California Communities
Against Toxics

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Resolution Opposing the Proposed War Against Iraq

Passed by California Communities Against Toxics on February 9, 2003

WHEREAS, On October 11, 2002, the United States Congress approved a resolution authorizing President Bush to use U.S. military force against Iraq;

WHEREAS, Foreign policy experts, government officials, and United Nations weapons inspectors have affirmed that Iraq poses a perceived, rather than an immanent, threat to the United States;

WHEREAS, A preemptive attack would be contrary to the will of many American citizens, the international community and would represent a violation of the UN charter;

WHEREAS, The United States government estimates a war on Iraq could cost up to $200 billion, increasing a defense budget that is already almost seven times that of the education budget. Congress has requested $16,458,000,000 for next year's military spending. This is equivalent to sending 2,380,000 children into a Head Start program;

WHEREAS, A preemptive war waged by the U.S. states will incur civilian casualties on all sides and cause severe environmental contamination;

WHEREAS, The civilian infrastructure of Iraq has already been destroyed as a result of twelve years of sanctions and bombing. The UNICEF reports that the infant mortality rate from 1991-1999 tripled, resulting in almost 500,000 deaths for Iraqi children;

WHEREAS, U.S. military planners are reported to be actively studying targets to use nuclear weapons on Iraq;

WHEREAS, The use of nuclear weapons by the United States would destroy a moral firewall that has prevented the use of battlefield nuclear weapons, since the U.S. first used nuclear weapons on two Japanese cities over 50 years ago;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, The California Communities Against Toxics urges President Bush not to preemptively or unilaterally start a war with Iraq and encourages the Bush administration to pursue a peaceful diplomatic resolution built upon humanitarian values and international support;

LET IT BE KNOWN, The California Communities Against Toxics requests that the United States Congress withdraw its resolution supporting the use of military force against Iraq and its resolution supporting the proposed war against Iraq;

FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED, The California Communities Against Toxics calls on the United Nations to reject any resolution that would allow the U.S. to preemptively invade Iraq; and

LET IT BE FURTHER RESOLVED, The California Communities Against Toxics will work with other organizations and coalitions to forestall a U.S. War on Iraq, and will instead promote dialogue and educational events in California communities on alternatives to war.

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