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Church Goers Support War with Iraq
A recent Gallup poll shows that church-going Americans are more likely to support war against Saddam Hussein than are Americans as a whole.
This news has failed to capture the attention of most media, both liberal and conservative. They continue to chant the mantra that America’s religious community, excepting the “religious right,” is nearly united against the war.
According to Gallup, Americans who attend church at least once a week support war to depose the Iraqi dictator by an almost two to one margin. Americans who never attend church or say religion is not important to them are more evenly divided about the possibility of war.
“MY HEART IS BLEEDING” Bishop Dr. Munib A. Younan
2. We want to assure you that we Arab Christians will remain loyal to our God-given call in continuing the peaceful co-existence with other religions and in a multi-cultural society. We are committed to teach the world how to live with the other religions and cultures in a peaceful, just and equal way. We deplore all kinds of “Christian” evangelical right wing Armageddon scenarios that have infiltrated the Middle East. We deplore the “Christian” groups that are using the war for proselytizing frightened people. These extremist religious ideas harm good relations between people and between religions and they cause confusion in our region. The Middle East does not need more of these sick scenarios of war. We need comprehensive peace and lasting justice. The psalmist says, “Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; justice and peace will kiss each other.” (Ps. 85:10)
Conservative Christians Biggest Backers of Iraq War
WASHINGTON - Of the major religious groups in the United States, evangelical Christians are the biggest backers of Israel and Washington's planned war against Iraq, says a new survey released here Wednesday by a politically potent group of fundamentalist Christians and Jews.
Some 69 percent of conservative Christians favor military action against Baghdad; 10 percentage points more than the U.S. adult population as a whole.
Peacemaking/Nonviolence -- Catholic Leadership
We agree with and support the recent statements of the U. S. Catholic Bishops, the Pope, and the Vatican regarding an alternative choice to war with Iraq at this time.
“This letter, which was authorized by the U. S. Bishops’ Administrative Committee, raised serious questions about the moral legitimacy of any preemptive, unilateral use of military force to overthrow the government of Iraq. As a body, we make our own the questions and concerns raised in Bishop Gregory’s letter, taking into account developments since then, especially the unanimous action of the U.N. Security Council on November 8th.....
GENEVA - Christian leaders around the world condemned the U.S.-led war against Iraq Thursday, pleading for an end to the bombing and a resumption of diplomacy.
In Geneva, the World Council of Churches called the assault "immoral, illegal and ill-advised."
The terrorist attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001 marked the beginning of a new approach in US foreign policy. Political analysts increasingly use the term "US Empire" to describe the relentless power of US military, political and economic forces worldwide. US empire building is not entirely new: US governments have repeatedly acted unilaterally to impose "regime change" and other demands on states. However, since 9/11, Washington pursued unilateral policies more openly and aggressively, using the "war on terrorism" to justify a doctrine of preemptive war and a crackdown on civil liberties in the US.
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URL: http://www.AmericanAnglican.org/News/News.cfm?ID=545&c=21
Church Goers Support War with Iraq
A recent Gallup poll shows that church-going Americans are more likely to support war against Saddam Hussein than are Americans as a whole.
This news has failed to capture the attention of most media, both liberal and conservative. They continue to chant the mantra that America’s religious community, excepting the “religious right,” is nearly united against the war.
According to Gallup, Americans who attend church at least once a week support war to depose the Iraqi dictator by an almost two to one margin. Americans who never attend church or say religion is not important to them are more evenly divided about the possibility of war.
This poll undermines the claims of anti-war church leaders who claim to speak for American Christians on Iraq. It is a claim that even overseas heads of state seem to accept. Anti-war delegations from the chronically left-wing National Council of Churches have gained audiences with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Pope. President Bush, more aware that the church council’s influence barely reaches beyond Manhattan, has declined the honor of such a meeting. He has even refused to meet with anti-war bishops of his own United Methodist denomination, one of whom has even filmed a television ad against war.
Even Iraqi Deputy Foreign Minister Tariq Aziz, with whom the church council has also met, has referred to “the church” in America being opposed to war against his regime. In an interview on Fox News, Aziz questioned how Christian Bush could possibly be when he ignores his fellow believers. And Jimmy Carter, in a recent New York Times op-ed, claimed there is an “almost universal conviction of religious leaders” in America opposing this war.
But the February 17-19, 2003 Gallup poll showed that 63 percent of Americans polled who attend church at least once a week support the war. Support for war among self-defined evangelicals and “religious right” supporters was predictably higher. Overall, 59 percent of Americans support war. Less religious Americans were somewhat less supportive. Fifty-seven percent of Americans who attend church once a month support war. Those who seldom attend support war by 56 percent. Fifty-five percent of those who never attend church support war. Those who say religion is not very important are evenly divided over war.
Mainline Protestant church officials, especially those associated with the National Council of Churches, have been especially outspoken in opposing war. Mainline Protestants account for fewer than one-third of American Christians. And their denominations have suffered continuous membership decline since the 1960’s. Their church leaders are famously more liberal than church members, who, according to polls, remain slightly more conservative than the general American population.
America’s Catholic bishops have also been negative towards war against Saddam, though in a less vitriolic manner than mainline Protestant officials. Mainline Protestant officials have often sounded like utopian pacifists, largely ignoring their own churches’ historic support for Christian just war teaching. The Catholic bishops have not forgotten their tradition of just war but argue that war with Iraq does not meet that tradition’s exacting criteria. Catholics comprise one third of American Christians.
Evangelicals comprise about one third of American Christians. According to Gallup, they are the most supportive of war. But many evangelical churches are nondenominational, lack centralized church agencies or do not have church leaders who routinely make political pronouncements. Southern Baptist Convention leaders have expressed support for this war. Some evangelical leaders, though typically supportive of assertive U.S. military policies, have withheld comment for fear of endangering Christians living in predominantly Muslim countries.
Why are religious Americans more prone to support war with Iraq, while the more secular are less supportive? First, as the last presidential election showed, religious people of almost all persuasions are increasingly gravitating towards the Republican Party. More secular people are trending towards the Democratic Party. President Bush’s election depended not just on conservative evangelicals but also on church-going Catholics and mainline Protestants. So it is not surprising that religious Americans are somewhat more inclined to trust Bush’s judgment.
