Monday the Friends Committee on National Legislation is organizing a national call-in day encouraging people to call their senators (1-800-590-6313) and asking them to co-sponsor S. 416, the Cluster Munitions Civilian Protection Act of 2009, a bill sponsored by Sen. Feinstein (CA) and already co-sponsored by 23 other senators.
Though it’s unfortunately still somewhat short of a total ban, S. 416 would seriously curb American use of cluster bombs, particularly where they would imperil civilians. The United States is one of only a handful of nations which didn’t sign the Oslo ban on cluster bombs late last year, and has heavily used them, quite infamously, in recent wars.
On Monday, Scott Horton will also be interviewing the national coordinator of the US Campaign to Ban Landmines & Cluster Bombs Lora Lumpe on Antiwar Radio.
FCNL has a list of which senators are already on board with the measure and which ones still need to be called. With the Obama Administration yet to take a public stance on cluster bombs, this bill may be a serious chance to alter America’s policy on the matter.
The political leadership of the world’s greatest state terrorist has openly stated that it is ok to terrorize civilian population into submission or to force them to accept regime change.
USA+UK+Canada+Australia+Israel+Satraps are continuing where Third Reich left off.
I called my Senator’s office (Jay Rockefeller; Robert Byrd is already on board) and received the same rude treatment that I have come to expect from his staff. A young man answered the phone and I told him that as a constituent, I was urging the Senator to back S 416 to curb use of cluster weapons. He replied “I’ll tell him”. As he didn’t ask my name or address, I knew he was giving me the brush-off. So I asked him for his name. He reluctantly said “Daniel”. I asked for his last name, and he said grandly “We don’t give out that kind of information.” When I lost my temper and told him that as a taxpayer, I paid his salary and he damn well better give me his name, he huffed up and announced that he wouldn’t put up with my abuse and promptly hung up. Last time, I called Sen Rockefeller’s office to complain about the Senate’s message of support for Israel during the rape of Gaza, another of his staff argued with me, stating that the Palestinians deserved what they were getting.
I own a pitchfork and am willing to travel.
” told him that as a taxpayer, I paid his salary”
US tax payers pay their salaries,but they do not work or answer to the US tax payers.They answer to a “higher authority!”