Win Without War

Win Without War is a coalition of roughly 40 organizations that promotes a progressive, demilitarized U.S. foreign policy.

Based in Washington, DC, Win Without War was founded in 2002 by former U.S. Representative Tom Andrews (D-ME) to campaign against the use of military force in Iraq.^[1] In 2015, Win Without War has continued to call for non-military efforts to bring peace to Iraq. Win without War Advocacy Director Stephen Miles stated “Far too often, the conversation in Washington is only about whether to bomb more or less, not about actually solving the underlying crisis in Iraq and Syria that everyone agrees ultimately has no military solution.”^[2]

Win Without War is a program of the Center for International Policy.

Coalition Members

Members of the coalition include:^[3]

• American Friends Service Committee
• American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee
• Business Leaders for Sensible Priorities
• Center for International Policy
• Council for a Livable World
• CREDO Action
• Families USA
• Feminist Majority
• Friends Committee on National Legislation
• Global Exchange
• Greenpeace
• Just Foreign Policy
• Leadership Conference of Women Religious
• MoveOn.org
• National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
• National Council of Churches
• National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
• National Organization for Women
• NETWORK: A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby
• Pax Christi USA
• Peace Action
• Physicians for Social Responsibility
• Psychologists for Social Responsibility
• Rainbow/PUSH
• Shalom Center
• Sierra Club
• Sojourners
• Soulforce
• Tikkun Community
• Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations
• Unitarian Universalist Service Committee
• United Church of Christ
• United Methodist Church: General Board of Church and Society
• Us Foundation
• USAction / TrueMajority.org
• Veterans for Peace
• Women's Action for New Directions
• Artists United to Win Without War
• Musicians United to Win Without War

Recommendations on ISIS

In a September 2014 statement, Win Without War recommended five actions as an alternative to US war with ISIS.^[4]

• “Hit ISIS where it hurts: the wallet: One of ISIS’s main strengths is its unprecedented access to financial resources. All this money allows it to recruit fighters, purchase weapons, and buy the support of local populations. While some of this financing comes from donors, much of it comes from smuggling illegal oil from fields it controls in Iraq and Syria…Cracking down on Turkish, Iraqi, and other oil dealers who are purchasing the oil on the black market would cut ISIS off from one of its most important revenue streams. Such an effort will require significant international cooperation, hard diplomacy, and likely sanctions, but it could ultimately prove more costly to ISIS than any bomb. Without cutting off the cash flow, ISIS will remain able to replace any weapons we destroy and any militants we kill.”

• “Crack down on ISIS’s supply routes and weapons supply: […] ISIS is surrounded on all sides by enemies who can and should do more to cut off its supply routes from the outside. A primary culprit is Turkey, whom America should force to crack down on the flow of fighters and weapons across its border with Syria. While care must be taken to allow the safe passage of humanitarian aid, shutting off ISIS’s access to the outside world is essential in any effort to confront them.”

• “Address the underlying political grievances of local populations: […] As with all insurgencies, ISIS cannot be defeated as long as they maintain popular support. Iraqi and Syrian grievances with the governments in Baghdad and Damascus are very real and will take years to fully address, yet ending the Syrian civil war and bringing Sunnis back into the Iraqi political process are essential to driving a wedge between ISIS and the local population. In Fallujah, America was eventually able to convince Sunni tribal leaders to turn against militants through a combination of money and political engagement, the so-called Anbar Awakening. Without a similar effort today, American bombs will only drive Sunnis further into the hands of ISIS and their false claims of ‘protection.’”

• “Provide humanitarian aid and assistance: The humanitarian toll of the three-year-old civil war and the instability in Iraq is massive. Millions of Iraqis and Syrians are either refugees or internally displaced. The lack of access to food, water, and other essential supplies threatens to cost more lives than any bullets or bombs. While America has been a leader in providing aid and assistance, far more is needed…Failing to address these needs not only directly costs lives, but also helps to feed further radicalization and instability.”

• “Lead a truly multilateral international response: […] We must do more to lead a truly multilateral, international response. The challenge posed by foreign fighters with western passports can only be met through cooperation with other countries and international institutions.”

References

1. ↑ Win Without War Website, About
2. ↑ Davis, Julie Hirschfeld. "Amid Debate on ISIS War Bill, a Democrat Proposes Peace". New York Times. Retrieved 28 February 2015. 
3. ↑ Win Without War Website, About
4. ↑ "Today’s Antiwar Movement: Win Without War’s Alternatives to Bombing IS". Nonprofit Quarterly. Retrieved 28 February 2015. 

External links

• (English) Official website