But there also might be deeper spiritual reasons for the religious divide over war. Traditional religious people understand that the world is fallen and sinful. War therefore is lamentable but sometimes unavoidable if evil is to be resisted. Secular people, who are less influenced by biblical notions of human sin, are often more idealistic and utopian. In their view, war can be avoided through greater human efforts at good-will and humanitarian outreach.
Why the divide between America’s religious people and many of their leaders? That question is more complicated. But for many church leaders, especially among the mainline Protestants, the 1960’s era of anti-war protests was their defining social justice moment. Many of them, and probably more than a few Catholic bishops as well, continue to view the world through the prism of Vietnam rather than 2,000 years of Christian history. Their pro-war lay people may not recall church history. But they might understand the world and its fallen nature a little better.
Mark Tooley is the United Methodist Director for the Institute on Religion and Democracy, an AAC affiliated ministry.
STATEMENT
FROM
BISHOP DR. MUNIB A. YOUNAN
MARCH 25, 2003
STATEMENT FROM
BISHOP DR. MUNIB A. YOUNAN
MARCH 25, 2003
“MY HEART IS BLEEDING”
Bishop Dr. Munib A. Younan
War has broken out in Iraq. The United States and the United Kingdom together with their coalition have finally done what they have threatened to do without United Nations approval. War is injuring and killing civilians, and denying survivors the basic human rights of food, water and sanitation.
War is touching the hearts and lives of everyone in the East and the West. The most sophisticated technological weapons, surgical strikes, careful war plans and months of training cannot prevent the humanitarian tragedy occurring in Iraq and in the rest of the world.
My heart is bleeding when I see the work of war destroying the image of God in human beings. Every drop of blood is too precious to be spilled and wasted. Every person is too precious to be killed. We need no human blood for a better economy in the world.
The Christian church and its believers around the world have warned that such a war will take lives – lives that could be saved through continued negotiations and far-reaching political and humanitarian approaches. Obviously politicians and powerful world leaders think differently. They are not ready to listen to the prophetic voice of the church and the people of God in the whole world.
1. Now we demand an immediate halt to the war in Iraq. We demand that the attacking armies withdraw from Iraqi territory. Peaceful means must be resumed and new ones must be found to resolve this terrible conflict.
We here in Jerusalem are feeling the despair and the sense of defeat in the hearts of people because the world leaders did not give peace a chance but resorted too quickly to force. We believe peaceful solutions can be found for complicated political conflicts. War is a shock for humanity and for those who believe in a non-violent struggle. We strongly emphasize: This war is not between religions or civilizations. This war is about an ideology that seeks power and an enlarged economy. This war is making the rich richer and the poor poorer. I raise my voice with His Holiness, Pope John Paul II, to say that war is a defeat for humanity.
2. We want to assure you that we Arab Christians will remain loyal to our God-given call in continuing the peaceful co-existence with other religions and in a multi-cultural society. We are committed to teach the world how to live with the other religions and cultures in a peaceful, just and equal way. We deplore all kinds of “Christian” evangelical right wing Armageddon scenarios that have infiltrated the Middle East. We deplore the “Christian” groups that are using the war for proselytizing frightened people. These extremist religious ideas harm good relations between people and between religions and they cause confusion in our region. The Middle East does not need more of these sick scenarios of war. We need comprehensive peace and lasting justice. The psalmist says, “Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; justice and peace will kiss each other.” (Ps. 85:10)
3. We join our voices with all voices of the Christian church -especially the mainline churches in the United States, Canada, Scandinavia and all of Europe, in Asia, Africa, Latin America, South America and Australia. We join our voices also with regional ecumenical councils, such as the Lutheran World Federation, the World Council of Churches, the Middle East Council of Churches and others. All of these churches, ecumenical councils, their leaders and individual members have written to us with encouragement, support and prayer. We are asking to consolidate our partnerships with these churches and councils in order to work together for mutual understanding of the nations, for the self-determination of the nations. We also need to work together to stop any kind of religious extremism that dehumanizes other religions and nations. Our voices as the church in the North and South compose the symphony of peace, justice and reconciliation in our broken world. Ours may be voices in the wilderness but they are the voices of truth.
4. We Palestinian Christians call the world to implement the international legitimacy in Israel and Palestine so that Palestinians and Israelis will live in their own states, side by side, equally, equitably, justly and peacefully.
5. Christian Palestinians are frightened and thinking of more emigration. This is because they are experiencing war after war and see no future for their children and their children’s children. It appears to them that the power of the world’s might is stronger than the power of justice. My heart is bleeding as I see this defeat for humanity and democracy taking its toll among the people in my own Christian church in the Middle East.
6.I APPEAL IN GOD’S NAME THAT YOU SPECIFY GOOD FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 2003, TO BE A DAY OF PRAYER FOR PEACE, JUSTICE, FORGIVENESS AND RECONCILIATION FOR THE WHOLE MIDDLE EAST – and especially in Iraq, Palestine and Israel. I also call upon people of all religions and people of living conscience to set aside this day to raise your voices in sustained and earnest prayer to the God of all Love and Mercy. We urge you to pray not only that war and hatred stop but that God will be gracious and open the minds of world leaders and all humanity to see the rights of the other, accepting the otherness of the other. It is clear that this war in Iraq is going to fan the flames of hatred and extremism around the world. We urge you to pray for our broken humanity.
May every human being in every country of this world be safe and free from the fear of brutality, injustice, oppression, hatred, war and violence. May each person know the love of the Creator God who calls us in Christ to love one another.
War has broken out in Iraq. The United States and the United Kingdom together with their coalition have finally done what they have threatened to do without United Nations approval. War is injuring and killing civilians, and denying survivors the basic human rights of food, water and sanitation.
War is touching the hearts and lives of everyone in the East and the West. The most sophisticated technological weapons, surgical strikes, careful war plans and months of training cannot prevent the humanitarian tragedy occurring in Iraq and in the rest of the world.
