Islam Times - American activists prepare pushback vs US war with Russia

Islam Times - This past week, a number of members of the US Congress admitted that the US is, in fact, currently in a war against Russia, which has provoked a response from some activists in the US now seeking to force Congressional action to direct the White House to stop the hostilities and to impeach President Joseph Biden if he refuses to do so.

The view that the US is already at war with Russia was also revealed last Monday when US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said the Biden administration's goals in the war were not only to protect Ukraine but "to weaken Russia as a military power."

That prompted Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to state that “NATO, in essence, is engaged in a war with Russia through a proxy and is arming that proxy," adding "war means war.”

This past Thursday, Biden asked Congress for another $33 billion in aid to Ukraine, enough to fund another five months of war, representing an annual rate of $70 billion. This follows the $13.6 billion Biden requested just two months ago. To put this in perspective, Russia's annual military budget in 2021 was a total of $65 Billion, less than the annualized $70 billion total of Biden's latest request, much less the annualized $80 billion of the total requests thus far.

Anti-war activist and New York-based journalist Don DeBar is one of the recently-formed group of activists, and he described the effort.

DeBar had sent the request for a meeting with Rep. Jones via webform after being told by the receptionists at two of his three Congressional offices that Jones doesn't take telephone calls from, or return telephone calls to, his constituents. He said he received a robo-answer at the third office.

DeBar posted on his blog about the exchange, beginning with his web message to Jones:
"I would like to discuss the situation in Ukraine, in particular the fact that a number of members of both houses have told the media that we are at war with Russia and that they intend for the US to win that war. Given that there has been no announcement of a declaration of war, nor the passage of an AUMF for such a war, nor approval of the UNSC for military action against Russia, I would like to make some suggestions regarding remedies as afforded by the US Constitution and international law, the former of which, at a minimum, you have sworn to uphold.
"Given the urgent and perhaps existential nature of the current situation, I would like to have this conversation immediately."

He received the following reply from Rep. Jones, via email:
Thank you for sharing your thoughts about military assistance for Ukraine. I appreciate hearing from engaged community members like you, and I welcome the opportunity to respond.

I unequivocally condemn Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and stand wholeheartedly with the Ukrainian people. President Putin must be held accountable for his unprovoked and unjust war. This war is a flagrant violation of international law and will have devastating human costs while triggering a serious refugee crisis.

I commend President Biden’s leadership and support his use of severe sanctions and other measures to hold the Russian leadership accountable. In addition to over $1 billion in security assistance the Biden Administration has already authorized for Ukraine thus far, including much needed anti-tank missiles and anti-aircraft systems, I was proud to help pass $13.6 billion in the further military and humanitarian aid for Ukraine through the Fiscal Year 2022 federal government funding package.

While I oppose direct U.S. or NATO military intervention in the war, such as enforcing a no-fly zone, which would be a dangerous escalation between nuclear powers, we will continue to support the Ukrainian people with the aid they need to protect themselves. As we watch this horrific tragedy unfold, the United States and our allies and partners will work closely to end Putin’s war and bring peace to Ukraine.

Thank you again for sharing your thoughts about this important issue. My office is here to serve you. If you or your family need assistance with federal agencies or in response to COVID-19, please call my office at (914) 323-5550 or visit jones.house.gov to learn more about the resources and services available to you. To follow my work in Washington, I urge you to sign-up for my e-newsletter and follow me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

"We have already begun organizing," he said. "And we are going to take this to each of the 435 members of the House of Representatives and make them answer on the record. And then we are going to hold them accountable."

The organizers said they do not expect any cooperation from anyone in Congress. DeBar predicted that the outreach to each member would likely generate the same form letters in reply, "giving the lie to the claim that the US is a democracy," he said. "Most Americans, if told the truth, would be revolted at the idea of a war with Russia. So logically, in terms of power politics, the next move would be people power - direct democratic action - as was done with the civil rights movement and the Vietnam War. Likely, the most effective protest of Congressional complicity in an illegal and absurdly dangerous and pointless war would be to hold a massive rally outside the Capitol with the demand to shut down Congress until it does its duty. You know, like Democrats are advocating people to do outside the Supreme Court right now."

"Or," DeBar added, "like the 'democratic forces' on Ukraine's Maidan did to the government of President Viktor Yanukovich when it wouldn't give them what they wanted."

"But," he warned, "in the aftermath of the alleged 'Insurrection of January 6th' there is a very real possibility of being prosecuted for insurrection and/or treason, and these carry the death penalty. In the land that preaches democracy, rule of law and peace to the rest of the world."

"Nevertheless," DeBar said, "we are going ahead with the attempt to contact each member of Congress, no matter where it ultimately takes us. I am hoping that a serious effort will bring at least one member of that House back to reality. And from there, the next move is to introduce a single Article of Impeachment of President Biden for violating the US Constitution and national and international law with the illegal war he is already conducting against Russia, in Ukraine and elsewhere."

DeBar said that if they are able to accomplish that, "then perhaps we can hold the incumbent Congress accountable in this November's election. If we are still all here," adding "after that, we shall see."

This is the single Article of Impeachment in the Bill of Impeachment the group wants to be introduced in the House against President Biden:
That President Biden has committed a series of non-neutral and belligerent acts against the Russian Federation without the express authorization of the United States Congress in violation of the War Powers Clause of the US. Constitution, Congress’s own 1973 War Powers Resolution, and the 1907 Hague Convention on Neutrality during Land Warfare to which the United States is a contracting power and is thus “the Supreme Law of the Land” under Article VI of the United States Constitution. The Russian Federation and Ukraine are also contracting parties to this 1907 Hague Convention.