"Joe Biden is at the top of the internal short list Hillary Clinton’s transition team is preparing for her pick to be secretary of state," Politico reports. "He'd be great, and they are spending a lot of time figuring out the best way to try to persuade him to do it if she wins,” said a source familiar with Hillary Clinton's transition planning. The Vice President, who chaired the Senate Foreign Relations Committee before joining the administration, is "one of the most experienced and respected Democrats on the world stage," Politico notes. [1] Politico notes that in the Obama Administration, Biden has often played the role of chief skeptic on demands for U.S. military escalation, citing debates in the Administration over the use of force in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, and Libya. Of the candidates apparently being considered, Biden has unique personal stature to push back on demands for U.S. military escalation, including those coming from State Department officials. Urge President Obama and Members of Congress to encourage Vice President Biden to consider serving as Secretary of State in the next Administration by signing our petition. References: 1. http://www.politico.com/story/2016/10/clinton-biden-secretary-of-state-230428

On Tuesday, former acting CIA director and Hillary Clinton adviser Michael Morell advocated going to war with Iran for the sake of securing Saudi Arabia’s domination of Yemen. [1] The last thing the Saudi war in Yemen needs is U.S. military escalation. The Saudi war in Yemen needs a lasting ceasefire and a political and diplomatic resolution. That is much more likely if the U.S. threatens to withdraw from the war than if the U.S. threatens to escalate the war. MoveOn and CREDO blasted Morell's remarks. MoveOn said: "Michael Morell’s comments at CAP yesterday are alarming. That sort of bellicose rhetoric leads to unnecessary wars." [2] CREDO said: "Morell’s suggestion that the U.S. Navy should start a war with Iran is wildly irresponsible and detrimental to our national security. Publicly advocating such a reckless position should disqualify Morell from playing a role in any future administration.” [3] Urge your Representative and Senators to repudiate Morell's remarks and oppose his nomination to any position in the next Administration by signing our petition. References: 1. http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/10/clinton-adviser-lets-attack-iran-to-aid-saudis-in-yemen.html 2. https://twitter.com/MoveOn/status/791423412501569540 3. https://twitter.com/CREDOMobile/status/791681734685315072

The Pentagon has not responded to a memorandum Amnesty International sent to the U.S. Department of Defense on September 28 to raise questions about the conduct of U.S. forces in Syria. The memorandum provided evidence suggesting that U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), which directs U.S. forces in Syria, may have failed to take necessary precautions to spare civilians and carried out unlawful attacks that have killed and injured civilians. [1] Failure by the Pentagon to adequately and transparently investigate reports of civilian casualties and of violations of international humanitarian law by U.S. forces in Syria would fall short of international standards and commitments made by President Obama. It would also establish a bad precedent for anticipated U.S. military operations against ISIS in Mosul in Iraq. Urge President Obama and Congress to insist on transparency and accountability concerning civilian casualties from U.S. military actions in Syria by signing our petition. References: 1. https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2016/10/usa-must-come-clean-about-civilian-deaths-caused-by-coalition-air-strikes-in-syria/

Earlier this month the Obama administration said continuing military assistance hinged on Saudi Arabia accepting a ceasefire in Yemen. The ceasefire has come and gone and after just a few short days, the Saudis have returned to bombing civilians. This is unacceptable. It is time for us to make good on our threat to suspend lethal aid.

The U.S. military ignored its own guidelines for the use of depleted uranium ammunition in the 2003 Iraq War, firing the controversial weapons at unarmored targets, buildings in populated areas and troops. [1] The use of depleted uranium in munitions is controversial because of concerns about potential long-term health effects. A 2005 review concluded that human epidemiological evidence is consistent with increased risk of birth defects in the children of people exposed to depleted uranium. [2] In 2015, the U.S. stated that it had not and would not use depleted uranium in Iraq or Syria. However, the Pentagon has now admitted that it has used depleted uranium weapons in Syria. [3] Urge President Obama and Congress to demand transparency and accountability in U.S. policy on using depleted uranium weapons in Syria by signing our petition. References: 1. https://www.paxforpeace.nl/stay-informed/news/us-broke-its-own-rules-firing-depleted-uranium-in-iraq 2. http://ehjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1476-069X-4-17 3. http://www.irinnews.org/analysis/2016/10/06/exclusive-iraq-war-records-reignite-debate-over-us-use-depleted-uranium