My heart is bleeding when I see the work of war destroying the image of God in human beings. Every drop of blood is too precious to be spilled and wasted. Every person is too precious to be killed. We need no human blood for a better economy in the world.
The Christian church and its believers around the world have warned that such a war will take lives – lives that could be saved through continued negotiations and far-reaching political and humanitarian approaches. Obviously politicians and powerful world leaders think differently. They are not ready to listen to the prophetic voice of the church and the people of God in the whole world.
1. Now we demand an immediate halt to the war in Iraq. We demand that the attacking armies withdraw from Iraqi territory. Peaceful means must be resumed and new ones must be found to resolve this terrible conflict.
We here in Jerusalem are feeling the despair and the sense of defeat in the hearts of people because the world leaders did not give peace a chance but resorted too quickly to force. We believe peaceful solutions can be found for complicated political conflicts. War is a shock for humanity and for those who believe in a non-violent struggle. We strongly emphasize: This war is not between religions or civilizations. This war is about an ideology that seeks power and an enlarged economy. This war is making the rich richer and the poor poorer. I raise my voice with His Holiness, Pope John Paul II, to say that war is a defeat for humanity.
2. We want to assure you that we Arab Christians will remain loyal to our God-given call in continuing the peaceful co-existence with other religions and in a multi-cultural society. We are committed to teach the world how to live with the other religions and cultures in a peaceful, just and equal way. We deplore all kinds of “Christian” evangelical right wing Armageddon scenarios that have infiltrated the Middle East. We deplore the “Christian” groups that are using the war for proselytizing frightened people. These extremist religious ideas harm good relations between people and between religions and they cause confusion in our region. The Middle East does not need more of these sick scenarios of war. We need comprehensive peace and lasting justice. The psalmist says, “Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet; justice and peace will kiss each other.” (Ps. 85:10)
3. We join our voices with all voices of the Christian church -especially the mainline churches in the United States, Canada, Scandinavia and all of Europe, in Asia, Africa, Latin America, South America and Australia. We join our voices also with regional ecumenical councils, such as the Lutheran World Federation, the World Council of Churches, the Middle East Council of Churches and others. All of these churches, ecumenical councils, their leaders and individual members have written to us with encouragement, support and prayer. We are asking to consolidate our partnerships with these churches and councils in order to work together for mutual understanding of the nations, for the self-determination of the nations. We also need to work together to stop any kind of religious extremism that dehumanizes other religions and nations. Our voices as the church in the North and South compose the symphony of peace, justice and reconciliation in our broken world. Ours may be voices in the wilderness but they are the voices of truth.
4. We Palestinian Christians call the world to implement the international legitimacy in Israel and Palestine so that Palestinians and Israelis will live in their own states, side by side, equally, equitably, justly and peacefully.
5. Christian Palestinians are frightened and thinking of more emigration. This is because they are experiencing war after war and see no future for their children and their children’s children. It appears to them that the power of the world’s might is stronger than the power of justice. My heart is bleeding as I see this defeat for humanity and democracy taking its toll among the people in my own Christian church in the Middle East.
6.I APPEAL IN GOD’S NAME THAT YOU SPECIFY GOOD FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 2003, TO BE A DAY OF PRAYER FOR PEACE, JUSTICE, FORGIVENESS AND RECONCILIATION FOR THE WHOLE MIDDLE EAST – and especially in Iraq, Palestine and Israel. I also call upon people of all religions and people of living conscience to set aside this day to raise your voices in sustained and earnest prayer to the God of all Love and Mercy. We urge you to pray not only that war and hatred stop but that God will be gracious and open the minds of world leaders and all humanity to see the rights of the other, accepting the otherness of the other. It is clear that this war in Iraq is going to fan the flames of hatred and extremism around the world. We urge you to pray for our broken humanity.
May every human being in every country of this world be safe and free from the fear of brutality, injustice, oppression, hatred, war and violence. May each person know the love of the Creator God who calls us in Christ to love one another.
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Published on Thursday, October 10, 2002 by the
Inter Press Service
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Conservative Christians Biggest Backers of Iraq War
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by Jim Lobe
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WASHINGTON - Of the
major religious groups in the United States, evangelical Christians are the
biggest backers of Israel and Washington's planned war against Iraq, says a
new survey released here Wednesday by a politically potent group of
fundamentalist Christians and Jews.
