Links to Resources and Stories of Hope
submitted by St. Lukers www.stlukeweb.org/peace/resources.htm
Other PC(USA) Peacemaking Resources on Iraq
http://www.pcusa.org/peacemaking/iraq/
Contact Elected Officials NOW
http://www.pcusa.org/peacemaking/iraq/contactofficials.htm
Iraq Peace Action Coalition
a local advocacy group -- contact Marie Braun at 612-522-1861.
September 12, 2002
U.S. church leaders urge Bush to avoid military action against Iraq
Kirkpatrick, Abu-Akel agree Saddam is a threat, but to attack is wrong
by Jerry L. Van Marter and Charles Wetekam, CMEP
LOUISVILLE — Leaders of many U.S. Protestant, Orthodox and Catholic churches
and organizations issued a letter today to President Bush opposing military
action against Iraq.
The letter, coming on the heels of Bush’s tough speech to the United Nations
General Assembly, said: “(Saddam) Hussein poses a threat to his neighbors and
to his own people, [but] we nevertheless believe it is wrong, as well as
detrimental to U.S. interests to launch an attack on Iraq.”
The letter, written by Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP), cited probable
humanitarian consequences, civilian casualties, and the chaotic political
aftermath of such a war as primary reasons for its opposition. The letter noted
that U.S. military force could easily destabilize the region with possible
catastrophic results and further increase anti-American sentiment in the Middle
East and Gulf.
The signers of the letter included Presbyterian Church (USA) moderator the Rev.
Fahed Abu-Akel and stated clerk the Rev. Clifton Kirkpatrick.
Responding to the president’s U.N. address, CMEP chair Father Stan DeBoe,
commented, “Consulting with the U.N. while insisting that the U.N. precisely
implement our own policy is not what international cooperation is about. It is
not a matter of ‘you go along with us or else we’ll do what we want,’ but
rather how does the U.S. work with and through the U.N. to implement the
consensus of the international community.
DeBoe continued, “We are urging the President to uphold the values of our
great country by working closely with the community of nations, not by rattling
sabers nor by threatening to overthrow governments with force.”
The full text of the letter:
September 12, 2002
Dear Mr. President:
We, like all Americans, kneel in prayer and remembrance for the tragedy and
violence that obliterated the lives of so many people one year ago. As American
religious leaders, we have sought during this year to listen, to learn, and to
grow in our faith and compassion both for persons in our congregations and also
for those many outside of our churches. We applaud your leadership in bringing
peoples of disparate faiths together to worship, to mourn, and to move on boldly
with our lives — in a more caring fashion and with appreciation for the
precious gifts of God given to all humankind.
Today, however, we write out of concern that those same precious gifts may be
damaged by actions being contemplated by our nation.
We, leaders of American churches and church-related organizations, are alarmed
by recent statements by yourself and others in the Administration about
pre-emptive military action against Iraq for the expressed purpose of toppling
the regime of Saddam Hussein. Understanding that Mr. Hussein poses a threat to
his neighbors and to his own people, we nevertheless believe it is wrong, as
well as detrimental to U.S. interests, to take such action.
We oppose on moral grounds the United States taking further military action
against Iraq now. The Iraqi people have already suffered enough through more
than two decades of war and severe economic sanctions. Military action against
the government of Saddam Hussein and its aftermath could result in a large
number of civilians being killed or wounded, as well as increasing the suffering
of multitudes of innocent people.
It is detrimental to U.S. interests to take unilateral military action when
there continues to be strong multilateral support for a new weapons inspection
regime and when most governments in Europe and the Middle East resist supporting
military action. It is important for the U.S. to cooperate with international
efforts to control Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction, if possible, through a
regional weapons-of-mass-destruction control initiative.
The pre-emptive use of military force by the United States to deal with
proliferation problems, as serious as they may be, establishes a dangerous
precedent, particularly for other nations that feel threatened by the weapons
capabilities of their neighbors. Furthermore, unilaterally overthrowing enemy
governments heightens concern in other countries about American respect for
their integrity as nations, as well as for international law.
U.S. military action at this time has great potential to further destabilize the
region. It is likely that international support for the war on terrorism will
erode if the United States attacks Iraq without a United Nations mandate.
Militants in Arab and Islamic majority countries would seize the opportunity to
incite people against not only the United States but also against governments
that cooperate with the U.S. An invasion of, or intensified military action
against, Iraq will divert attention from the need to seek ways to reduce
international terrorism and will retard efforts to restore stability in
Afghanistan.
Rather than attacking Iraq, we urge that your priority in the Middle East be an
Israeli-Palestinian ceasefire and peace settlement. As do many in the world, we
look to the United States government to set an example for the international
community. As Christian religious leaders responsible for millions of U.S.
citizens we expect our government to reflect the morals and values we hold dear
— pursuing peace, not war; working with the community of nations, not
overthrowing governments by force; respecting international law and treaties
while holding in high regard all human life.