Troops Home FAST Breakthrough!

To help support this
ground-breaking trip

& make a donation to the Troops Home Fast
Jordan Delegation today!

Call your Congressperson
at (888) 355-3588
and urge them to support withdrawal of the troops!

July 28, 2006

Dear CODEPINK Friend,

We have exciting news to share with you today! After being rebuffed in our numerous
attempts to meet with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, including setting up
"Camp Al-Maliki" across from the Iraqi Embassy and publishing an open letter to him
in one of the largest Iraqi newspapers, we received an amazing invitation: Five
members of the Iraqi Parliament who are working on a Reconciliation Plan to end the
violence in their country contacted us. Moved by the commitment of the long-term
fasters and dismayed by their prime minister?s refusal to meet with us, these
parliamentarians asked us to join them in Amman, Jordan next week to discuss their
Reconciliation Plan, on condition we end our long term fast with them!

We are thrilled. It will be such a breakthrough for the US peace movement to be
working directly with Iraqi peacemakers, and what better way to break our fast than
with members of the Iraqi government seeking an end to the violence. So next week,
we?ll be on our way to Jordan. In addition to a group of long-term fasters, we are
inviting Congresspeople, academics, and notable journalists to join us.

This marks a big turning point in the fast, yet we know that we have a long way to
go towards bringing the 140,000 US servicemen and women home from Iraq. We strongly
encourage our local fasters to continue to do weekly or ongoing fasts, and to make
your fasts public by holding actions outside Congressional offices and calling the
media. Click here for info about getting involved in the fast locally. We plan to
continue the Troops Home Fast campaign as energy builds towards the International
Day of Peace, September 21, when Declaration of Peace events will begin around the
country.

Medea speaks at Iraqi Prime Minister's Congressional TalkThe news about the
invitation to meet with the Iraqi Parliamentarians comes on the heels of an
exhilarating week of actions at our DC fast: After being rebuffed in our numerous
attempts to meet with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, including setting up
"Camp Al-Maliki" across from the Iraqi Embassy and publishing an open letter to him
in one of the largest Iraqi newspapers, faster and CODEPINK cofounder Medea Benjamin
spoke up during al-Maliki?s address to Congress on Wednesday, saying loudly and
repeatedly, ?Iraqis want the troops to leave, bring them home now! Listen to the
Iraqis!? Medea was cuffed, removed from the Capitol and arrested. Read about this
action and see video clips and photos by clicking here.

Stop Bolton!Yesterday, Thursday, July 27, two hunger strikers, Gael Murphy and Eve
Tetaz, interrupted the long overdue Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on
John Bolton?s nomination as US Ambassador to the U.N. They wore t-shirts saying ?No
Bolton? and urged Senators to reject Bolton as the worst possible choice for the job
and for world peace. And today, when George Bush is visited by British Prime
Minister Tony Blair, we?ll be there to greet them in true anti-war fashion.

Diane Wilson and other long term fasters are outside the White House each day; see
the photos, read the blogs, hear a song written and sung by long-term faster Jesse
Dyen, and check out what our local groups are doing.

We thank you for your support of the fast, and for this historic opportunity to link
with Iraqi leaders who have a plan to make peace a reality.

Hungry but hopeful,
Anedra, Allison, Dana, Erin, Farida, Gael, Jodie, Katie, Laura, Medea, Meredith,
Nancy, Rae, Sam & Tiffany