Some 69 percent of conservative Christians favor military action against Baghdad; 10 percentage points more than the U.S. adult population as a whole. And almost two-thirds of evangelical Christians say they support Israeli actions towards ''Palestinian terrorism'', compared with 54 percent of the general population, according to the survey, which was released by Stand For Israel, a six-month-old spin-off of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ). ''The single strongest group for Israel in the United States, apart from Jews, is conservative Christians,'' declared Ralph Reed, co-chairman of Stand for Israel and former executive director of the Christian Coalition. He also noted that 80 percent of self-identified Republicans also favor military action against Baghdad. Reed, who was widely regarded as the wunderkind of the Christian Right during the 1990s, said the poll results might have important political implications in upcoming U.S. elections, particularly for the Jewish vote, which has traditionally gone overwhelmingly to Democrats. In 2000, for example, only 18 percent of Jewish voters cast ballots for President George W. Bush. ''There is a new openness among Jewish voters to support this president and other Republicans who strongly support Israel,'' Reed said, adding that he believes Bush in 2004 may reap close to the 38 percent of the Jewish vote harvested by Ronald Reagan in 1984, the highest percentage ever received by a Republican presidential candidate. Some 81 percent of Jewish respondents said they see Bush as a strong supporter of Israel, and 46 percent said they were more likely to vote for him based on his handling of the ''war on terrorism''. The poll also found that two-thirds of Republicans said they supported Israel in the current conflict, compared to 46 percent of Democrats. ''The bottom line is that Bush appears to be making some significant inroads with this heavily Democratic group, something that could have an impact on the next two election cycles,'' said Ed Goeas, head of the Tarrance Group, which carried out the poll. The survey, which included 1,200 respondents contacted last week, tends to confirm the findings of similar polls over the last several years that have shown strong support for Israel on the part of evangelical Christians, who together make up about one third of the U.S. adult population. Historically apolitical, the group first came to the attention of the political elite in 1976 when large numbers of them helped elect Jimmy Carter, a ''born-again'' Christian. Disillusioned by Carter's liberal politics and social attitudes, they became a major recruiting ground for the ''New Right'' that in turn paved the way for the election in 1980 of former president Ronald Reagan. At the same time, Christian fundamentalists were also avidly courted by the right-wing Likud government in Israel, which saw in them a promising new constituency that, for theological reasons, could be persuaded to oppose the return of Jerusalem and the West Bank to Arab rule. In 1979, the government of Israel reportedly gave Jerry Falwell, head of the ''Moral Majority'' and the leading Christian Right figure of the time, his first private jet. The Israeli government has also arranged special tours for evangelical Christian groups that have contributed tens of millions of dollars to Jewish and Israeli agencies involved in resettling Jews to Israel and in building Israeli settlements on the occupied territories. With offices in Chicago and Jerusalem, the IFCJ has acted as a key forum for promoting the relationship between conservative U.S. Jews and evangelical Christians since 1983. As violence between Israelis and Palestinians intensified last spring, the group created ''Stand for Israel'', which it called ''an effort to strategically mobilize leadership and grassroots support in the Christian community for the State of Israel''. ''Jews are only now beginning to understand the depth of support they have among conservative Christians,'' said IFCJ's founder-director and Stand for Israel co-chairman, Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, at the time. ''Once the potential of this immense reservoir of good will is fully comprehended by the Jewish people and strategically tapped by the Stand for Israel campaign, you will see support for Israel in the United States swell dramatically.'' The new survey's results appear to bear out that prediction, at least in part. Two thirds of conservative Christians queried in the poll said that they believed they shared the same or similar perspective as Jews when it comes to the issue of ''Israel and its current struggle against Palestine''. Reed and Eckstein also claimed that the survey effectively debunked the notion that evangelical Christian support for Israel was based on New Testament prophecy that the reconstruction of the ancient Jewish kingdom of David would usher in the ''end times'' and the second coming of Christ. Asked which was the most important of four possible reasons why they supported Israel, 56 percent of fundamentalist Christian respondents chose political reasons, particularly Israel's democratic values, its alliance with the United States in the war against terrorism, and its role as a safe haven for persecuted Jews elsewhere. Thirty-five percent opted for the ''end-times'' option. But when given a choice of four religious alternatives, only 28 percent cited the end-times alternative. Almost two thirds said that God had given the Jews the land of Israel as the main theological reason for backing the Jewish state. ''This survey bears out my view that Christians are trustworthy and vital allies,'' said Eckstein. ''I've seen more positive changes (in Jewish and conservative Christian relations) in the past six months than I have for the past 25 years,'' he added. Along with announcing the survey results, Eckstein, who co-chairs Stand for Israel with Reed, unveiled a one-minute video which will be run in ''tens of thousands'' of churches with combined memberships of 3.2 million people on Sunday, Oct. 20, exhorting Christians to pray for Israel whose enemies, it says, ''are on the attack again''. ''God has promised that those who bless Israel will themselves be blessed,'' says the video, which is filled with recent images of violence in Israel and the West Bank. Reed conceded that not all conservative Christians were as supportive of Israel as those involved in the ''Stand for Israel'' campaign. Indeed, some 50 evangelical ministers recently issued a statement opposing unilateral military action against Iraq, and at least one national evangelical group has urged a more-balanced policy toward Israel and the Palestinians. But Reed insisted that his views represented those of a ''very, very large majority'' of evangelical Christians. Copyright 2002 IPS |
Justice & Peace:
Peacemaking/Nonviolence -- Catholic Leadership
Peace, the result of justice, is created when each person is given what is theirs by right—emotionally, spiritually, and physically. Nonviolence is a belief that conflict can be resolved with nonviolent actions which will result in just solutions. Examples include protest, embargo, negotiation, collaboration, and consensus.
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Read the
Sisters' Public Statement Against War in Iraq
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Read the
Sisters' Corporate Stand Against War in Iraq
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How to get
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Pray for our
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 “Justice is the restoration of beauty to all that is broken.” —St. Bonaventure |
Choice to War
We agree with and support the recent statements of the U. S. Catholic Bishops, the Pope, and the Vatican regarding an alternative choice to war with Iraq at this time.
“This letter, which was authorized by the U. S. Bishops’ Administrative Committee, raised serious questions about the moral legitimacy of any preemptive, unilateral use of military force to overthrow the government of Iraq. As a body, we make our own the questions and concerns raised in Bishop Gregory’s letter, taking into account developments since then, especially the unanimous action of the U.N. Security Council on November 8th.....
...We join with others in urging Iraq to comply fully with this latest Security Council resolution. We fervently pray that all involved will act to ensure that this UN action will not simply be a prelude to war but a way to avoid it....
....We pray for President Bush and other world leaders that they will find the will and the ways to step back from the brink of war with Iraq and work for a peace that is just and enduring. We urge them to work with others to fashion an effective global response to Iraq’s threats that recognizes legitimate self defense and conforms to traditional moral limits on the use of military force....
...With the Holy See and bishops from the Middle East and around the world, we fear that resort to war, under present circumstances and in light of current public information, would not meet the strict conditions in Catholic teaching for overriding the strong presumption against the use of military force....
...Consistent with proscriptions contained in international law, a distinction should be made between efforts to change unacceptable behavior of a government and efforts to end the government’s existence....
...In assessing whether “collateral damage” is proportionate, the lives of the Iraqi men, women and children should be valued as we would the lives of the members of our own family and citizens of our own country.”
Statement on Iraq, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, D.C., November 13, 2002.
(Our Franciscan understanding of ‘collateral damage’ of war also includes our Mother Earth and all she has absorbed over these many centuries of war on our planet.)
| As Franciscan women in our Church
and world today we share in a long tradition of peacemaking and not war.
This rich tradition had its origins in the 13th century in Assisi, Italy in
the lives of St. Francis and St. Clare.
