration.
So on this September 11, the fifth anniversary of 9/11, its time to ask Congress to give the nation better responses to the threats to global peace by:

• Ending the conflict in Iraq which has cost nearly half a trillion dollars and made the U.S. less secure as a nation

• Preventing the next wars now by expanding funding for internationally led development programs and diplomacy tools

• Modeling the best of democracy— stopping the erosion of our constitutional rights and freedoms in the name of "security"

Reflect and prepare on Sunday, September 10—and call for change on September 11.

Friends Committee on National Legislation • 245 Second St., NE • Washington, DC 20002 • (800) 630-1330 • www.fcnl.org