The following is an archived copy of a message sent to a Discussion List run by the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq.

Views expressed in this archived message are those of the author, not of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq.

[Main archive index/search] [List information] [Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq Homepage]


[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

[casi] Re: A Damascus Conversion?




Dear All,

"Wars are easy to get into, but very difficult to get out of. They can sap
the moral and spiritual fiber of a nation, squander lives and resources,
deplete scarce funds, cause undue hardship on all involved,
destroy families, and engender hopelessness."

The United States and Britain (aided by the United Nations) have conducted
an, undeclared, low-level, but nevertheless incisive, war against Iraq,
involving devastating sanctions & bombings, for some twelve years. For this,
all those criteria, quoted above, apply. Whilst,
very much, praising Boon County (MO) ex-Chair Jack Walters for taking a
moral stance, presently, has he, or his fellow Republicans, ever
questioned the horrendous effects of sanctions/bombings on many thousands of
ordinary Iraqi people, during all these years? Or is this an example of a
belated, yet welcome, conversion on the road to Damascus
("the street which is called straight")?

Greetings,

Bert Gedin,
Birmingham, UK.




>From: Edean Amador <edean@homemadela.com>
>Reply-To: edean@homemadela.com
>To: casi-discuss@lists.casi.org.uk
>Subject: [casi] (no subject)
>Date: Wed, 12 Mar 2003 22:51:41 -0800
>
>
>[ Presenting plain-text part of multi-format email ]
>
>Republicans Against War in Iraq
>
>Resignation letter of Boone County (MO) Republican Chair Jack Walters,
>March 8, 2003
>
>As the Bush administration moves toward certain war in the Middle East -
>a war which I believe nothing good will come from, a war which is
>unjust, unnecessary, and a war which will undoubtedly widen, perhaps
>even into world war, thereby placing our nation in dire peril - I have
>made a decision regarding my position as Boone County Republican Chairman.
>
>Wars are easy to get into, but very difficult to get out of. They can
>sap the moral and spiritual fiber of a nation, squander lives and
>resources, deplete scarce funds, cause undue hardship on all involved,
>destroy families, and engender hopelessness.
>
>I have questioned both the motives for military action at this time, and
>the ever-changing, illogical justifications presented to us in what has
>to be one of the greatest media propaganda blitzes ever force-fed a
>populace. Any time ground troops are deployed, serious questions must be
>asked and real answers demanded. The jingoistic rhetoric we are
>receiving does not constitute legitimate answers.
>
>The consequences of our planned attack on Iraq (and also probably Iran,
>given the size of our forces and their location in proximity to Iran),
>should cause us all to pause. The Pentagon has announced that we will
>hit Baghdad with a force almost equal to the bombing of Hiroshima.
>Obviously many thousands of civilians will perish, with untold thousands
>maimed. And for what? To liberate them? To bring them freedom? Or
>democracy? Or is it to really secure the world's second largest oil
>reserve and establish a base from which to subjugate other Middle
>Eastern nations? Is it also the plan for Israel to use the cover of war
>to forcibly relocate the Palestinian population (as has been publicly
>stated by some members of Israel's current government)?
>
>How on earth have we arrived at this crucial juncture in our country's
>history? How has a war on terrorism been converted into an attack on
>Iraq? What threat does Iraq pose to us? We must lay the blame squarely
>on our congress, who according to our Constitution, only has the power
>to declare war. For congress to cede it's war-making power to the
>executive branch is unconstitutional on the very face of it and
>effectively destroys our three branches of government. Circumventing our
>Constitution is very bad, and the undeclared wars, which have resulted
>in our recent history, have had disastrous results. Undeclared wars have
>no declared objectives, and therefore can widen at will, and our foray
>into the Middle East will likely set in motion a long-term wave of
>retaliation. Indeed, I believe that the administration would like to
>entice Iraq into firing the first blow so some justification could be
>paraded at the United Nations. If the United States government can adopt
>this unreal doctrine of preemptive attack on any nation, anywhere, at
>any time, so can other nations! This is how world wars begin. If the
>President goes into Iraq alone without a UN resolution, he will be in
>violation of the war powers given him last October by congress which was
>contingent on UN approval. A constitutional crisis will occur.
>
>What we are about to do in the Middle East is abhorrent to me. It is
>made doubly so since this is a contrived and fraudulently justified war
>with hidden objectives. The coming mass slaughter of innocents, the harm
>our own troops are being placed in, and the potential for wars on
>several fronts have brought home to me the sobering realization that by
>remaining Boone County Republican Chairman, I would be giving tacit
>approval to this imminent war, and tacit approval to the belligerent and
>reckless language coming from the White House. The safety and integrity
>of our country outweighs politics.
>
>I therefore resign as Chairman of the Boone County Republican Central
>Committee effective at noon, March 10, 2003. I do not wish to be
>Chairman when this tragedy starts. I am not resigning to placate those
>who have demanded same .I do not fear them in the least. I was quite
>willing to stand and face an ouster vote. I am resigning because I
>cannot support the Republican position on this war. I only sought the
>position of Chairman originally in the hope that I could recruit
>God-fearing, thinking, pro-life believers in our Constitution to stand
>for office.
>
>I grieve for our nation, and the untold suffering that will be wrought.
>As history has shown, you can possess the greatest armaments in the
>world, but if your cause and motives are not right, only catastrophe
>will result.
>
>Jack Walters, March 8, 2003
>
>If you are a Republican who agrees with Jack Walters, please sign this
>petition.
>http://democrats.com/elandslide/petition.cfm?campaign=rawi
>
>
>
>
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq.
>To unsubscribe, visit
>http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss
>To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk
>All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk


_________________________________________________________________
It's fast, it's easy and it's free. Get MSN Messenger today!
http://messenger.msn.co.uk


_______________________________________________
Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq.
To unsubscribe, visit http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss
To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk
All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk


[Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq Homepage]