St. Francis participated in the "Holy Wars" of his time and was captured and imprisoned by the "designated enemy." During his imprisonment he experienced a dream that radically changed his life forever. His heart was turned away from making war and towards making peace. He experienced that when human hearts focus on being in relationship with one another and mother earth wars would no longer be designated an option. |
Vatican criticizes U.S. unilateral threat to attack Iraq
The Pope says a new war in the Middle East is entirely avoidable, adding that violence is not the way to fight terrorism. A number of high-level Vatican experts voiced increasingly sharp criticism of the U.S.threat to unliterary depose Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, saying such a war would be unjustified, counterproductive, devastating to civilians and in violation of U.N. rules.
For many at the Vatican, there is a sense of deja vu this time around, but there is enough new twists to make the current situation uniquely troubling in their eyes. For one thing, in 1991 the Gulf War was provoked by Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait’s refusal to withdraw – an act condemned by almost every state including the Vatican.
Another difference between 1991 and 2003 is the level of international support for a U.S.-led attack on Iraq. By early 1991 President Bush senior had amassed multinational force back by a coalition of 37 countries. Even some Arab states provided bases for military operations. Today, only Great Britain and a few allies have staunchly supported the United State and President George W. Bush in the drive to oust Saddam by force if necessary. Several European allies have voiced opposition, and Arab states are not cooperating.
Appeared in Catholic Sentinel (Portland, Oregon), Vol. 134, Number 2, January 10, 2003.
Words into Action
Here are a few of the ways in which our sisters seek peace and proclaim it in their hearts and in their lives:
Congregational
Support
Through sponsorship of
Intercommunity Peace & Justice Center cosponsored two Portland peace
rallies.
Neumann College, Aston, PA – Mondays for Peace
Gather each Monday to pray for those involved in the war, for world peace, and
for all who work for justice; held two prayer services for peace and a day-long
opportunity for adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.
Sr. Belle Garrett,
Franciscan Peace Center, Philadelphia, PA
Opened at the dawn of the new millennium, the Center presents educational
programs for the development of nonviolent life skills. These programs are
designed for adults and children, i.e., parents, faculties and students. Center
also offers retreats on Franciscan spirituality and peacemaking.
Sr. Donna Fread,
Seattle, WA
Participated in the virtual march for peace (www.moveon.org);
notified all on e-mail list about virtual march; contacted senators and White
House on the virtual march day.
Sr. Jean Rupertus,
Brigantine, NJ
Attended peace vigil in Atlantic City, NJ; have school community pray for peace;
eighth grade students and discuss various points of view on the war; set up
peace table to hold symbols of peace and pictures of world-wide peace vigils;
collect food coupons families who are living in military installations around
the world.
Sr. Ann David
Strohminger, Downingtown, PA
St. John Vianney Center residents pray the rosary; participate in Operation
Fanmail; had a Mass for Peace.
Sr. Christine
Still, Seattle, WA
Encouraged high school students to form opinions based on factual information,
discuss and challenge them, and respond; allowed students to use cell phone in
class to call White House; daily classroom prayers for end to war.
Srs. Esther
Stewart, Marie Howard, and Anthony Consilia Griffin, Tacoma, WA
Attended various prayer vigils; join others worldwide in prayer for peace each
evening at 6 P.M.
Sr. Elaine Thaden,
Spokane, WA
St.
Joseph Family Counseling Center provides counseling for relatives of
military personnel.
Sr. Loretta Schaff,
Portland, OR
Gave presentation on Franciscan perspective of nonviolence for
Lewis and Clark College
series on different aspects of Middle East.
Sr. Marie Lucey,
Dover, MA
Participated in the rolling peace vigil at Peace Abbey.
Sisters Elise Betz,
Victoria Della Valle, Patricia Hutchison, Mary Killoran, and Diane Tomkinson,
Wilmington, DE
Participated in candlelight peace vigil in Wilmington.
Sr. Miriam Bauerlin,
Washington, DC
Participated in peace marches in Washington; supports Women in Black (Stop the
Occupation of Palestine) and Code Pink Women for Peace; always carries asmall
handheld reading "War is not the Answer"; displays a special peace sign on front
door.
Sr. Miriam Eileen
Murray, Brookhaven, PA
Attended peace marches in Philadelphia and Washington, DC; participated in
virtual march on Washington; shared information from peace groups regarding the
impending war, and responded appropriately; together with Area Chapter (level of
authority within congregation’s governance structure) proposed corporate stand
on peace later accepted by congregation.
Srs. Mary Jo
Chaves, Mary Ellen Farley, Ruth Fishburn, Maureen Fox, Carmel Gregg, Emma
Holdener, Guadalupe Medina, Patty Novak, and Carol Ann; Companion Colin Brown,
Portland, OR
Participated in peace march.
Srs. Miriam
Bauerlin, Marie Joseph Carr, Kathleen McCabe, Miriam Eileen Murray, and Joan
Schmal, Washington, DC
Joined in a peaceful demonstration against war in Iraq.
What You Can Do
Learn More!
How to Help:
Air Force Aid Society www.afas.org
American Jewish World Service www.ajws.org — Seeks donations for humanitarian aid for Iraqi refugees.