On October 20, 27 Florida-based organizations and 24 other prominent Floridians wrote to Hillary Clinton asking her to articulate her positions on issues of concern to the Haitian American community, noting that "Hurricane Matthew devastated Haiti, affecting two million Haitians; stranding hundreds of thousands; killing at least 1,000; obliterating tens of thousands of homes; destroying and inundating towns, livestock, crops, and livelihoods; and causing a surge in cholera cases." [1] The letter urges U.S. leadership to eradicate Haiti’s cholera epidemic - brought to Haiti by the UN - and to compensate its victims; to re-designate Haiti for Temporary Protected Status and expand the Haitian Family Reunification Program to protect and support Haitian-Americans in the wake of Hurricane Matthew; and to support Haitian efforts to ensure a credible electoral process. Urge your Representative and Senators to support these reforms of U.S. policy towards Haiti by signing our petition. References: 1. http://www.ijdh.org/2016/10/topics/politics-democracy/51-florida-groups-and-leaders-ask-hillary-clinton-meeting-and-views-on-urgent-haiti-issues/

New York Representative Eliot Engel, who voted for the Iraq war [1] and opposed the Iran nuclear deal [2], has introduced a bill that would undermine U.S. diplomacy to reduce violence in Syria, advocates further entangling the U.S. militarily in Syria's civil war, and would undermine the Iran nuclear deal. Engel's bill is opposed by the Obama Administration. The bill advocates for the U.S. to impose a "no fly zone" in Syria, an act of war. Hillary Clinton has noted that a "no fly zone" would mean that the U.S. would have to “take out all of the air defense, many of which are located in populated areas. So … you’re going to kill a lot of Syrians. So all of a sudden this intervention that people talk about so glibly becomes an American and NATO involvement where you take a lot of civilians.” [3] The Obama Administration opposes calls for the U.S. to impose a "no fly zone" in Syria. The Friends Committee on National Legislation, America's biggest peace and diplomacy lobby, notes that H.R. 5732 would "undermine its stated goal to encourage a negotiated political solution" and that "while the Obama administration has opposed H.R. 5732 on the grounds that it will undermine its Syria diplomacy, the bill could move to the House floor during the lame duck session in November." FCNL notes that the bill "would undermine the Iran nuclear accord (JCPOA) in various ways, but perhaps most importantly, this bill would re-impose some of the same sanctions that were lifted in the JCPOA in exchange for Iran’s nuclear concessions, further obstructing Iran from receiving the sanctions relief." [4] Urge your Representative to oppose H.R. 5732 by signing our petition. References: 1. http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2002/roll455.xml 2. https://engel.house.gov/latest-news1/engel-statement-on-iran-deal1/ 3. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/17/us/politics/hillary-clinton-was-open-to-covert-action-abroad-hacked-transcript-shows.html 4. https://www.fcnl.org/updates/analysis-syria-civilian-protection-act-h-r-5732-334

On June 16, 2014, Members of the House of Representatives voted to ban the U.S. transfer of cluster bombs to Saudi Arabia, [1] which has used them in civilian areas of Yemen, in violation of U.S. law. [2] The Obama Administration has said it has stopped the transfer of cluster bombs to Saudi Arabia. [3] The U.S. company that produced these bombs, Textron, has announced that it is getting out of the cluster bomb business, citing Administration and Congressional opposition to U.S. exports. [4] The current Russian-Syrian offensive in eastern Aleppo has used Russian cluster bombs. [5] Unfortunately, the U.S., like Russia and Syria, has still not signed the Cluster Munitions Convention, banning the use, production, stockpiling and transfer of these weapons. But the U.S. can still act to uphold and reinforce the international norm against these weapons even though the U.S. is not yet a party to the Convention, as the U.S. did when it stopped shipping them to Saudi Arabia. The "Textron" of Russia is the Russian bomb maker Bazalt. [6] Current U.S. policy allows U.S. arms manufacturers to operate side-by-side with Bazalt at international "trade fairs" for arms exporters, such as Jordan's SOFEX arms expo in May. [7] Any U.S. move to sanction Bazalt is likely to resonate internationally: the 119 countries which are parties to the Cluster Munitions Convention are bound not only not to use cluster bombs themselves but to pursue a policy of non-cooperation with their use by others. [8] Urge President Obama to name, shame, and sanction actors who specifically contribute to the use of Russian cluster bombs in Syria by signing our petition. References: 1. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-naiman/obama-heeding-close-house_b_10516480.html 2. http://www.noclusterbombs.org/news/2016/05/28/transfers-ksa/ 3. http://foreignpolicy.com/2016/05/27/exclusive-white-house-blocks-transfer-of-cluster-bombs-to-saudi-arabia/ 4. http://foreignpolicy.com/2016/08/31/last-remaining-u-s-maker-of-cluster-bombs-stops-production/ 5. http://www.noclusterbombs.org/news/2016/10/06/syria/ 6. http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/defense/2006-12-06/russian-bomb-builder-shows-its-target-smarts; https://www.hrw.org/news/2012/10/23/syria-despite-denials-more-cluster-bomb-attacks 7. http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/inside-jordans-arms-fair-471360379 8. http://www.clusterconvention.org/files/2011/01/Convention-ENG.pdf

