wfn.org | Church executive urges Bush not to attack Iraq

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Sept. 3, 2002  News media contact: Joretta Purdue7(202) 546-87227Washington
10-21-71BP{384}

NOTE: A head-and-shoulders photograph of Jim Winkler is available at
http://umns.umc.org/photos/headshots.html online. 

WASHINGTON (UMNS) - The chief staff executive of the United Methodist
Church's advocacy and action agency is calling on the White House not to
attack Iraq but to seek a peaceful solution through the United Nations.

"The Bush administration has declared its intent to launch a war against
Iraq, ignoring the advice of its allies, many members of Congress, key
experts and millions of U.S. citizens," said Jim Winkler, staff head of the
denomination's Board of Church and Society, in an Aug. 30 statement.

"With unprecedented disregard for democratic ideals and with an astonishing
lack of evidence justifying such a pre-emptive attack, the president has all
but given the order to fire," he said.

He urged United Methodists "to oppose this reckless measure" and to
encourage President Bush to find peaceful means for resolving the threat
posed by Iraq. U.S. officials are concerned about reports that Iraqi
dictator Saddam Hussein has stockpiled weapons of mass destruction.

"Our church categorically opposes interventions by more powerful nations
against weaker ones," Winkler said. "We recognize the first moral duty of
all nations is to resolve by peaceful means every dispute that arises
between or among nations." He cited the denomination's resolution "Support
for Self-Determination and Nonintervention," originally passed by the
church's highest legislative body in 1988, then amended and readopted in
2000. That body, the General Conference, determines United Methodist policy.

"United Methodists have a particular duty to speak out against an unprovoked
attack," Winkler said. "President Bush and Vice President Cheney are members
of our denomination. Our silence now could be interpreted as tacit approval
of war.    

"I beseech the president and vice president to provide leadership into a new
era of Christian discipleship," he said. "We must as a people and nation
recast our personal and national priorities so that God's creation and the
needs of the least, the last, and the lost are first in our hearts."

Winkler's statement followed an Aug. 29 plea from 37 Christian leaders from
the United States, Britain and Canada attending a meeting of the World
Council of Churches Central Committee in Geneva (see UMNS story #382). The
signers included several United Methodists, among them the top staff
executive of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA. 

The conflict between the United States and Iraq "can and should be dealt
with by the United Nations," Winkler said. "No member nation has the right
to take unilateral military action without the approval of the U.N. Security
Council, approval the United States has not received.  Without such
approval, the United Sates will stand in violation of international law."

Questions of noncompliance with weapons inspections should be handled by the
United Nations, Winkler said.

"A pre-emptive war represents a major and dangerous change in U.S. foreign
policy," he said. "It also sets a terrible precedent for other nations. For
example, what would then stop India or Pakistan from carrying out such an
attack on one another on the grounds they themselves might be attacked?
Pre-emptive war cannot become a universalized principle, lest disaster and
chaos result."  

This would not be "a just war," Winkler stated. Proof of a real threat to
the United States has not been offered, he said, noting that no evidence has
shown that Iraq has a nuclear warhead aimed at the United States or even
deliverable weapons of mass destruction. "No case can be made that a war
against Iraq is justified for the self-defense of the United States.
Further, Iraq's neighbors are not calling for assistance from the United
States."

Winkler raised questions about the potential loss of life on all sides, the
financial costs of a war and its aftermath, and the consequences for the
future of Iraq.

"Congress must exercise its constitutional responsibilities and vote on the
question of undertaking an invasion of Iraq," he wrote. "The length of
conflict, level of long-term involvement and final outcome are by no means
assured."

He warned that Baghdad, a huge city with innocent civilians, would be a
major target. "Accidentally or not, we have seen the death of too many
noncombatants in Afghanistan in recent months as the result of poor
targeting and decision-making. How many more civilians will die?"

"The United Nations estimates its own sanctions [against Iraq], the most
severe to ever be imposed on any nation, have already resulted in the deaths
of one million people," Winkler observed. And, he noted, the regime of
Saddam Hussein has committed many atrocities against its own people, causing
great suffering for many years. Winkler offered prayers for the Iraqi people
and expressed a yearning "for a just and peaceful government in Iraq."

He urged United Methodists to take seriously Jesus' instructions to be
peacemakers and seek justice. "We must speak out now - to the president,
members of Congress and our local media - that the path upon which the
president seeks to embark is counter to the teachings of Jesus, [is]
inconsistent with the position of the United Methodist Church and is one
that threatens the rule of law as a fundamental principle of democracy.