American Red Cross http://www.redcross.org/
Operation Interdependence (care packages) www.oidelivers.org
Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society www.nmcrs.org
Operation USO Care Package www.usometrodc.org/care.html
Salvation Army www.salvationarmyusa.org/www_usn.nsf
How to Get in Touch:
Find troops around the world www.defenselink.mil/faq/pis/PC04MLTR.html
Operation Dear Abby http://anyservicemember.navy.mil/
Send a CD with your messages www.americanvoiceexpressions.com
Religious Websites and Programs:
Pray for Our President www.prayforourpresident.com
Prayers for Peace www.spirituality.com
Presidential Prayer Team www.presidentialprayerteam.org
No War With Iraq:
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True Majority www.truemajority.com
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International Answer www.internationalanswer.org
Other Resources:
Amnesty International—A global human rights organization www.amnesty.org
Campaign for Peace and Life in Guatemala www.Center1.com/truth.html
Center for Concern www.coc.org
Families Against Violence Advocacy Network www.ipj-ppj.org
Franciscans International — A Non-Governmental Organization at the U.N. for the followers of St. Francis and Clare of Assisi www.franciscansinternational.org
Global Education Associates www.globaleduc.org
Leadership Conference for Women Religious www.lcwr.org
NETWORK www.networklobby.org
Pax Christi USA www.nonviolence.org/pcusa
Sisters Online www.sistersonline.org
Casa, Franciscan Renewal Center — Located in Scottsdale, Arizona, a community of faith (“since 1951”) through liturgy, retreats, education, counseling, social justice, spiritual direction, meetings & conferences, in the spiritual tradition and hospitality of St. Francis of Assisi www.thecasa.org
Churches
deplore war in Iraq
Last Updated Thu, 20 Mar 2003 20:07:09
GENEVA - Christian leaders around the world condemned the U.S.-led war against Iraq Thursday, pleading for an end to the bombing and a resumption of diplomacy.
In Geneva, the World Council of Churches called the assault "immoral, illegal and ill-advised."
The group, made up of 342 churches in 100 countries, urged Christians to stand together with members of all other faiths, especially Muslims, "to restore confidence and trust amongst the nations of the world."
At the Vatican, one of Pope John Paul's closest aides said the Roman Catholic Church is "deeply pained by the latest developments in Iraq."
Joaquin Navarro-Valls said the Pope is disappointed by both sides, but is especially alarmed that Washington ended diplomatic efforts.
"On the one hand (the Vatican) laments the fact that the Iraqi government did not accept the resolutions of the United Nations and the appeal by the Pope himself, which asked for the country to disarm," he said.
"On the other hand, it deplores the interruption of the path of negotiations, according to international law, for a peaceful solution to the Iraqi drama."
In Britain, Christian and Muslim leaders issued a statement denouncing war. They also expressed alarm that some people view the conflict as a battle between religions.
"In this time of crisis and deep disappointment, it is vitally important that, despite the occasional unhappy use of 'crusade' language by some American political leaders, none should see the conflict as one between faiths," said two groups – Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI) and the Muslim Council of Britain.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, leader of about 70 million Anglicans around the globe, said the world had entered "dangerous new terrain with consequences that cannot be surely known or predicted." His statement was issued jointly with the Archbishop of York, David Hope.
Written by CBC News Online staff
The terrorist attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001 marked the beginning of a new approach in US foreign policy. Political analysts increasingly use the term "US Empire" to describe the relentless power of US military, political and economic forces worldwide. US empire building is not entirely new: US governments have repeatedly acted unilaterally to impose "regime change" and other demands on states. However, since 9/11, Washington pursued unilateral policies more openly and aggressively, using the "war on terrorism" to justify a doctrine of preemptive war and a crackdown on civil liberties in the US.
To assemble support for its policies, the US applies substantial pressure on other states. But if it can't obtain the necessary support to act multilaterally, Washington does not hesitate to act unilaterally. The Bush administration has ignored, violated, or even un-signed international treaties, such as the International Criminal Court, the Anti Ballistic Missile Treaty and the Kyoto protocol on global warming. However, this disregard for international cooperation and unremitting military expansion may prove to be unsustainable. As the debate about US global domination reaches its peak, analysts speculate that high military costs combined with an unsustainable trade deficit will bring the US empire back down to earth in to the role of a global hegemon.
This page provides information on 9/11 and its aftermath, US military and economic expansion, the US-UN relationship and the US approach to multilateralism and international law.
Iraq Crisis | Post-War Iraq | The US War Against Iraq | Sanctions Against Iraq | Weapons Inspections | US Arm-Twisting | Documents
Media Coverage | Saddam's Regime | No-Fly Zones | Anti-War Protests | Historical Background | Other Articles
Short: Blair Lied to Cabinet and Made Secret War Pact With US (June 2, 2003)
UK Prime Minister Tony Blair is facing pressure from the House of Commons to hold an independent inquiry into the war. This came after the former International Development Secretary, Clare Short, accused the PM of lying to Parliament and agreeing on a "secret" pact with George Bush to go to war.(Independent)Britain Must Not Be Suckered a Second Time By the White House (May 30, 2003)
In this article by the former leader of the House of Commons and UK foreign secretary, Robin Cook, outlines the faults in the reasons for going to war with Iraq. In addition, Cook warns the UK government of blindly following the US down another path to war with Iran. (Independent)“The Truth Will Emerge” (May 21, 2003)
Senator Robert Byrd, the Senate's most outspoken critic of the war, accused President George W. Bush for justifying the war by constructing a "house of cards, built on deceit." Byrd also commented on the widespread chaos in Iraq; “if the situation in Iraq is the result of liberation, we may have set the cause of freedom back 200 years." (US Senate)Claire Short's Resignation Statement (May 13, 2003)
International Development Secretary Claire Short’s statement of resignation in the House of Commons. Short states that Prime Minister Tony Blair is giving special advisers too much power and she urge the Labor Party to start preparing "an elegant succession." (Independent)Clare Short Quits Post Over Iraq (May 11, 2003)
Former international development secretary Clare Short resigned. In a letter Short states that Prime Minister Tony Blair made false promises about the need for a “UN mandate to establish a legitimate Iraqi government.” (BBC)Clare Short’s Letter of Resignation (May 12, 2003)