The Obama Administration is demanding that Saudi Arabia agree to an immediate, unconditional ceasefire in Yemen or risk losing future U.S. military aid. [1] The Washington Post reports that "Saudi airstrikes on Yemeni civilians may have put a target on the backs of U.S. troops." [2] Demand that Saudi Arabia agree to an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Yemen and stop endangering U.S. troops by signing our petition. References: 1. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/us-support-to-saudi-arabia-to-hinge-on-yemen-cease-fire/2016/10/13/2082ac40-916a-11e6-9c85-ac42097b8cc0_story.html 2. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2016/10/12/saudi-airstrikes-on-yemeni-civilians-may-have-put-a-target-on-the-backs-of-u-s-troops/

A recent New York Times report claimed that U.S. cruise missile strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen "marked the first time the United States has become involved militarily in the civil war between the Houthis, an indigenous Shiite group with loose connections to Iran, and the Yemeni government, which is backed by Saudi Arabia and other Sunni nations." [1] The U.S. was already "involved militarily in the civil war" prior to the missile strikes. Human Rights Watch notes, "The US became a party to the conflict during the first months of fighting by providing specific targeting information and refueling planes during bombing raids." HRW identified the munition used in a Saudi Arabia-led coalition airstrike on a funeral ceremony in Sanaa on October 8 as a US-manufactured air-dropped GBU-12 Paveway II 500-pound laser-guided bomb. HRW described the attack, which killed at least 100 people and wounded more than 500, including children, as "an apparent war crime." [2] Understanding that the U.S. was and remains "militarily involved" is crucial for understanding U.S. responsibility, for establishing context for the reported missile strike on the U.S. ship, and for understanding Congressional responsibility. Congress has never voted to authorize a U.S. war against Houthi rebels in Yemen. [3] If the U.S. is engaged in "hostilities" against Houthi rebels that have not been authorized by Congress, then Congress has an obligation under the Constitution and the War Powers Resolution to either pass an authorization for the use of force, or to vote on the withdrawal of U.S. forces from the conflict. Urge the New York Times to correct the record concerning ongoing U.S. military involvement in Yemen's civil war by signing our petition. References: 1. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/13/world/middleeast/yemen-rebels-missile-warship.html 2. https://www.hrw.org/news/2016/10/13/yemen-saudi-led-funeral-attack-apparent-war-crime 3. http://www.cnn.com/videos/tv/2016/08/16/senator-chris-murphy-on-yemen-saudi-arabia-conflict-the-lead-jake-tapper-interview.cnn

As Democratic Senator Chris Murphy has noted, U.S. participation in the Saudi bombing of Yemen has never been authorized by Congress. [1] Saudi Arabia's conduct is now coming under unprecedented scrutiny. New evidence has recently emerged that the U.S. intelligence community believes that the government of Saudi Arabia has been supporting ISIS. [2] But Congress has never voted on whether the U.S. should be refueling Saudi planes that are bombing Yemen, even though U.S. officials have warned that the U.S. could be implicated in war crimes for supporting the Saudi bombing of Yemen. [3] Under section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution, "at any time that United States Armed Forces are engaged in hostilities outside the territory of the United States, its possessions and territories without a declaration of war or specific statutory authorization, such forces shall be removed by the President if the Congress so directs by concurrent resolution." [4] Urge your Senators and Representative to use their war powers to force a vote on removing U.S. forces from the Saudi bombing of Yemen by signing our petition. References: 1. http://www.cnn.com/videos/tv/2016/08/16/senator-chris-murphy-on-yemen-saudi-arabia-conflict-the-lead-jake-tapper-interview.cnn 2. http://www.salon.com/2016/10/11/leaked-hillary-clinton-emails-show-u-s-allies-saudi-arabia-and-qatar-supported-isis/ 3. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-saudi-yemen-idUSKCN12A0BQ 4. http://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/warpower.asp

Bombings include the targeting of hospitals, critical infrastructure, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, schools, and civilian neighborhoods. These strikes use illegal weapons, including clusters bombs, and deadly tactics such as "double tap" and "triple tap" strikes, which kill medical personnel arriving on the scene. NPR has ignored the Yemen bombings, such as the Oct. 8, 2016 Sana'a strike which killed over 140 civilians and wounded over 550 at a funeral gathering.