As a part of a school project I was encouraged to take global action on the topic of animal abuse. My goal is to get the US government to talk to other nations about animal rights and how animals should be treated. Specifically, my goal is to enact an international law that requires all pet stores to sell only animals that are in local animal shelters.

The Obama administration is weighing whether to sell dozens of advanced U.S. fighter jets to Qatar, a country that has been publicly rebuked by the U.S. Treasury Department for failing to take decisive action against Qataris who are providing funds to anti-American terrorist groups, including the al Qaeda-backed al-Nusra Front in Syria. Delaware Democratic Senator Chris Coons says the deal should not go forward until Qatar shows concrete evidence of a change in behavior. “The Qataris have shown a tolerance for extremism among the groups they have supported within Syria that has caused some real friction with our other regional allies and with the United States,” Sen. Coons said. [1] Urge President Obama and Congress to hold up the deal until Qatar makes concrete progress on cutting off money from Qatar for Al Qaeda in Syria. References: 1. http://foreignpolicy.com/2016/03/29/qatar-wants-to-buy-dozens-of-u-s-warplanes-why-wont-washington-sell-them/

CIA-backed armed groups in Syria have been attacking Syrian Kurdish forces that the Pentagon supports because they are fighting against ISIS. According to the Los Angeles Times, CIA-backed groups that have attacked Syrian Kurds include Fursan al Haq and the Suqour Al-Jabal brigade. [1] Urge Congress to cut off all U.S. assistance to armed groups in Syria that have attacked Syrian Kurds by signing our petition. 1. http://www.latimes.com/world/middleeast/la-fg-cia-pentagon-isis-20160327-story.html

We must remove all products and divest from all companies directly supporting the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestine. Israel illegally confiscates privately owned Palestinian property; imprisons Palestinian citizens for years without charge; and uses checkpoints to restrict the movement of Palestinians, even during childbirths and medical emergencies. In Gaza, the situation is even worse because citizens are denied access to food and medicine due to the Israeli-imposed blockade. The infrastructure also has not been rebuilt since the 51-day assault on Gaza in 2014, Operation Protective Edge, which killed nearly 1,500 civilians. Since its recognition as a state in 1949, Israel has violated over 30 United Nations Security Council resolution, which are legally binding. In 2015, the United States gave Israel $10.2 million a day in military aid alone. That means that last year the US spent nearly $4 billion on Israel’s military. This funding, provided by American taxpayers, allows the military to maintain it’s illegal occupation of Palestine, carry out military assaults on Gaza, and use military grade weaponry to “police” Palestinian territory. The city council has the opportunity to make known their grave concern regarding Israel’s official system of segregation and repression of non-white Jewish Israeli citizens, Israeli citizens of Palestinian descent, and Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza. New Orleans should no longer be party to contracts, licenses, or investments with the apartheid state of Israel. Consumer goods contributing to the illegal Israeli occupation must also be banned. Sign here to urge city council to act now to declare New Orleans an Apartheid-Free City. يجب علينا إزالة جميع المنتجات والتخلص من جميع الشركات الداعمة مباشرة للاحتلال الإسرائيلي غير الشرعي لفلسطين إسرائيل بشكل غير قانوني نصادر ممتلكات فلسطينية خاصةو تسجن المواطنين الفلسطينيين لسنوات دون تهمة,وتستخدم نقاط التفتيش لتقييد حركة الفلسطينيين، حتى أثناء الولادة وحالات الطوارئ الطبية في غزة، فإن الوضع أسوأ من ذلك لأن المواطنين محرومون من الحصول على الطعام والدواء بسبب الحصار الذي تفرضه إسرائيل. وأيضا لم يتم بناؤها منذ الهجوم لمدة 51 يوما على قطاع غزة في عام 2014 البنية التحتية، عملية وقائية الحافة، والتي قتل فيها نحو 1500 مدنيا. منذ الاعتراف باسرائيل كدولة في عام 1949، انتهكت إسرائيل أكثر من 30 قرار مجلس الأمن التابع للأمم المتحدة، التي هي ملزمة قانونيا في عام 2015، أعطت الولايات المتحدة إسرائيل 10200000 $ يوميا في المساعدات العسكرية وحدها. وهذا يعني أنه في العام الماضي في الولايات المتحدة أنفقت ما يقرب من 4 مليارات $ على الجيش الاسرائيلي. هذا التمويل المقدم من قبل دافعي الضرائب الأميركيين، يسمح الجيش للحفاظ عليه من الاحتلال غير الشرعي لفلسطين، تنفيذ الهجمات العسكرية على غزة، واستخدام الصف الأسلحة العسكرية إلى "الشرطة" الأراضي الفلسطينية مجلس المدينة لديه الفرصة للتعريف عن بالغ قلقهم بشأن النظام الرسمي اسرائيل من التفرقة والقمع من غير البيض المواطنين اليهود الإسرائيليين المواطنين الإسرائيليين من أصل فلسطيني، والفلسطينيين الذين يعيشون في الضفة الغربية وقطاع غزة. يجب نيو اورليانز لن يكون طرفا في العقود والتراخيص، أو الاستثمارات مع دولة الفصل العنصري في إسرائيل. السلع الاستهلاكية المساهمة للاحتلال الإسرائيلي غير الشرعي يجب أن تكون محظورة التوقيع هنا : لحث مجلس المدينة أن نتحرك الآن لإعلان نيو اورليانز في مدينة الفصل العنصري مجاني