This is the resignation letter of Clare Short that served as international development secretary for the Labor government. (BBC)Another Diplomat Resigns (May 5, 2003)
This is the resignation letter of Mary Ann Wright, the third US diplomat to resign over the war in Iraq. Wright is a former army colonel and a diplomat who helped to re-open the US Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan. (In These Times)Cook Attacks Pro-US Stance (April 16, 2003)
Former leader of the Commons Robin Cook stated that Prime Minister Tony Blair’s close support for Washington might cause a permanent rift with Europe. (Guardian)The Ministry of Mendacity Strikes Again (April 4, 2003)
Robert Fisk of the Independent responds to British Defense Secretary Geoff Hoon’s allegations that the there was no conclusive proof that the US bombed a market in Baghdad. Fisk questions if Hoon believes the Iraqis were able to stage “two identical explosions from the air at exactly equidistant points” in a street packed with cars and people.Ivanov Warns US Against Unleashing 'Information War' (March 26, 2003)
Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov stated that the war in Iraq was illegitimate and doubted that democracy can be enforced by Tomahawk cruise missiles. (Russia Journal Daily)Michael Moore Blasts Bush at Oscars (March 24, 2003)
Film director Michael Moore used his Oscar win to speak out against President George W. Bush, stating that the US war with Iraq was for fictitious reasons (Middle East Online)Bush Bets It All (March 21, 2003)
The distinguished scholar Immanuel Wallerstein discusses the enormous gamble by the US in attacking Iraq and possible difficulties in achieving a quick victory. (ZNet)Former UN Head Calls War Breach of Charter March (March 21, 2003)
Former Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali condemned the US war on Iraq and stated that the “intervention is a violation of the charter of the United Nations.” (National Post)The World Community is Waging Peace (March 20, 2003)
Dr. Robert Muller, former Assistant Secretary General of the UN, expresses his view of the war in Iraq. He writes that there are two superpowers, the US and the merging voice of the people of the world. (Christian Science Monitor)Rachel Corrie's Echo (March 20, 2003)
The parents of Rachel Corrie, the 23-year-old American college student who was killed by the Israeli Army in Gaza, was joined by three Democratic congressmen in warning against the effects of the US war against Iraq on Palestinians in the Occupied Territories. (The Nation)As War Begins (March 20, 2003)
Phyllis Bennis states that the launch of war has put US citizens at greater risk of terrorist attacks and the consequences are going to be devastating for the people in Iraq. (Institute for Policy Studies)Putin Turns on US Over War in Iraq (March 20, 2003)
The Russian President Vladimir Putin demanded a quick end to the US-led attack on Iraq, saying it was unjustified and calling it a "big political mistake." (Reuters)Arrogance of Power (March 19, 2003)
The day the war was launched on Iraq, US Senator Robert Byrd expressed his outrage that a unilateral attack will isolate the US even more than ever before. (Common Dreams)Top White House Anti-Terror Boss Resigns (March 19, 2003)
Rand Beers, the top National Security Council official in the US "war on terrorism," resigned this week. Intelligence sources say his resignation reflects concerns that the US war against Iraq will hurt counter-terrorism efforts. (UPI)In Search of the Moral War (March 18, 2003)
Raff Ellis of Yellow Times puts Washington’s vague arguments for a war on Iraq into categories ranging from the al-Qaeda link to the moral war of World War II.Vatican Slams US (March 18, 2003)
The Vatican rejected the 48-hour ultimatum for Saddam Hussein to leave Iraq and emphasized that negotiation should continue in the UN Security Council in order to find a peaceful solution. (Australian)Text of Robin Cook's Speech to the House of Commons (March 18, 2003)
The transcript of Robin Cook's address to the British parliament. Cook, the former UK foreign secretary and leader of the House of Commons, resigned from the government to show his opposition to a war against Iraq without the approval of the UN and the British public. (CNN)Cook Resigns From Cabinet Over Iraq (March 17, 2003)
Robin Cook, the leader of the Commons and a former British foreign secretary resigned as a protest to a war on Iraq. (Guardian)J'accuse: Why Tony Blair Has to Go (March 12, 2003)
Tam Dalyell, a Labour Party MP who has served in the British House of Commons since 1962, argues that Prime Minister Tony Blair should be removed as leader of the Labour Party if Britain supports a US-led war against Iraq without clearly expressed support from the United Nations. (Globe and Mail)US Diplomat's Letter of Resignation (March 12, 2003)
John Brown, a senior member of the US Foreign Service resigned in protest against US plans for war against Iraq.How Kofi Annan Can Stop the War (March 11, 2003)
According to Professor Paul F. deLespinasse, Secretary Kofi Annan should announce that the US has no authority to evict the weapons inspectors from Iraq and refuse to do it unless it is authorized by the UN Security Council. (Common Dreams)Bush Sr. Warning Over Unilateral Action (March 10, 2003)
George Bush Sr. warns his son of the devastating consequences of a unilateral US attack on Iraq and urges George W. Bush to bridge the rift with Germany and France. (Times, London)Saying No to War (March 9, 2003)
The editorial of the New York Times criticizes George W. Bush's rush to war and it opposes an invasion of Iraq without broad international support.Action, Not Speculation (March 9, 2003)
The eminent scholar Noam Chomsky answers questions about the Iraq crisis. Chomsky predicts a war will result in a devastating blow to Iraqi society, but what might follow is “anybody's guess.” (ZNet)Just War — or a Just War? (March 9, 2003)
In a New York Times opinion piece, former US President Jimmy Carter explains why, as a Christian and a former president, he believes that a "unilateral attack on Iraq does not meet the standards" of a just war.Who Is in Charge? (March 6-12, 2003)
Edward Said argues that for American citizens, the unilateral march towards war led by a small group in the Bush administration must be seen as "a tremendous failure in democracy." (Al-Ahram Weekly)US Diplomat's Letter of Resignation (February 27, 2003)
John Brady Kiesling, a career diplomat serving as a Political Counselor in the US embassy in Athens, has resigned from the Foreign Service. His letter protests against the "narrow and mercenary US interests" that underwrite the Bush administration's plans for a war against Iraq. (New York Times)So, Bush Wants Civil Disobedience? (February 27, 2003)
Naomi Klein argues that the Bush administration, which has encouraged Iraqis to engage in civil disobedience against Saddam Hussein, should be aware of the chance that citizens of the US and other nations who oppose a war against Iraq might engage in civil disobedience of their own in an effort to stop the war. (Globe and Mail)A Reply to an Iraqi Dissident Urging Invasion (February 26, 2003)
