As the world considers the ramifications of Trump's unilateral missile strikes in response to Bashar Assad's heinous actions, we cannot forget that the families who were gassed and killed by Assad are the very same families Trump wants to ban from taking refuge in the United States. As Congress decides whether to authorize Trump's use of force in Syria, we need to be clear: It would be hypocritical and morally wrong to bomb the people of Syria who are trapped there because of our government's recent decisions. We are talking with Democrats in Congress and will share the momentum of this petition with them. Together, we'll encourage them to stand up to Trump's anti-refugee policies.

Using nuclear weapons may very well bring about the end of the world (as we know it) . . . could possibly make it so it's like human history never happened. The past, the present, the future . . . gone up in mushroom clouds of smoke.

The devastating civil war in Syria, now in its seventh year, has claimed at lesat 400,000 casualties, and displaced more than 6 million people, creating a humanitarian crisis of historic proportions. Following the ruthless chemical attacks carried about by Bashir Assad's forces that killed over 80 Syrian civilians, Trump declared, "No child of God should ever suffer such horror." Yet, rather than help the Syrian people who are trapped between Assad and Isis, the Trump administration has attempted to slam the doors entirely on Syrian refugees and gut funding for international aid and diplomacy. It's time for Trump and his fellow Republicans to actually take actions to reduce this suffering. The U.S. government must match the generous and humanitarian impulses of the American people and live up to our international responsibilities to support the people of Syria—by expediting the acceptance and resettlement of 100,000 Syrian refugees.

More bombs won't end the crisis in Syria. After more than six years of war in Syria, with millions displaced and a death toll of nearly half a million people, it’s clear that there is no military solution to this crisis. But for years the U.S. has bombed Syria, and on April 6, the U.S. expanded the war by bombing a Syrian government airbase. This week's abhorrent chemical weapons attack was an act of unspeakable violence against civilians, and we are heartbroken over the deaths of Syrians, including many children. The Trump administration’s escalation is not the solution, and will only cause more killing and suffering for Syrian civilians.

Donald Trump just ordered dozens of Tomahawk missiles to strike Syria. It's an illegal and unauthorized escalation that could have devastating consequences: killing innocent Syrians and costing the lives of U.S. service members. Let's be clear: There's no doubt that Bashar Assad is a brutal dictator who has slaughtered his own people and is complicit in the use of chemical weapons. But the solution is not to entangle the U.S. in yet another war in the Middle East, possibly even drawing in Russia and Iran, which have been close partners of the Assad regime. The U.S. cannot bomb its way to peace, but it does have an essential role to play in the world, including 1) welcoming increased numbers of refugees fleeing Syria, 2) fully supporting international relief efforts for those most affected by this brutal civil war, 3) engaging in multilateral diplomacy at the United Nations to isolate Syria, and 4) sanctioning Russia and other nations which enable the Assad regime. But none of this will be possible unless we first halt Trump's march toward war. Please add your name to this emergency petition calling for Congress to act.

1. This is required by the US Constitution. 2. Our national leaders have lied to us too many times. 3. The people have a right--and a duty--to hold members of Congress accountable.

On the anniversary of Martin Luther King's death, I attended and was moved by an interfaith media briefing in Chicago hosted by the Council on American-Islamic Relations. The panel addressed the horrific chemical attack in the city of Khan Sheikhoun where hundreds were killed or injured, including children. There are severe medical needs as reported by SAMS rescue group. Since moral leadership is lacking at the political level, we the people must condemn this holocaust and STAND UP. Let's honor the spirit of Martin Luther King.

