This Thursday, May 15th, members of Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) will testify about the realities of the illegal occupation in Iraq in a hearing convened by the Congressional Progressive Caucus from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm EST.

Members of Congress will have the opportunity to hear the testimony first offered publicly this past March at Winter Soldier: Iraq & Afghanistan, when over 45 members of IVAW shared eyewitness accounts of the occupations before their peers, their families and the public.

IVAW is asking that Progressive Caucus members be called and urged to listen carefully on Thursday and show their support for the troops by bringing them home now. Check to see if your representative is a member of the Progressive Caucus. If so, call yours today.

Please also take this opportunity while IVAW is on Capitol Hill to call your representative at 202-224-3121 and tell him or her to vote NO on the bill funding the war into 2009! And, urge your rep to attend the IVAW hearing too! (If you don't know who your rep is, click here.)

Please let us know who you reached and what they said.

We all know the U.S. economy's in bad shape, largely because of the war and occupation in Iraq.

So how's this for something to help the economy and lower the debt? Spend your stimulus check on peace! The sooner the war ends, the more money the nation saves. Not to mention the lives and futures of millions of people. So let's use the stimulus money to stop the war, bring all of the troops home and get the nation's budget back on track.

We invite you to spend your stimulus check, or some portion of it, on the one thing the Bush administration doesn't want you to invest in: Help strengthen the peace and justice movement! Click here for further details.

Every third Friday, an escalating, monthly series of actions demanding an end to the war, endorsed by United for Peace and Justice.

Things YOU can do this Friday:

1. Wear an anti-war button, armband, or t-shirt -- something visible expressing your opposition to the war. Encourage others to do so as well.
   

2. Check to see if there is an activity happening in your city. If there is, join in and bring a friend.

3. Put an anti-war sign in your house or apartment window, on your lawn, or in your car window.

4. Call into radio talk shows. Talk about why you oppose the war in Iraq, why you want to stop a new war in Iran, and why you want all of the troops to be brought home now.

5. Sign the Iraq Moratorium pledge: "I hereby make a commitment that on the Third Friday of each and every month, I will break my daily routine and take some action, by myself or with others, to end the War in Iraq." Then forward it to others and encourage them to sign and take action as well.

6. ­Click here to find other ways you can take action as an individual, and help build this effort.

Check out our new and improved Grassroots Action blog! 

The Greater Lansing Network Against War and Injustice, a UFPJ member group, posted this billboard at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Francis Street, where it will remain for a month, drawing local residents' attention to the enormous daily financial costs of the continuing occupation in Iraq. 

Click here for media coverage of this action and reports from other recent grassroots peace initiatives!

Reports are still coming in, but it is clear that March 19th -- and this whole week of anti-war action -- was historic.

On Wednesday, the atmosphere out in the streets of our nation's capital was exhilarating. More than 1,000 people -- students, grannies, veterans, and more -- engaged in more than a dozen bold, creative, inspiring actions in downtown DC that disrupted business as usual. The protests made those who profit from war, and those who enable it, stop and take notice.

The energy in those activities was bolstered by the fact it was connected to more than 1,000 actions in all 50 states marking the 5th anniversary of the war and occupation in Iraq, and demanding that it be brought to an immediate end.

And all of this was preceded by 3 days of powerful testimony given by brave veterans of the occupations in Iraq and Afghanistan during the Winter Soldier hearings organized by Iraq Veterans Against the War. If you haven't already, we urge you to visit www.ivaw.org now to watch these historic proceedings online.

There's much more to say about all of these actions, so please do take a moment to read the many action reports that have already been posted on 5yearstoomany.org. (If you participated in an activity, please post a report and any photos or video you have as soon as possible.)

We looked to March 19 as a day to express our outrage and sadness at 5 years of incalculable devastation and to re-galvanize our movement for the work ahead in this critical year. Thousands of people across the country rose to that occasion and stepped forward to take action. Now we must carry that energy forward -- there is much work ahead of us.

Courage to Resist is urging people in the U.S. to sign their "Dear Canada: Let US War Resisters Stay" appeal, which will be sent to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Diane Finley, and Stéphane Dion, Liberal Party. Click here to sign the appeal.

UFPJ is committed to supporting war resistance. Please do what you can to support this effort and other war resisters. Click here for more info and ways to take action.­

It takes courage to say that you will not fight -- especially if you are a soldier. As more members of the U.S. military step forward for peace, the peace movement must step forward to support them.

Large numbers are now refusing to serve: The GI Rights Hotline (800-394-9544) is currently receiving about 3,000 calls a month.