wfn.org | Congressional mailboxes inundated with letters opposing lone U.S. action against Iraq

[PCUSA NEWS <PCUSA.NEWS@ecunet.org>]

Note #7462 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

04-October-2002
02388

Congressional mailboxes inundated with letters opposing lone U.S. action
against Iraq 

by Evan Silverstein

LOUISVILLE - Many Americans are opposed to the United States acting alone in
a possible military attack against Iraq and are writing their representatives
on Capitol Hill to let them know about it.

Members of the House and Senate recently told the Washington Times newspaper
that mail flooding their offices from constituents is running overwhelmingly
against a unilateral attack on Iraq. In a news article on Oct 3, Sen. Lincoln
Chafee, a Republican from Rhode Island, said his mail is "something like 300
(opposed) to 29 (in favor)."

The General Assembly Council of the Presbyterian Church (USA) issued a "call"
on Sept. 28 to prayer and action," urging Presbyterians to oppose a
precipitate U.S. attack on Iraq and the Bush administration's "new doctrine
of pre-emptive military action."

Meanwhile, there were reports from Washington of even more uneven responses
against the use of force against Iraq, the newspaper reported.

Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California said her office had received
more than 20,000 contacts, of which only about 300 were supportive of
unilateral military action.

"This is not orchestrated, Feinstein told the Times. "People overwhelmingly
want it done multilaterally."
	    
Lawmakers said there also has been many "genuine outpourings" from
constituents opposing war through phone calls. However, public polls tell a
different story. One recent ABC News-Washington Post poll indicates that 61
percent favor using force to oust Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein and support
President Bush for his Iraq policy, although that support remains
conditional. As has been the case for months, support for attacking Iraq is
substantially lower - 46 percent in the ABC News-Washington Post poll - if
U.S. allies are opposed. 

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