Students for Victory in Iraq depends on you, our members, to actively participate in the ongoing campaign to prevent an unwarranted withdrawal and defeat in Iraq. Together, we collectively take action to achieve our three objectives.

I. Encourage Congress to support the mission in Iraq

II. Educate the public about the importance of victory

III. Support members of the military, their families, and those of our allies

Below you will find the latest action items for each of these three objectives.

Prevent the Senate from Writing Defeat into Law in the 2008 Defense Authorization Bill

Following the Fourth of July recess, the United States Senate began work on S 1548, the Department of Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008, which lays out the rules for what the military can and cannot spend money on for the next year. Anti-victory groups are pushing for three different amendments which will undermine the mission in Iraq, and resources for the soldiers undertaking that mission. We absolutely must defeat these amendments to allow the 'surge' to be completely implemented and provide the full fruits of progress to the mission.

The Levin Amendment, introduced by Senator Carl Levin of Michigan and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, would set a timetable for withdrawal that must begin within 120 days of the bill's passage and must be completed by April of 2008.

It is also expected that Senate Appropriations Chairman Robert Byrd (D-WV) and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) may also introduce their amendment repealing the 2002 authorization for the Iraq war.

Call the US Senate switchboard at (202) 224-3121 to contact your Senators and demand that they vote against the Levin Amendment for arbitrary withdrawal, vote against the Byrd-Clinton Amendment to repeal authorization, and allow the Baghdad Security Plan to be fully implemented.

Update: The Levin-Reed Amendment failed to pass the 60-vote threshold required for passage with a 52-47 vote. Good job, and keep up the pressure on Byrd-Clinton!

Inform Yourself and Others About Operation Phantom Thunder

On June 16th, the Multi-National Force-Iraq began Operation Phantom Thunder, which consists of a number of offensive operations against Al-Qaeda's remaining strongholds in the areas surrounding Baghdad. Operation Phantom Thunder is the largest Coalition military operation in Iraq since May 2003, but little has been reported on this massive operation by the television networks and mainstream media. According to embedded reporters Michael Yon and Bill Roggio, the operation has been a tremendous success so far, but the mainstream media is only reporting that there is an increase in American casualties (which is expected during such a large offensive) .

Print out the Institute for the Study of War's factsheet on Operation Phantom Thunder and give it to friends. Be sure to read the above reports directly from the field as they come in and learn about Phantom Thunder at Multi-National Force-Iraq's website and Wikipedia.

Operation AC

Now that it is officially summer, it is very important to remember that the 165,000 servicemen and women serving their country in Iraq will be fighting in heat upwards of 110 degrees for the next few months. Frankie Mayo over at Operation AC has worked very hard over the past year to provide air conditioners and other requested items to the troops in the field to give them some comfort through the hottest time of the year.

Each servicemember who registers at Operation AC can post a wish list of desired items, and you can register as a sponsor on the website to donate items. Sponsors can purchase items online which will be shipped to the servicemember directly. Please visit Operation AC and adopt a servicemember today!

More information is available at http://www.operationac.com.