ACTION ALERT –FEBRUARY 2003
GOOD SHEPHERD VOICES FOR JUSTICE
Oppose the War on Iraq
_____________________________________________
The Pope and the United
Catholic Conference of Bishops have advised Catholics that war on Iraq does not
stand up to the just war principles. Therefore, consider the following actions:
Urgent Actions:
1) Write to UN Security Council
2) Urge senators to support S. Res. 32
Two alerts concerning the imminent
war with Iraq are now circulating. The first alert, circulated by members of
Religious at the United Nations (RUN), a coalition of faith-based NGOs working
at the UN, requests that respondents write to the four “swing” members of the
UN Security Council, and ask them to hold strong in their opposition to the war
effort. The second alert is from the Friends’ Committee on National Legislation
(FCNL). It asks that those with Congressional representation contact their
senators immediately and ask them to support Sens. Ted Kennedy (D-MA) and
Robert Byrd’s (D-WV) Senate resolution (S. Res. 32), which calls on the
president to supporting UN inspectors ongoing work and for a new vote in
Congress before going to war.
1) Write to members of the UN Security Council
Our concerns continue to deepen this week as the Colin Powell speaks to the
United Nations Security Council regarding the war in Iraq.While we have been
actively involved in expressing our views to the Congress and President Bush,we
also encourage you to express your views to the members of the UN Security
Council, especially to those who have significant interest in opposing the war
efforts.We suggest that you fax your letters to four representatives: France,
Germany, China and Russia.These four countries have had objections to the
U.S./UK initiative of war.
You can reach these ambassadors by fax using the following addresses:
S. Exc. M. Jean-David Levitte
Ambassador, Permanent Representative to the UN
French Delegation to Security Council
FAX: 212-20708765
H.E. Mr. Hergey Lavrov
Permanent Representative to the Security Council
Permanent Mission of the Russian Federation
FAX: 212-628-0252
Ambassador Wang Yingfan
Permanent Representative to the Security Council
Permanent Representative of China
FAX: 212-481-2998
Ambassador Dr. Gunter Pleuger
Permanent Representative to the Security Council
Permanent Representative of Germany
FAX: 212-940-0402
Draft letter:
Dear Ambassador:
As a citizen of the United States concerned with peace and justice, I want to
convey my deep concerns regarding the pending deliberations of the Security
Council on Iraq.
In view of the Iraqi government’s cooperation with the UN arms inspectors in
Iraq at this time, and in the absence of any credible evidences of any
immediate Iraqi threats to peace and security of any nation in the region, I
believe that there is no basis to justify a new Security Council resolution
authorizing use of force against Iraq.
On the other hand, I believe that there is a need, in fact, for the Security
Council to adopt a resolution at this time to call upon the United States and
Great Britain to stop the current military build-ups around Iraq and desist
from any unilateral military attacks on Iraq, including the “no-flight zone.”
In particular, the on-going U.S./UK air attacks inside the no-flight zone are
not only illegal but also endanger the safety of the UN inspectors in Iraq.
These unauthorized attacks have inflicted numerous Iraqi casualties, and they
should be stopped by the Security Council.
I also urge you as a member of the Security Council to speak out against the
Bush administration’s new, dangerous doctrine of “preemptive attacks” and
unilateral “regime changes” that are clearly in violation of the international
law as well as the main purposes, principles and articles of the UN Charter.
It is also to be noted that a renewed war against Iraq at this time would
inflict an incalculable harm to the millions of Iraqi people, who have been
suffering enough already under the UN-imposed economic sanctions, and seriously
undermine the world peace and international legal order, including the UN
system itself.
I believe the United Nations should not allow aggressive wars in the name of
peace, security and disarmament. I count on your strong conviction and moral
leadership for peace to reject and restrain any U.S. attempts to wage an
unjustified, illegal war on Iraq.
Thank you for your kind attention and consideration in this urgent matter. I
wish you and the Security Council much success in resolving the Iraq issue in a
peaceful way. I will keep you and our hope for peace in our hearts and prayers.
Respectfully yours,
=======================
2) Ask senators to support S. Res. 32
Sens. Ted Kennedy (D-MA) and Robert Byrd (D-WV) recently introduced S. Res. 32,
calling on the president to supporting UN inspectors’ ongoing work and for a
new vote in Congress before going to war.The resolution text and Kennedy’s
floor speech are available at http://www.fcnl.org/issues/int/sup/iraq_kennedy203-03.htm#for.
It is unclear when - if ever - this bill would come to a vote.Some have also
raised concerns that if it were brought to a vote it would gain so few votes
that it would look undermine our effort to demonstrate strong and clear
opposition to war.
However, [FCNL] feels it is worth supporting from a grassroots level.Time is
very short and this may be the last legislative handle available in the Senate
for grassroots folks. We believe we need to get as many grassroots messages
into senators’ office as possible to demonstrate widespread and vocal
opposition to war.We feel a need to bring the level of constituent calls to
Congress opposing war up as much as possible in the next days and weeks.
ACTION:
Time is short. Please call, email, or fax your senators today. Urge them to support
S. Res. 32.Urge them to support bringing the resolution to the floor for a
vote. Let them know that you oppose war with Iraq.Iraq does not pose an
imminent threat to the U.S. or its neighbors, and it can be safely and
effectively disarmed through the UN without war. The U.S. should not attack
another country preemptively, and certainly not without a full congressional
debate and formal declaration of war.
Find your senators’ contact information at www.senate.gov,
or call the Congressional switchboard at 202-224-3121. Letters can be sent to
senators at U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C., 20510.
You can also go to the Maryknoll Global Concerns’ “Take Action Now” page on the
Maryknoll website and type in your zip code on the “Write to Congress” icon.
Or, go to the FCNL Legislative Action Center at http://capwiz.com/fconl/issues/alert/?alertid=1322171&type=CO
2. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee held hearings with Deputy Secretary
of State Richard Armitage and U.S. Ambassador to the UN Negroponte as
witnesses. A number of senators asked hard-hitting questions that suggest
serious reservations about the administration’s rush to war and a willingness
to give the inspections more time to work. The hearing can be viewed at www.Capitolhearings.org. Also,
members of the committee are pushing hard for a closed briefing with Powell to
hear the evidence that will be presented to the UN before Feb. 5.
Maryknoll Office for
Global Concerns:
Peace, Social Justice &
Integrity of Creation
PO Box 29132
Washington DC 20017
ph (202)832-1780
fax (202)832-5195
ogc@maryknoll.org
www.maryknoll.org/GLOBAL/global