The
War In Iraq Must End
Statement
by the Board of Directors of
the Methodist Federation for Social Action
Adopted October 16, 2004 – Chicago, Illinois
The
Methodist Federation for Social Action calls for an end to the war
in Iraq.
Ongoing U.S. military operations in Iraq have led to
enormous civilian carnage and widespread destruction. Iraqi prisoners
of war have been brutalized and tortured, dehumanizing both victim and
victimizer. Civil rights in the U.S. and abroad have been eroded and
a new level of secrecy in government seriously jeopardizes the very values,
rights and patriotism we seek to defend. The war in Iraq must end.
In going to war, and in continuing the war, the United
States fails to make connections between massive poverty
and injustice across the world, particularly in Arab countries, and acts
of despair
and terror. We have placed upon our children and our
children’s
children the enormous and continuing cost of this war.
The war in Iraq must end.
The church must speak out and take action as agents
of God’s peace and reconciliation on earth, to live by the rule
of love which casts out fear and be faithful witnesses
of a just God. The war in Iraq must end.
As United Methodists:
-
We
voice our support for U.S. and Coalition troops
caught in a dangerous war amidst hatred, humiliation
and violent reaction to foreign occupation.
-
We
reaffirm the historic Wesleyan rejection of war as a means
to establish peace.
-
We
reaffirm our commitment to working within the family
of nations and international institutions
to help solve the problems of our world and challenge the U.S. to help strengthen
those institutions.
On
May 11, 2004, the United Methodist Council of Bishops spoke out
forcefully against the war,
calling for the UN to be involved in the transition
to a new Iraqi government and the rebuilding
of Iraq
through multinational assistance.
As our Bishops gather in
on October 31st on St. Simon's
Island, GA, we urge them to speak
out once again.
We urge them to call upon the government
of the United States to:
-
Hasten
the transfer of power to legitimate Iraqi leadership under UN
security arrangements.
-
Plan
an orderly withdrawal of all U.S. forces, including military,
contractors
and prison guards, and the closing of all U.S. bases in Iraq, in consultation
with the
UN.
-
End
the privatization of Iraqi oil, and allow a sovereign
Iraq to make all
decisions about Iraqi oil and other national resources.
-
Apologize
for any and all instances of violating the Geneva Convention
and turn over the investigation and prosecution to the new International
Court of Justice.
-
Offer
a multi-billion dollar humanitarian and economic aid
package to a sovereign Iraq, with solicitations to all Coalition
partners and to
all regional governments
to join
in this effort.
-
Resume
efforts to defend our nation against all threats within
the bounds of our own Bill of Rights and stated values.
The war in Iraq must end.
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