wfn.org | U.S. Church Leaders Urge U.S. to Avoid Military Action Against Iraq

["Nat'l Council of Churches" <nccc_usa@ncccusa.org>]

EMBARGOED until
Thursday, September 12, 2002, 2 p.m. EDT
Contact: Jim Wetekam
Churches for Middle East Peace
202-488-5638, jim@cmep.org <mailto:jim@cmep.org>

U.S. Church Leaders Urge U.S. to
Avoid Military Action Against Iraq

Heads of many U.S. Protestant and Orthodox churches and organizations and
leaders of Roman Catholic religious orders today announced opposition to
U.S. military action against Iraq.  In a letter to President Bush, the
church leaders acknowledged that Mr. 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, convened by a national coalition named Churches for Middle East
Peace, stated, We oppose on moral grounds the United States taking further
military action against Iraq now.  Citing the probable humanitarian
consequences, civilian casualties, and the chaotic political aftermath of
such a war, the church leaders 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 Rev. Dr. Bob Edgar, General Secretary of the National Council of
Churches, a joint ministry of 36 Protestant and Orthodox denominations,
stated, We do not need to march down the path to Armageddon.  Pre-emptive
military action now being contemplated by the Administration cannot be
morally justified.  Edgar, a former six-term Member of the U.S. Congress,
said, Among other consequences, consider that a pre-emptive strike by the
U.S. presents to the world a model of aggression that may encourage other
nations to attack neighboring countries that threaten them.

Releasing their letter after President Bushs statement to the United
Nations General Assembly, the church leaders insisted that the President
work through the U.N. toward peace, not toward war.  Father Stan DeBoe,
chair of Churches for Middle East Peace, 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 well 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 letter is signed by 48 U.S. Christian leaders, including the heads of
many Catholic religious orders, leaders of The Episcopal Church, Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), National Baptist
Convention, Mennonite Church USA, Religious Society of Friends (Quakers),
Syrian Orthodox Church, Reformed Church in America, Disciples of Christ /
Christian Church, United Church of Christ, Unitarian Universalist
Association, United Methodist Church representatives, some evangelical
Christian leaders, and others.

The full text of the letter and the list of signers follows:
September 12, 2002

The Honorable George W. Bush
President of the United States of America
The White House
Washington, D.C.  20500

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 Iraqs 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.

Sincerely,

Rev. Dr. Robert Edgar
General Secretary
National Council of the Churches of Christ
    in the USA

Rev. Fahed Abu-Akel
Moderator, 214th General Assembly
Presbyterian Church (USA)

Marilyn Borst
Executive Director
Evangelicals for Middle East Understanding

Rev. Dennis Cleary, MM
U.S. Regional Superior
Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers

Rev. Canice Connors, OFM.Conv
Provincial, Immaculate Conception Province
Conventual Franciscans
President, Conference of Major Superiors of Men

Rev. John Doctor, OFM
Provincial, Sacred Heart Province
Franciscans

Rev. Michael Guimon, OSM
Provincial
Order of Servites

Corinne Whitlatch
Director
Churches for Middle East Peace

Wesley Granberg-Michaelson
General Secretary
Reformed Church in America

The Most Rev. Frank T. Griswold
Presiding Bishop and Primate
The Episcopal Church, USA

The Rev. Dr. Richard L. Hamm
General Minister and President of the
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
    in the United States and Canada

The Rev. Mark S. Hanson
Presiding Bishop
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Stan Hastey
Executive Director
Alliance of Baptists

Rev. Michael Higgins, CP
Provincial, Western Province
Passionists

Elenie K. Huszagh, Esq.
President
National Council of the Churches of Christ
    in the USA

Thomas H. Jeavons
General Secretary
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the
    Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)

Archbishop Mor Cyril Aphrem Karim
Archdiocese of the Syrian Orthodox Church
     of Antioch for the Eastern USA

Rev. Ted Keating, SM
Executive Director
Conference of Major Superiors of Men

Rev. Clifton Kirkpatrick
Stated Clerk of the General Assembly
Presbyterian Church (USA)

Rev. Michael E. Livingston
Executive Director
International Council of Community Churches

Ronald J.R. Mathies
Executive Director
Mennonite Central Committee

Canon Patrick Mauney
Chairman, Board of Directors
Church World Service

Rev. John L. McCullough
Executive Director
Church World Service

Mary Ellen McNish
General Secretary
American Friends Service Committee

Rev. Mark Miller, CPPS
Provincial
Society of the Precious Blood

Joseph Nangle, OFM
Co-Director, Franciscan Mission Service
Franciscan Brothers and Fathers

Jose Ortiz
Executive Director
Mennonite Central Committee U.S.

Lindsay Penn-Matheson
President of the Board of Directors
Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America

Sr. Constance Phelps, SCL
Vice President
Leadership Conference of Women Religious

Sr. Kathleen Pruitt, CSJP
Past President
Leadership Conference of Women Religious

Rev. Judy Mill Reimer
General Secretary
Church of the Brethren General Board

Leonard Rodgers
President/Founder
Venture International

Rev. Dr. Roy Sano
Bishop (Retired)
United Methodist Church

James F. Schrag
Executive Director
Executive Board, Mennonite Church USA

Dr. William J. Shaw
President
National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc.

Sr. Carol Shinnick, SSND
Executive Director
Leadership Conference of Women Religious

Ronald J. Sider
President
Evangelicals for Social Action

Rev. William Sinkford
President
Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations

John Thomas
General Minister and President
United Church of Christ

Kathy Thornton, RSM
National Coordinator
NETWORK
A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby

Lydia Veliko
Ecumenical Officer
United Church of Christ

Joe Volk
Executive Secretary
Friends Committee on National
     Legislation

Rev. Austin Walsh, ST
General Custodian
Missionary Servants of the Holy Trinity

Dr. Robert K. Welsh
President, Council on Christian Unity
Ecumenical Officer
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the
    US and Canada

The Rev. David L. Wickmann
President
Moravian Church, Northern Province

Jim Winkler
General Secretary
General Board of Church and Society
United Methodist Church

Rev. Ronald Witherup, SS
Provincial, Sulpicians
President-Elect
Conference of Major Superiors of Men

Sr. Mary Ann Zollman, BVM
President
Leadership Conference of Women Religious

The full text of the letter and the list of signers can be found at
www.cmep.org/iraqletter.htm.