Grassroots veterans group applauds overwhelming passage of Montana’s end ‘endless wars’ resolution
HELENA, Mont.—Concerned Veterans for America (CVA) on Wednesday applauded legislators in the Montana State Senate for overwhelming bipartisan passage of a resolution calling for an end to the war in Afghanistan and America’s “forever wars.”
CVA’s Deputy Director, Russ Duerstine, had this to say of the measure and its passage:
“The passing of the Endless War resolution is a firm statement — a strong message on behalf of Montanans that there is a better way than continuing to fight endless wars. Our troops have served valiantly in Afghanistan and elsewhere, but perpetual war and fruitless nation building is not in America’s best interests. Worse, endless conflicts marginalize the service of those who have sacrificed for our freedom. We owe our military community better, and we thank Rep. Marshall and Sen. Bogner for leading on this measure and commend all those who showed their support for it.”
Notably, Big Sky Country, which has the third-highest percentage of veteran residents in any state, is the first state to pass such a measure. Recent polling shows a full two-thirds of veterans and majorities of military families and the general public support full withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan and Iraq. Further, a vast majority of the general public (80%) believe our military engagement around the world should be reduced or stay about the same. Only 6% believe we should be more engaged.
As a partner of Americans for Prosperity, CVA issued a Key Vote Alert for this measure, meaning it may include lawmakers’ votes in its annual legislative scorecard so Montanans can readily see how their representatives voted.
The joint resolution on endless foreign intervention (H.J. 9), was first introduced by Representative Ron Marshall (R-HD 87). The measure calls out the U.S. Congress for abdicating its constitutional duties in matters of war and peace, too often vesting the power to make war solely with the executive branch and calls on the president to complete a full withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan and end other instances of perpetual war where not authorized by a current and specific authorization for the use of military force approved by Congress.
Since the resolution was passed in the Montana House, President Biden announced he will withdraw all American troops from Afghanistan by Sept. 11, 2021, the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
In total CVA has spent over $3 million on digital, television, and direct mail advertising urging a full withdrawal from Afghanistan. The End Endless Wars campaign is aimed at educating and encouraging the American public to contact their elected representatives. In total, the campaign has generated over 700,000 emails to leaders in Washington urging them to end our “forever wars.” The campaign evolved from CVA’s Rethink Foreign Policy effort, which the group launched in mid-2019.
###