The following resolution passed the CA Federation of Teachers on March 20, 2010,
and will go forward to the AFT convention this July in Seattle.

Resolution 33

End the Afghanistan war and support domestic programs

Submitted by the United Teachers Los Angeles, AFT Local 1021

Committee: Socio-Political

Whereas, polls show that a majority of the American people oppose continuation of the war in

Afghanistan, 38 percent support immediate withdrawal, and only 25 percent favor any increase of

troops to be sent there; and

Whereas, since 2001, U.S. taxpayers have spent $230 billion on the war in Afghanistan; and

Whereas, military spending creates many fewer jobs than the same amount spent on infrastructure

and other domestic needs (Robert Pollin and Heidi Garrett-Peltier, “The Wages of Peace;” The

Nation, March 31, 2008); and

Whereas, the U.S. death toll in Afghanistan has escalated each year and over 1,000 U.S. service

members have been killed in Afghanistan so far, as well as thousands of innocent Afghan civilians;

and

Whereas, the continued killing of Afghan civilians is known to be a great recruiting tool for the

Taliban; and

Whereas, the misogyny of the present U.S.-backed regime and its allies is comparable to the

misogynist practices and beliefs of the Taliban; and

Whereas, the $65 billion to be spent in Afghanistan this year, and the hundreds of billions of dollars

required in coming years for counterinsurgency there, are desperately needed for urgent domestic

social purposes, including healthcare for all, housing relief in the foreclosure crisis, full veterans

benefits, and the creation of millions of jobs;

Therefore, be it resolved, that the California Federation of Teachers call for the U.S. government to

end the war and occupation of Afghanistan and end its attacks on neighboring Pakistan, close all

military bases in the region, and begin to withdraw all troops, mercenaries, contractors, and weapons

immediately; and

Be it further resolved, that CFT call for the redirection of the military budget for Afghanistan

to reparations for infrastructure and social programs for the Afghan people, and to expenditures to

support returning U.S. troops, and to meet urgent human needs domestically, such as education,

healthcare, housing, jobs, and other social programs and public services; and

Be it further resolved, that CFT will undertake an educational campaign on these issues among its

membership and seek to involve the members in the political tasks necessary to implement this

resolution in public policy; and

Be it further resolved, that CFT endorse local, regional, and national mobilizations this month and

as long as necessary to support the goals of this resolution; and

Be it finally resolved, that CFT will communicate this resolution to President Obama and our elected

congressional representatives and affiliates (AFT, California Labor Federation), and the U.S. Labor

Against the War with a request that they act accordingly.