---

Last Updated on February 15, 2024.

Washington – Win Without War’s President Stephen Miles released the following statement responding to recent events in the Middle East, including the deadly attack on U.S. service members in Jordan: 

“The recent attack on U.S. forces in Jordan, which killed three U.S. service members and injured dozens more, is a tragedy. It’s a painful reminder that President Biden’s current policy in the Middle East is simply not working. The way to protect US troops and save lives is to change course. 

“Months of trying to contain the spread of violence through bombings and threats has only seen an ever-increasing cycle of retaliatory strikes by the U.S. and various regional forces. Even worse, attempting to scale back the Israeli government’s war on Gaza by working closely with Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government and quiet diplomacy has quite obviously failed, resulting in more than 26,000 Palestinians killed by Israeli military operations, countless more injured, and nearly the entire population of the Gaza Strip now living in immense human suffering including war-made conditions of famine. 

“It is long past time for President Biden to dramatically change course. 

“Already, voices in Washington are calling for more war. The same voices who advocated for never ending wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, arguing victory was forever just around the corner, now want the American public to believe that the path to peace lies with yet another war in the Middle East – this time with Iran. They were wrong then, and they are wrong now. 

“The only genuine path to significantly reducing the current spasm of violence in the Middle East is securing an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, pouring cold water on the fire at the heart of this regional inferno. Such an effort would create the conditions for finally negotiating the release of the remaining hostages in Gaza and open space for regional diplomacy aimed at a desperately needed broader regional de-escalation.” 

 

###

Win Without War is a diverse network of activists and national organizations working for progressive foreign policy in the United States.

January 29, 2024