[Peace-discuss] Fwd: FCNL: National Call-In Day (1/29/03)

Wed Jan 29 11:32:52 CST 2003

>Date: Wed, 29 Jan 2003 11:52:55 -0500 (EST)
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>Subject: FCNL: National Call-In Day (1/29/03)
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>FCNL LEGISLATIVE ACTION MESSAGE - January 29, 2003
>
>The following action items from the Friends Committee on National
>Legislation (FCNL) focus on federal policy issues currently before Congress
>or the Administration.
>
>NATIONAL CALL-IN DAY - WAR IS NOT THE ANSWER: Last night, President Bush
>used his State of the Union speech to press the nation closer to war.  He
>also laid out a domestic agenda which would largely benefit the rich and
>leave human needs programs competing for limited funds.  With the exception
>of a notable new initiative on HIV/AIDS, the speech largely reiterated the
>President's determination to push forward his agenda for an expanding "war
>on terror," including imminent military action against Iraq; passing
>permanent tax cuts that would primarily benefit the wealthiest; privatizing
>Medicare and Social Security; limiting government spending on social and
>human needs; and reducing separation of church and state.  He made no
>mention of soaring military spending, the costs of a potential war on Iraq
>and its aftermath, erosion of civil liberties and human rights, reducing
>racial disparity, or state budget crises.
>
>Instead, President Bush used the speech to issue warnings to Iran, North
>Korea, and Iraq - the countries he called an "axis of evil" during his 2002
>State of the Union address.  He reiterated a litany of accusations against
>Saddam Hussein with regard to disarmament violations and human rights
>abuses, but offered no new evidence to back up his case for war against
>Iraq.  Rather, he warned that he would take action "whenever action is
>necessary"and would lead "a coalition of the willing" against Iraq if the
>Security Council does not authorize war.  He claimed that he must not wait
>"until the threat is imminent" and said he will bring the issue of Iraq back
>to the Security Council for action on February 5.
>
>ACTION: Please take a few minutes today to call your members of Congress and
>the White House comment line.  Tell them you were not swayed by President
>Bush's State of the Union address.  War is not the answer.  Urge your
>members of Congress to tell the President that UN weapons inspectors must be
>given further time and strong U.S. support to complete their mission.  Iraq
>poses no imminent threat.  War will likely undermine U.S. and international
>security and prolong and deepen the suffering of the people of Iraq for
>years to come.  The Administration must not squander the opportunity now
>available to disarm and contain Iraq without resort to war.
>
>You can reach your members of Congress easily by calling the Capitol
>switchboard at 202-224-3121 and asking for them by name.  The White House
>comment line can be reached at 202-456-1111.
>
>By calling Congress and the White House today, you will be joining callers
>all across the country in a National Call-In Day to stop the war on Iraq.
>Please pass this message along to others and encourage them to join this day
>of action for peace.  We may only have a few weeks to prevent an expanded
>U.S. war on Iraq.  More than ever, we need to send a clear, strong message
>to our members of Congress and the President: War is not the answer.
>
>BACKGROUND: In his State of the Union address, President Bush declared that
>"the war on terror continues and we are winning."  He used the speech as a
>platform for issuing further threats against Iran, North Korea, and, most
>immediately, Iraq.  He repeated claims that Iraq is pursuing weapons of mass
>destruction, obstructing weapons inspections, and supporting terrorists.  He
>offered no new evidence to back the claims but relied largely on information
>that has already been brought before the Security Council, and which, in
>some cases, has been refuted by UN weapons inspectors or other intelligence
>experts.  (For example, President Bush repeated the assertion that Iraq
>sought aluminum tubes for the purpose of nuclear weapons development.  UN
>weapons inspectors, however, after reviewing the case, say the tubes are not
>compatible with nuclear centrifuge technology unless modified and were most
>likely purchased for use in conventional missiles.)
>
>On February 5, the U.S. will "consult" again with the Security Council on
>next steps toward Iraq.  President Bush says he will present new evidence of
>Iraqi efforts to pursue weapons of mass destruction at that time.  He will
>likely call for a resolution authorizing military action against Iraq.
>Initial reactions of Security Council members to the State of the Union
>address suggest that the speech did little to diminish international
>opposition to war on Iraq.  A CNN poll the morning following the speech
>reported that 53% of respondents were not convinced by the speech that was
>is necessary.  However, President Bush emphasized again in his address that
>he would not hesitate to wage war against Iraq even if an authorizing
>resolution is not passed by the Security Council.  The U.S., he said, should
>take military action against threats before they are fully formed.
>
>In the end, President Bush used the rhetoric of fear, vengeance, and
>religious righteousness as wrapping for his war plans against Iraq and
>broader claims to a U.S. right to thwart international law and wage
>"preemptive" war whenever and wherever it deems necessary.
>
>CONTACTING LEGISLATORS
>
>Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 or 800-839-5276
>
>Sen. ________
>U.S. Senate
>Washington, DC 20510
>
>Rep. ________
>U.S. House of Representatives
>Washington, DC 20515
>
>Information on your members is available on FCNL's web site:
>http://capwiz.com/fconl/dbq/officials/directory/directory.dbq?command=congdi
>r
>
>CONTACTING THE ADMINISTRATION
>
>White House Comment Desk: 202-456-1111
>FAX: 202-456-2461
>E-MAIL: president at whitehouse.gov
>WEB PAGE: http://www.whitehouse.gov
>
>President George W. Bush
>The White House
>Washington, DC 20500
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>We seek a world free of war and the threat of war
>We seek a society with equity and justice for all
>We seek a community where every person's potential may be fulfilled
>We seek an earth restored...