"That the end justifies the means is the weakest of all possible arguments.
Our nation deserves better and the world expects better of us."
# # #
The full statement follows:

Press Statement

Aug. 30, 2002

For immediate release

Bush Urged to Turn Back From War

The following is a statement of General Secretary Jim Winkler of The United
Methodist Church General Board of Church and Society:

The Bush administration has declared its intent to launch a war against
Iraq, ignoring the advice of its allies, many members of Congress, key
experts, and millions of U.S. citizens.  With unprecedented disregard for
democratic ideals and with an astonishing lack of evidence justifying such a
pre-emptive attack, the President has all but given the order to fire.  

I ask United Methodists to oppose this reckless measure and urge the
President to immediately pursue other means to resolve the threat posed by
Iraq. The United Methodist Church has called for "Support for
Self-Determination and Nonintervention" for all nations (2000 Book of
Resolutions #277). Our Church categorically opposes interventions by more
powerful nations against weaker ones. We recognize the first moral duty of
all nations is to resolve by peaceful means every dispute that arises
between or among nations.  

United Methodists have a particular duty to speak out against an unprovoked
attack. President Bush and Vice-President Cheney are members of our
denomination. Our silence now could be interpreted as tacit approval of war.
Christ came to break old cycles of revenge and violence.  Too often, we have
said we worship and follow Jesus but have failed to change our ways. Jesus
proved on the cross the failure of state-sponsored revenge. It is
inconceivable that Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior and the Prince of
Peace, would support this proposed attack. I beseech the President and
Vice-President to provide leadership into a new era of Christian
discipleship.

This matter can and should be dealt with by the United Nations. Our Church
"support(s) regional and international negotiations arranged in cooperation
with the United Nations and held without resort to political posturing."
(2000 Book of Resolutions, p. 684) No member nation has the right to take
unilateral military action without the approval of the UN Security Council,
approval the United States has not received. Without such approval, the
United Sates will stand in violation of international law. The
administration's proposed attack is essentially a unilateral U.S. effort
that uses as its rationale Iraq's non-compliance with U.N. Security Council
Resolution 687 requiring full compliance with UN weapons inspectors. Arab
and European governments strongly oppose an invasion of Iraq. Their views
cannot and should not be disregarded. The question of weapons inspection
non-compliance should be a matter for the United Nations.

There are those who argue that some military actions are just, however this
would not be a just war. No proof has been provided that Iraq has nuclear
weapons mounted on launchers aimed at the United States or troops massed on
its borders or has developed deliverable weapons of mass destruction. No
case can be made that a war against Iraq is justified for the self-defense
of the United States. Further, Iraq's neighbors are not calling for
assistance from the United States.   

A pre-emptive war represents a major and dangerous change in US foreign
policy. It also sets a terrible precedent for other nations. For example,
what would then stop India or Pakistan from carrying out such an attack on
one another on the grounds they themselves might be attacked?  Pre-emptive
war cannot become a universalized principle lest disaster and chaos result.

There are questions yet to be asked and answered about many matters
including the potential loss of life on all sides, the financial cost of a
war and its aftermath, and consequences for the future of Iraq. Congress
must exercise its constitutional responsibilities and vote on the question
of undertaking an invasion of Iraq. The length of conflict, level of
long-term involvement, and final outcome are by no means assured.
Presumably, Baghdad, a huge city filled with innocent civilians, must be a
major objective of attack. Accidentally or not, we have seen the deaths of
too many noncombatants in Afghanistan in recent months as the result of poor
targeting and decision-making. How many more civilians will die? What is the
reasonable chance of success in this war? How long would it take to rebuild
destroyed areas? Can the United States effectively carry out regime change?

The regime of Saddam Hussein has carried out many atrocities against its own
people and has been a highly negative influence in international and
regional affairs. We all yearn for a just and peaceful government in Iraq.
The Iraqi people have suffered greatly for many years and our prayers are
with them. The United Nations estimates its own sanctions, the most severe
to ever be imposed on any nation, have already resulted in the deaths of one
million people.  

If we, as United Methodists, are to take seriously the words of Jesus to
become peacemakers and seek justice and peace with one another (Matthew
5:1-12), we must speak out now - to the president, members of Congress, and
our local media - that the path upon which the President seeks to embark is
counter to the teachings of Jesus, inconsistent with the position of the
United Methodist Church, and is one that threatens the rule of law as a
fundamental principle of democracy. That the ends justify the means is the
weakest of all possible arguments.  Our nation deserves better, and the
world expects better of us.  

General Conference is the highest decision-making body of the United
Methodist Church.  The General Board of Church and Society is mandated by
General Conference to seek the implementation of the Social Principles and
other policy statements on Christian social concerns through forthright
witness and action.

*************************************
United Methodist News Service
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