Ariel Dorfman, a Chilean writer who spent many years fighting against Pinochet's dictatorship, replies to dissidents in Iraq who are considering whether to support a US-led invasion as the best way to remove the regime of Saddam Hussein. (Independent)West: Bush's War Plan 'Absolute Disaster' (February 24, 2003)
According to the former US Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, John West, a unilateral attack on Iraq will have disturbing consequences on an already destabilized region. (Greenville News)Anti-War, Anti-Saddam (February 20, 2003)
Nobel Laureate Naguib Mahfouz discusses his opposition to both Saddam Hussein and to a war against Iraq, as well as the encouragement provided by protests in cities around the world. (Al-Ahram Weekly)Pope's Envoy Brings Message of Peace (February 12, 2003)
The Vatican attempts to avert a war by sending an envoy, retired Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, to meet with Iraq’s Deputy Prime Minister Tarik Aziz. (Los Angeles Times)Key West Literary Seminar Statement for Peace (February 13, 2003)
This statement, published in the New York Review of Books, urges the US administration not to engage in a first strike against Iraq and calls for the US to work towards the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. It was signed by Nobel Laureate Derek Walcott, US Poet Laureate Billy Collins, five Pulitzer Prize winners, and over forty other writers.We Stand Passively Mute (February 12, 2003)
In a US Senate floor speech, Robert Byrd condemns the silence in the Senate chambers about the possibility of a US-led war against Iraq, despite the fact that such a war could represent "a turning point in the recent history of the world." (Truthout)War on Iraq Motivated by Oil (January 30, 2003)
Former South African president Nelson Mandela expressed his opposition to a possible US lead war with Iraq, calling the British Prime Minister Tony Blair a newly deployed “US foreign minister.”(Middle East Online)Anti War Statements (January 29, 2003)
Denis J. Halliday (former Assistant Secretary General of the UN) and Norman Solomon (Executive Director for Institute for Public Accuracy) express their frustration at the war mongering of George W. Bush and the devastating consequences of a possible US confrontation with Iraq. ( ZNet)US Guilty of 'Shocking Double Standards' on Iraq (January 28, 2003)
Former UN inspector Richard Butler expressed grave concerns about a possible US war against Iraq. A US attack justified by an Iraqi breach of Security Council resolution 1441 would be a paradox, if the US acts without United Nations approval. (Common Dreams )Desert Caution (January 28, 2003)
General Norman Schwarzkopf, the former commander of US forces in the 1991 Gulf War, expresses concerns for the “human and financial cost” from war with Iraq. In contradiction to the hawkish Bush administration, General Schwarzkopf considers weapons inspections the proper course to follow. (Washington Post )Mbeki Says No to War in Iraq (January 24, 2003)
South African President Thabo Mbeki takes a strong stance against the threat of a US-led war on Iraq. Encouraging the work of the inspectors, he deplores the risk that “the powerful have a right to use the authority of the UN and its prestige as a peace agency, to legitimize a pre-determined decision to wage war.” (South African Press Association)Resolution of the San Francisco Labor Council (December 9, 2002)
The San Francisco Labor Council adopted the resolution “Labor Needs to Take a Clear Stand Against the War,” declaring “Bush’s war…has become the main engine for the repression of labor.” The Council endorses the antiwar activities planned for January 18 and calls for a revival of Martin Luther King’s unification of the antiwar, labor, and civil rights movements. (International ANSWER)Statement on Iraq by United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (November 13, 2002)
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops urges Iraq to comply fully with resolution 1441 “to ensure that this UN action will not simply be a prelude to war but a way to avoid it.”Catholic Bishops Add Voice to Anti-War Protests (November 16, 2002)
On behalf of the bishops of England and Wales, the Archbishop of Westminster calls for the lifting of sanctions and the moral responsibility to avoid war. The Archbishop argues that “the lifting of comprehensive sanctions and the reintegration of Iraq into the international community is the route which must now be explored." (Guardian)Don't Call Us Appeasers for Hesitating at War with Iraq (November 5, 2002)
The next Archbishop of Canterbury criticizes military action against Iraq. He warns that a pre-emptive strike could rapidly and uncontrollably spiral down into chaos and he questions the self-interests, especially the matter of oil, involved in an attack on Iraq. (Daily Telegraph)Journalist Cronkite Warns Against Potential War (October 28, 2002)
Veteran newsman Walter Cronkite argues that a US-UK military action against Iraq without support from the UN can set forth World War III. Cronkite believes that a two-stage resolution endorsed by the UN would legitimize actions on Iraq and gain the needed international support. (Bryan - College Station Eagle)Letter from France (October 28, 2002)
Jean-Paul Chagnollaud, director of Confluences-Méditerranée in Paris, analyses the French political debate on the Iraq crisis. He argues that all French arguments converge on two essential points, disarmament of the Iraqi regime and the importance of the UN and respect of international law. (MERIP)I'm An American Tired Of American Lies (October 17, 2002)
American actor Woody Harrelson takes stand against a war on Iraq and heavily criticizes US politics. He argues that the White House has “hijacked a nation's grief and turned it into a perpetual war on any non-white country they choose to describe as terrorist.” (Guardian)Beware The Fever Of War (October 8, 2002)
Former Canadian Foreign Minister Mr. Lloyd Axworthy argues that you can either act as President Bush's “staunch ally” and violate “every treaty and agreement that puts a restraint on its ambition to be the dominant power” or play by UN rules and weigh the evidence about Iraqi intentions and act thereafter. (Toronto Globe and Mail)Fighting the First Gulf War (October 2, 2002)
Former Marine Corporal Anthony Swofford who fought in the 1991 Gulf War against Iraq writes: “I knew that I was breathing into my lungs the crude oil I was fighting for.” (New York Times)Excerpts From Iraqi Document on Meeting with US Envoy (September 22, 1990)
Former US Ambassador to Iraq Ms. April Glaspie met with Saddam Hussein on July 25 1990, only 8 days before he invaded Kuwait. According to this excerpt from a transcript of their meeting, the two talked about oil prices, how to improve US-Iraq relations, and how the US has “no opinion on the Arab-Arab conflicts, like your border disagreement with Kuwait.” (New York Times)
More Information on the Threat of a US Attack Against Iraq
More Information on the Iraq Crisis
More Information on Sanctions Against Iraq
More Information on Oil in Iraq
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