We face a crucial choice, right now: An endless, self-destructive war in Afghanistan and Pakistan, or turning to a new path of drying up the swamps of despair around the world that breed terrorism.

Frank military assessments and the first-hand report and resignation letter from Foreign Service officer and ex-marine Matthew Hoh have now made clear that US troops and Predator strikes only incite ever stronger opposition in the Afghan civil war and especially can never suppress the Pashtun drive to end foreign military presence. And we now know that President Karzai's 'reelection" was by fraud and his brother has been on the CIA payroll for eight years. So claims that the U.S. is simply supporting indigenous struggles for freedom ring ever more false.

Instead, our military presence is bringing rampant death and maimings of body, mind, and soul to Americans and Afghans alike. More American troops will mean more dead Americans. And our pouring scores of billions into this self-destructive effort will shatter hopes for fixing our broken health care and education and infrastructure syustems at home, or our wounded planet.

Yes, the Taliban are disgusting. Oppressive. But there are a myriad ways of encouraging reform in other countries. The one that does NOT work is trying to install democracy at the point of a bayonet. Or, even worse, Predator Drones.

We should have learned once and for all from Vietnam that an endless war -- in a country that for centuries has hated all occupations with a burning fury -- would undermine all plans for social reform at home – exactly what happened to Lyndon Johnson's "Great Society." .

The moment has come to say No.

Let us urge our Senators to oppose further appropriations for the Afghan War, and to support instead a path that will actually protect America. That means seeking friendship with Islam; sending economic aid at the grass-roots, micro-loan level (especially to women's groups in Afghanistan); and drawing on the healing of wind and solar energy instead of addiction to oil.

The majority of Americans now support this approach. With our support, Congress can grow the courage to face down those who will cry "Unpatriotic, Defeatist!" while they support policies that are bleeding our lives.

But the mindless pressures of military habit are still pressing. The American people –- surveys show a majority oppose this war –- must act to end it.

Again -- we invite you to act now -- here -- to send a letter to your Senator (or Vice-President Biden if as a DC resident you have none)

Thanks and blessings that the effort you bring for peace and healing flows back into peace and healing in your own life.

Shalom, salaam, shantih, peace -- Arthur

Photo credit: From Flickr.com by jjjohn/Photo page at Flickr/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0