WASHINGTON, Jan. 30 (UPI) -- Activists opposing the Iraq war said Monday they were launching a new campaign of protests and meetings across the United States.
"As part of the ... campaign, Americans Against Escalation in Iraq (and) Iraq War veterans with VoteVets.org will embark Monday on a two-day, seven state, eight stop fly around to unveil a new television ad urging the Senate to join the troops and stop the escalation of the war in Iraq," the groups said in a statement Monday.
"The veterans on the plane will be met by other veterans on the ground in each state to a hold a press conference, unveil the national and in-state ads and make the case ... that being with the troops means opposing escalation," the groups said.
"The Bush-McCain escalation plan to send more than 20,000 additional troops to Iraq has been met with strong opposition in Congress and from senior military leaders, the Iraq Study Group, and the American public," the statement said. "The bipartisan Hagel-Biden resolution against escalation passed out of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday and is expected to go to the full Senate in the next couple of weeks. But several key senators, including members of the Foreign Relations Committee who have expressed disagreement with the president's escalation plan, failed to support the anti-escalation resolution."
The group said they tour would target senators including Richard Lugar, R-Ind., Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, Arlen Specter, R-Penn. and John Warner, R-Va.
