Write a Letter to the Editor in Support of S. 186

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Senate staffers have told Just Foreign Policy that their offices will decide in the next few weeks whether to co-sponsor S. 186, Boxer’s bill which would send a clear message of support for a significant withdrawal of U.S. troops in July and an end date for the war in Afghanistan. As President Obama determines the extent of the July troop drawdown, this is a crucial time for Senators to weigh in.

Will you call on your Senators as well to support a “significant drawdown” by sending a letter to the editor of your local newspaper? We’ve provided talking points and contact info for your local newspaper which you can access below.

Make sure to edit the suggested text to mention your Senators by name.

Note: Is your Senator Boxer, Durbin, Harkin, Gillibrand or Brown? If so, make sure to thank your Senator in your letter to the editor for co-sponsoring S. 186 already, and urge the other Senator from your state to do the same.

Step 1 - Select a Recipient

Letter to the Editor

The Letter to the Editor Section is one of the most widely read sections of the newspaper and can reach a large audience. It allows community members to comment on the way issues are being addressed in the media and to influence the topics the local paper may choose to cover. Elected officials often monitor this section of the newspaper and take notice of constituents' opinions.

We've made it easy for you to contact your local newspaper with your views, but editors want to hear from you in your own words.

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Step 2 - Write your message





Click on a point to add it to the letter.
  • As President Obama makes his decision on how many troops to withdraw from Afghanistan this year, it is time for our Senators to weigh in by co-sponsoring S. 186 that would show support for his promised “significant” drawdown and require a timetable for the complete withdrawal of U.S. troops.

  • While nearly three-quarters of the American public support the withdrawal of a “substantial number of U.S. combat forces from Afghanistan this summer”, the Washington Post reported on March 30th that the Pentagon continues to pressure Obama to make the drawdown “small to insignificant”.

  • Our Senators’ co-sponsorship of S. 186 would help President Obama withstand the Pentagon’s pressure and begin an end to the nearly decade long war which has taken the lives of over 1,500 U.S. troops and unknown thousands of Afghan civilians to the tune of more than $10 billion a month.