Signature Ad, Fall 2002An open letter from the people to our leaders and to all candidates for leadership.
On September 11, 2001, we experienced the horror and pain of having our country attacked. Just one year later, with the memories of that tragedy still fresh in people’s minds, the president prepares us for war. We cannot stand by in silence while this happens, and we do not support the president in his rush to war with Iraq.
A U.S. war against Iraq would kill, maim, and terrorize innocent people on a scale much larger than what we saw at the World Trade Towers. It would sacrifice young American lives, alienate our allies, and strain our ailing economy by increasing the federal deficit. It would increase hostility toward the United States from many corners of the globe and would further destabilize the Middle East at a time when that region so desperately needs a renewed commitment to peaceful dialogue. War with Iraq may make Saddam Hussein even more likely to use any weapons of mass destruction that he may have. We do not want ever again to be the victims or the perpetrators of that kind of violence and suffering.
Bush’s interests in war with Iraq are more focused on securing oil reserves and asserting American dominance in the region than with building a just, democratic social order. We are offended that the present U.S. policy is to dominate the planet, and indeed to place weapons in space and control the world from above. Our leaders in Washington tell us to expect endless wars that “may not end in our lifetime.” They warn us of an “axis of evil” that we must crush by spending ever more billions on military muscle. The determination to wage war on Iraq without consideration of the cost in human lives is sadly consistent with this strategy.
More violence and aggression will lead to more anti-American violence throughout the Muslim world. Where is the vision that sees U.S. security in terms of security for all people? Where are our leaders who can participate in dialogues with our neighbors, rather than threaten them with bombs? Where is the wisdom of the peacemakers?
We say a resounding “NO” to war in Iraq, a resounding “NO” to endless war, a resounding “NO” to U.S. weapons in space, and a resounding “NO” to U.S. efforts to dominate the world for our own narrow self-interest.
We say a resounding “YES” to a U.S.-led international effort to address the root causes of terrorism in the world, to deal with the inequalities between haves and have-nots, and to reverse U.S. military policies that armed Iraq and Afghanistan, and trained Bin Laden. We say a resounding “YES” to efforts to reestablish the U.S. as a leader in the quest for peace, justice, and a healthy environment for all people in the world.
We, the undersigned, urge all candidates asking for our votes on November 5 to remember that we are paying attention to how wisely you use the power you hold in our names.