E-News: Iran, Tax Day & More Date: Thu, 5 Apr 2007 00:40:25 -0500 (CDT) FCNL E-Newsletter - April 3, 2007 Read this newsletter online at: http://www.fcnl.org/email/e-newsletter/03april07.htm *Iran: A Policy of All Stick and No Carrots Will Not Work The Iranian government's detention of 15 British sailors and the announcement that Iran may stop cooperating with international nuclear non-proliferation inspectors has led some in Congress to conclude that the U.S. must escalate its campaigns to pressure Tehran into compliance with international community demands. But the fact that a small border dispute has turned into a major diplomatic incident that could lead to war is more evidence of the need for face-to-face diplomatic negotiations between the U.S. and Iran. Read why Executive Secretary Joe Volk believes a policy of all sticks and no carrots will not work.: http://www.fcnl.org/issues/item.php?item_id=2517&issue_id=123 *Just in Time for Tax Day: FCNL's Flyer on Where Our Tax Dollars Go How much of every dollar of federal income taxes you pay in 2006 goes to war? To health care? To humanitarian aid? FCNL's tax day flyer - http://www.fcnl.org/pdfs/taxday07.pdf - gives the answers. *Quote of the Week: Philadelphia Inquirer Editorial Urges Habeas Corpus Restoration "Congress should pass a measure to restore that fundamental human-rights protection; among the sponsors is Sen. Arlen Specter (R., Pa.)...Whoever does it, someone who cares about America's future has to uphold the values of due process and impartial justice that distinguish this nation from its enemies." ~ Philadelphia Inquirer editorial, written after meeting with an FCNL-organized delegation including FCNL's Executive Secretary, local lawyers, and Quakers. Read the editorial: http://www.philly.com/inquirer/opinion/20070330_Editorial___Guantanamo.html *From the Hill: Resolving Conflict with Non-Military Tools The Senate Foreign Relations Committee last week approved a bill that would help the U.S. respond to crises without sending in the military. The Reconstruction and Stabilization Civilian Management Act of 2007 (S. 613/H.R. 1084) would fund the creation of a civilian reserve corps, people with expertise in areas such as health, policing, and conflict resolution, who could go to countries at risk of or recently emerging from deadly conflict. Read more: http://www.fcnl.org/issues/item.php?item_id=2506&issue_id=129 *Grassroots Tip: What You Can Do During this Congressional Recess Senators are home April 2-9, and representatives are back in their districts April 2-13. During this time, many members of Congress will be holding town hall meetings and attending other public gatherings where you can ask questions about U.S. policy towards Iraq and Iran. Check members' websites for information on their schedules over recess. You can find links to those websites using FCNL's congressional directory: http://capwiz.com/fconl/directory/congdir.tt *From the Quakers' Colonel: Iraq Casualty Update As of the end of March, 3,248 U.S. service members had died in Iraq since the invasion in March 2003. In the first two days of April, another five died. Read a comparison of the Iraq death toll with the death toll in Vietnam by FCNL's Col. Dan Smith (USA, Ret.): http://quakerscolonel.blogspot.com/2007/04/casualty-update.html *War is Not the Answer Photo of the Week http://www.fcnl.org/images/e-newsletter/jan_demo.gif Credit: Margaret Mansfield _______________________________________ The Next Step for Iraq: Join FCNL's Iraq Campaign, http://www.fcnl.org/iraq/ Contact Congress and the Administration: http://capwiz.com/fconl/dbq/officials/ Order FCNL publications and "War is Not the Answer" campaign bumper stickers and yard signs: http://www.fcnl.org/pubs/ http://www.fcnl.org/forms/forms.php?type=bump Contribute to FCNL: http://www.fcnl.org/donate/ Subscribe or update your information to this list: http://capwiz.com/fconl/mlm/. To unsubscribe from this list, please see the end of this message. Subscribe to other FCNL legislative, policy, and action alert lists: http://www.fcnl.org/forms/forms.php?type=ls. ________________________________________ Friends Committee on National Legislation 245 Second St. NE, Washington, DC 20002-5795 fcnl@fcnl.org * http://www.fcnl.org phone: (202)547-6000 * toll-free: (800)630-1330 We seek a world free of war and the threat of war We seek a society with equity and justice for all We seek a community where every person's potential may be fulfilled We seek an earth restored.