(Houston, Texas, 1/6/20) — The Council on American-Islamic Relations, Houston Chapter, the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today expressed strong support for congressional efforts to bar the Trump Administration from taking further steps toward an illegal and unnecessary war on Iran.
On Jan. 3, the Trump administration launched a drone attack on an airport in Baghdad, killing Iranian general Qassem Suleimani and several members of an Iraqi militia. Since then, Iran has vowed to exact revenge upon the United States. The Trump administration has ordered several thousand American troops to deploy to the Middle East and President Trump has threatened to attack Iranian cultural sites, which would be a war crime under international law.
SEE: Trump Threatens to Destroy Iran’s Culturally Significant Sites. That’s Considered A War Crime.
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/trump-threatens-to-destroy-irans-culturally-significant-sites-thats-considered-a-war-crime
In a statement, CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad said:
“We join people of peace across our nation and around the world in opposition to another illegal. immoral war in the Middle East. We cannot allow thousands of Americans, Iranians and others to die because of President Trump’s reckless military brinkmanship with the Iranian government.
“We do not feel any affinity for a man who committed war crimes against hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians in Syria and elsewhere. At the same time, President Trump’s decision to assassinate that man for dubious reasons violated both the Constitution and international law.
“We fully support legislative efforts to prevent the Trump administration from launching a full-scale war on Iran, including the bill introduced by Representative Khanna and Senator Sanders.
“Every American who does not want thousands of people to die in another misguided endless war should loudly and clearly support this legislation in the halls of Congress and on the streets of our cities before it is too late.”
In a statement, CAIR-Houston Executive Director Lubabah Abdullah said:
“We cannot afford to lose any more lives and relive what we experienced with the War in Afghanistan. We are urging our Greater Houston community to please consider what is at stake and request that all efforts to fund and support further action is ceased.”
CAIR-Houston is calling on all Americans to urge Congress to block funding for war with Iran by supporting and cosponsoring legislation introduced by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Representative Ro Khanna (D-Calif.).
TAKE ACTION: Block Funding for War with Iran
Introduced on Friday, June 3, the legislation will “prohibit any funding for offensive military force in or against Iran without prior congressional authorization.”
The measure was previously introduced as the bipartisan “Prohibition of Unauthorized Military Force in or Against Iran” amendment to this year’s National Defense Authorization Act and had passed in the US. House by a 251-margin vote. However, the measure was stripped from the final version of the bill.
Last June, CAIR called on all Americans to urge Congress to stand firm against the Trump administration’s ongoing march to an unnecessary and unconstitutional war with Iran.
CAIR is America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT:
CAIR-Houston Development and Outreach Coordinator, Ambreen Hernandez, 973-495-0976; ahernandez@cair.com; Executive Director, Lubabah Abdullah, Esq.(713) 838-2247; labdullah@cair.com
