[Peace-discuss] CIA: War will make us less safe, not more

[Danielle Chynoweth]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: 10 Oct 2002 15:05:32 -0000
From: "Eli Pariser, MoveOn.org" <moveon-help at list.moveon.org>

Yesterday, the Central Intelligence Agency released a letter that
turns President Bush's argument for war on its head.  In it, a senior
intelligence official said that the likelihood of an attack by Saddam
using weapons of mass destruction in the "foreseeable future" is low.
But he went on to say that if Saddam was attacked, the likelihood of
him using chemical or biological weapons or providing them to
terrorist organizations was "pretty high."

In other words, a war against Iraq would likely create exactly the
disaster that President Bush claims it will prevent.  It may be the
only circumstance under which Saddam Hussein would use whatever
chemical or biological weapons are at his disposal against the United
States.  (There still isn't any solid evidence that Saddam has any
weapons of mass destruction.)

The CIA letter makes it clear that a war on Iraq will make our country
and the world less safe, not more safe.  Since the debate in the
Senate could end any day now, please call your Senator right now:

   Senator Richard J. Durbin
   Local Phone: 217-492-4062
   DC Phone:    202-224-2152

   Senator Peter G. Fitzgerald
   Local Phone: 217-492-5089
   DC Phone:    202-224-2854


Make sure the staffer you speak to knows that you're a constituent.
Then tell him or her that in light of the new CIA testimony, you hope
the Senator will vote against authorizing a war on Iraq.  Feel free to
explain why you're worried about the effects of a war on our security.

After you've made your call, please let us know by filling out the
form at:

http://www.moveon.org/callmade_iraq.html?id=801-1279390-IS7EBAHUcOF%2FisTGsKT90g

Our calls are having an impact.  On the floor of the Senate, Senator
Barbara Boxer said that "I believe every president has an obligation
to lay out a path for peace before taking the country to war.  In my
view, I haven't seen this president do that yet. And in the view of my
constituents, thousands of whom are calling me, it's unbelievable,
every two days we get 1,000 calls or emails, they're saying they feel
the president is itching to go to war."

By calling today, we'll keep this tremendous pressure on our Senators
to do the right thing.

Sincerely,

--Eli Pariser
  International Campaigns Director
  MoveOn.org
  Thursday, October 10, 2002

P.S. Here's the language directly from the CIA document:

"Senator Levin: . . . If (Saddam) didn't feel threatened, did not feel
threatened, is it likely that he would initiate an attack using a
weapon of mass destruction?

Senior Intelligence Witness: . . . My judgment would be that the
probability of him initiating an attack - let me put a time frame on
it - in the foreseeable future, given the conditions we understand
now, the likelihood I think would be low.

Senator Levin: Now if he did initiate an attack you've . . . indicated
he would probably attempt clandestine attacks against us . . . But
what about his use of weapons of mass destruction? If we initiate an
attack and he thought he was in extremis or otherwise, what's the
likelihood in response to our attack that he would use chemical or
biological weapons?

Senior Intelligence Witness: Pretty high, in my view."

The letter is available in its entirety at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/09/international/09TTEX.html

__________

You can help decide the direction of MoveOn.org by
participating in the discussion forum at:
http://www.actionforum.com/forum/index.html?forum_id=223

This is a message from MoveOn.org.
To remove yourself from this list, please visit
our subscription management page at:
http://www.moveon.org/subscrip/i.html?id=801-1279390-IS7EBAHUcOF%2FisTGsKT90g