Here is part of what the MoveOn email I got about it said (emphasis mine):
We learned yesterday that the White House and pro-war donors have put together a massive $15 MILLION media fund to keep the war going.1 It's an enormous ad buy—and it's aimed at stopping Republicans from breaking with the president now that it's clear that the surge has failed.
Now is the time to fight back. We don't have super-rich corporate donors to match a $15 million ad campaign—but we do have each other. There are millions of us around the country and we're getting together next Tuesday to tell Congress that the time to stand up to President Bush and redeploy our troops out of this unwinnable civil war in Iraq is NOW.
We're gathering at vigils all over the country to honor those who have given their lives in this war and tell Congress and the media that we can't afford another years worth of casualties. If enough of us show up we can counter the White House spin with real people and real voices.
and
The White House front group, "Freedom Watch" is running ads in more than 20 states and they're targeting mostly Republicans, but some Democrats too. They're trying to convince voters and members of Congress that the "surge" is working and that Congress should give Bush more time.
But the truth is time has run out on the White House policy in Iraq. The "surge" is a total failure. Consider these key facts:
* 2007 is already the bloodiest summer for American troops since the war began.2
* There has been little to no progress on the political benchmarks that the president said the "surge" would help accomplish.3
* 64 percent of conservative foreign policy experts say the escalation is having either a negative impact or no impact at all.4
* 7 out of 10 foreign policy experts support redeployment of US troops out of Iraq.5
This big ad blitz is happening now because this September is going to bring the biggest showdown on Iraq since the war began. The White House will try to convince Congress to let them continue their reckless policy in Iraq and if they succeed we could be in Iraq for another 10 years.6
We have to show up in force on Tuesday, before Congress returns to D.C. for the big September fight, and show them that voters want our troops out of the religious civil war in Iraq now—not in six months, not in a year, now.
Sources:
1. "Democrats Refocus Message on Iraq After Military Gains," Washington Post, August 22, 2007
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=2905&id=11075-6917764-6W5lge&t=6
2. Iraq Index, Brookings Institution, August 20, 2007
http://www3.brookings.edu/fp/saban/iraq/index.pdf
3. Ibid
4. The Terrorism Index, Center for American Progress, August 20, 2007
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=2906&id=11075-6917764-6W5lge&t=7
5. Ibid
6. "Petraeus: Iraq 'Challenges' to Last for Years," Washington Post, June 18, 2007
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=2888&id=11075-6917764-6W5lge&t=8