U.S. support for Saudi Arabia's war and blockade in Yemen has brought Yemen to the brink of famine, with hundreds of thousands of Yemeni children facing starvation. [1] Instead of ending the carnage, some in the Trump Administration want to get the U.S. directly involved in Saudi Arabia's war. [2] But this war has never been authorized by Congress. The Houthi Shia targets of the Saudi war aren't "associated forces" of Al Qaeda. On the contrary: Al Qaeda has fought alongside Saudi Arabia against the Houthis, and Saudi Arabia's war against the Houthis has strengthened Al Qaeda. [3] Since Congress has never authorized this war, direct U.S. participation would violate the Constitution and the War Powers Resolution. Now Reps. Mark Pocan [D-WI], Justin Amash [R-MI], Ted Lieu [D-CA], and Walter Jones [R-NC] are leading a bipartisan letter challenging the Administration to show its legal justification for direct participation in the Saudi war against the Houthis without Congressional authorization. Building support for this letter is a step towards invoking the War Powers Resolution to compel the withdrawal of U.S. forces from the conflict. Urge your Representative to sign the Pocan-Amash-Lieu-Jones letter by signing our petition. References: 1. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle_east/hundreds-of-thousands-of-yemeni-children-are-nearing-starvation/2017/02/23/f01ead8a-f850-11e6-aa1e-5f735ee31334_story.html 2. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/trump-administration-weighs-deeper-involvement-in-yemen-war/2017/03/26/b81eecd8-0e49-11e7-9d5a-a83e627dc120_story.html 3. http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/08/25/the-u-s-backed-war-in-yemen-is-strengthening-al-qaeda.html

This petition is about unnecessary killing of civilians in air strikes. I am not currently affected by this atrocity, but I will be if one of these countries does another 911 on us.

Omar Barghouti is to receive the Gandhi Peace Award (presented by Promoting Enduring Peace) on April 23, 2017, in New Haven, CT along with legendary safety activist and Pentagon critic Ralph Nader. Barghouti is being honored for leading the BDS movement. BDS stands for boycotts, divestment and sanctions, peaceful ways to pressure Israel into honoring Palestinian rights. However, the Israeli government wants BDS crushed along with any other form of resistance to Israeli dictates. Israeli President Revlin has called BDS a “strategic threat” implying it’s a grave physical threat to Israelis. Omar Barghouti was arrested on March 19 by Israeli authorities and interrogated for days. Barghouti has been married to an Israeli citizen for decades, but he only has the status of “permanent resident”. Last year his permit to travel was revoked by the Israeli government. That same year the Israeli interior minister threatened to revoke his permission to reside in Israel. Another minister called for the “civil targeted assassination” of BDS leaders. The Israeli government also set up something it called a “Tarnishing Unit” whose purpose was “dirty tricks” against supporters of BDS, In an attempt to attend the Gandhi Peace Award honoring him, Barghouti's attorney went to the Interior Ministry and received a document on March 16 that entitled him to two months of travel. It was seized when he was arrested. That is the background to his arrest for “tax evasion”. We do not know Barghouti’s side of the story about the tax charges because the case is under a “gag order” and he cannot speak about the case. Given the history of threats against BDS and Omar Barghouti personally, the assumption should be that the Israeli government is making good on its threat to eliminate Palestinian BDS activists, starting with Omar Barghouti. This appears to be political persecution.

On Wednesday, March 22, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is holding a hearing on "The State of Global Humanitarian Affairs." Gregory Gottlieb of USAID will testify, as will Yves Daccord, Director-General of the International Committee of the Red Cross. [1] This is a key opportunity for Senators to press the Administration on what it will do to help avert famine in Yemen - and to press the Administration on why, by giving a green light to the Saudis to blockade and attack the crucial Yemeni port of Hodeida, the Administration is currently helping to cause famine in Yemen. [2] It's also a key opportunity for Senators to help highlight the advocacy of the Red Cross, which has called for access to Hodeida for aid organizations to bring in food and medicine to northern Yemen. [3] 53 Members of the House have called on the State Department to press to open Hodeida to food imports. [4] Senators should take this opportunity to echo this call. Urge SFRC Senators to use the hearing to press for opening Hodeida to avert famine by signing our petition. References: 1. "Flashing Red: The State of Global Humanitarian Affairs," https://www.foreign.senate.gov/hearings/flashing-red-the-state-of-global-humanitarian-affairs-032217 2. "Donald Trump’s Shift On Yemen Risks Plunging The Country Into Famine," http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/trump-hodeidah-yemen-famine_us_58a88970e4b037d17d28610b 3. "Yemen conflict: Red Cross appeals for access to key port," http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-39114349 4. https://lieu.house.gov/sites/lieu.house.gov/files/Letter%20to%20Tillerson%20from%20MoCs%20re%20Yemen%20Crisis%20030917.pdf

We wish to apologize for the rude, nasty treatment that Chancellor Merkel suffered at the hands of the present occupier of our White House during her visit last week