The US and California Constitutions clearly prohibit the UC Regents from restricting campus speech critical of the Israeli Government. The LA Times recently exposed the folly of censoring political speech under the guise of a tolerance policy. http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-uc-intolerance-20160316-story.html

The Saudi attack has caused thousands of civilian deaths, turned cities to ruins and has brought hunger to millions. Al-Qaeda has exploited the chaos in Yemen as an opportunity to expand. The Saudi monarchy demands total obedience in the name of religion and enforces its will with beheadings and other cruel punishments. It is spending tens of billions to spread its extremist ideas worldwide and we see the result from Iraq to Afghanistan to San Bernardino. No more U.S. support for this Saudi monarchy.

Ali Mohammed Al Nimr was only 16 when he was arrested for demonstrating for democracy in Saudi Arabia, an authoritarian country where protests are illegal. Ali, and other Arab Spring protesters, were calling for democracy, perhaps the most American of all values. And yet, the US government, which is a close ally to Saudi Arabia, has turned a blind eye to his case, and to the cases of other non-violent protesters. As a result, Saudi has tortured Ali and sentenced him to execution by crucifixion, an act of astounding barbarity. If the United States government truly stands for freedom and democracy, it must stop Saudi Arabia from carrying out this egregious violation of basic human rights. It must pressure King Salman to release all political prisoners, including Ali Mohamed al-Nirm, Dawood al-Marhoon, and Abdullah al-Zaher, who were all minors at the time of their arrest.

Last week, environmental activist Berta Cáceres was murdered in her home in Honduras. Berta was a powerful leader in the fight to defend our planet. We don’t yet know the identity of Berta’s killers, but we can be certain that she was killed for her environmental activism. Tell Secretary Kerry to end U.S. military aid to Honduras and stop the murder of environmental activists!

