wfn.org | Re: MCC U.S. executive committee calls for halt to bombing of Iraq

[Mennonite Central Committee Communications]

TOPIC:  MCC U.S. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE CALLS FOR HALT TO BOMBING OF IRAQ
DATE:   September 27, 1996
CONTACT:  Pearl Sensenig
V: 717/859-1151 F: 717/859-2171
E-MAIL ADDRESS:  mailbox@mcc.org

AKRON, Pa. -- As U.S. President Clinton dispatched 5,000
more troops to the Persian Gulf on September 13,
Mennonite Central Committee U.S. executive committee
faxed the White House a letter imploring Clinton to stop
military action.  The committee held meetings here
September 12 and 13.

In his report to the U.S. committee, J. Daryl Byler of
MCC's Washington office said military spending was the
number one concern raised by constituents of the office
in a recent survey.  He said the U.S. government, the
world's largest arms exporter, spends $7 million annually
to subsidize its international arms sales.

What follows is the letter, which was faxed to the White
House September 13, 1996.

President Bill Clinton
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, D.C.  20500

Dear President Clinton:

We implore you to immediately halt any further U.S.
missile attacks or bombing raids against the people of
Iraq.  According to a recent U.N. report, some 500,000
Iraqi children have died in the last six years due to
U.N.-imposed economic sanctions.  Let our nation not
contribute further to this horrible human suffering
through additional acts of aggression.

Mennonites and Brethren in Christ are from a faith
tradition that calls us to love our enemies (Matthew 5:44),
and teaches us that only good is powerful enough to
overcome evil (Romans 12:21).  We believe that peace
cannot be built with weapons of war or threats of
violence, but only with plowshares of justice, respect
and truthful dialogue (Isaiah 2:4).

But even if one does not accept this theological
understanding of the "peace church" tradition, we are
compelled to ask: "What possible good can come from
further provocative violent acts?  How will more missiles
make the Gulf region more stable?  Are U.S. oil interests
in the region really more valuable than the Iraqi lives
that will be snuffed out when a missile misses its military
target?  On what moral ground will the United States
stand in the future when it challenges other countries
not to engage in unilateral and unprovoked attacks?"

We do not condone the violent acts of President Saddam
Hussein.  But violence is never uprooted by more
violence.  At best, violence represses violence for the
moment -- only to see it rear its ugly head in more
vigorous forms.  Indeed, we fear that more violence
against President Hussein will only strengthen his grip
on the people of Iraq.

In our view, true leadership has little to do with
exercising military might against Iraq.  It has more to do
with the vision and courage to take steps to diffuse the
dangerous escalation of rhetoric and military activity
that hover like ominous clouds of death over the people
of the Gulf region.

We have heard you say that you will build a bridge to
the 21st century.  Will that bridge more likely be built
with diligent diplomacy and confidence-building
measures, or with words of war and acts of aggression?

Meeting this day as an executive committee in Akron,
Pennsylvania, we commit ourselves to pray for a
nonviolent resolution to the current hostilities.

Sincerely,

MCC U.S. Executive Committee

By:_____________________________
   Richard Garber, Chair
                        -30-
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