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee [AIPAC] policy conference is in Washington March 20-22. All presidential candidates are invited. Hillary Clinton is going. [1] Bernie Sanders can use this opportunity to be a truth-teller to AIPAC. When President Obama's National Security Advisor Susan Rice spoke at AIPAC last year, she told them things that they didn't want to hear: that their demands that Iran cease all enrichment of uranium were unrealistic, and that their demands that the U.S. walk away from negotiations with Iran and increase sanctions on Iran instead were unrealistic. AIPAC didn't like it, but Susan Rice didn't let that stop her from telling the truth. [2] J Street [3] and Americans for Peace Now [4] have opposed AIPAC's campaign to legitimize Israeli settlements in the West Bank. If J Street can do it, Bernie Sanders can do it too. Bernie has called for a "level playing field" in U.S. policy towards Israel and the Palestinians [5] and has called for Israel to "end the blockade of Gaza, and cease developing settlements on Palestinian land." [6]. Urge Bernie Sanders to tell AIPAC that settlements are not Israel by signing our petition. References: 1. http://www.politico.com/blogs/2016-dem-primary-live-updates-and-results/2016/03/hillary-clinton-aipac-220528 2. https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/03/02/remarks-prepared-delivery-aipac-annual-meeting-national-security-advisor 3. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/28/aipac-israel-settlements_n_7461038.html 4. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/28/aipac-israel-settlements_n_7461038.html 5. http://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Bernie-Sanders-Level-playing-field-needed-in-Israeli-Arab-peace-brokering-447384 6. https://berniesanders.com/issues/war-and-peace/

Hillary Clinton will address the American Israel Public Affairs Committee's policy conference in Washington March 20-22. [1] Just because Hillary is speaking at AIPAC, doesn't mean she has to pander to AIPAC. When President Obama's National Security Advisor Susan Rice spoke at AIPAC last year, she told them things that they didn't want to hear: that their demands that Iran cease all enrichment of uranium were unrealistic, and that their demands that the U.S. walk away from negotiations with Iran and increase sanctions on Iran instead were unrealistic. AIPAC didn't like it, but Susan Rice didn't let that stop her from telling the truth. [2] J Street [3] and Americans for Peace Now [4] have opposed AIPAC's campaign to legitimize Israeli settlements in the West Bank. If J Street can do it, Hillary Clinton can do it too. Bernie Sanders has called for a "level playing field" in U.S. policy towards Israel and the Palestinians [5] and has called for Israel to "end the blockade of Gaza, and cease developing settlements on Palestinian land." [6]. Urge Hillary Clinton to tell AIPAC that settlements are not Israel by signing our petition. References: 1. http://www.politico.com/blogs/2016-dem-primary-live-updates-and-results/2016/03/hillary-clinton-aipac-220528 2. https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/03/02/remarks-prepared-delivery-aipac-annual-meeting-national-security-advisor 3. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/28/aipac-israel-settlements_n_7461038.html 4. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/28/aipac-israel-settlements_n_7461038.html 5. http://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Bernie-Sanders-Level-playing-field-needed-in-Israeli-Arab-peace-brokering-447384 6. https://berniesanders.com/issues/war-and-peace/

Honduras has lost one of its most courageous indigenous leaders, Berta Cáceres. Cáceres was the General Coordinator of the National Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras. In 2015, she won the Goldman Environmental Prize for her activism and leadership. She was assassinated on March 2. At her memorial service on March 5, Berta's children read a statement from Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy. In his statement, Leahy said: "the investigation of this crime must be independent and comprehensive, including the participation of international experts. Those responsible for ordering and carrying it out must be brought to justice…the Rio Blanco and the territory that Berta devoted her life to defend, should be protected. The Agua Zarca dam project should be abandoned." [1] U.S. government policy is implicated in Berta's death. The U.S. government has financed and defended the Honduran government that failed to protect Berta's life. [2] Senator Leahy has said future U.S. aid to the government of Honduras should be tied to the outcome of an independent investigation into the assassination. [3] Urge Jorge Ramos, María Elena Salinas, and Karen Tumulty to ask Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton how U.S. government policy in Honduras should change following this crime by signing our petition. References: 1. https://www.leahy.senate.gov/press/remarks-of-senator-patrick-leahy-on-remembering-berta-caceres 2. http://www.thenation.com/article/the-clinton-backed-honduran-regime-is-picking-off-indigenous-leaders/ 3. http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/act/probe-assassination-berta-caceres

We are psychologically disturbed by the situations in Ethiopia and where it is heading. Peaceful people in Ethiopia are also affected by the ill-conceived political movement that is being led by Jawar Mohammad and its affiliates.