World Council of Churches wants U.S. out of Iraq

World Council of Churches wants U.S. out of Iraq

September 2, 2003
Council's central committee says U.N. forces must take control

By Jerry L. Van Marter
Ecumenical News International

GENEVA - The governing body of the World Council of Churches (WCC) has called
for coalition forces in Iraq to be replaced by United Nations personnel.

In its statement on Iraq, issued Sept. 1, the WCC's central committee also
implied that U.S. President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony
Blair might appropriately be charged with war crimes for their "illegal
resort to war" on Iraq.

"To do this, the U.N. Security Council would have to take action against two
of its permanent members, which is not likely," Peter Weiderud, director of
the council's Commission of the Churches on International Affairs, conceded.
"But there is a need to look at the totality of the situation."

The WCC statement, approved unanimously with two abstentions, was praised by
several delegates as "forward-looking."

Among them was the Rev. Clifton Kirkpatrick, stated clerk of the Presbyterian
Church (USA), who said he was "deeply grateful" for the statement, which he
said "gives some understanding of what we're to do next, because we have been
so concerned with trying to stop the war."

The central committee reiterated its condemnation of the abuses of the Saddam
Hussein regime, but nonetheless called the U.S. and British-led war "immoral,
ill-advised and in breach of the principles of the U.N. charter."

It called for the U.N. Security Council "to insist on the establishment of a
legitimate, sovereign, elected and inclusive government as early as possible,
and (to order) the immediate and orderly withdrawal of the occupying forces."

The committee praised the lifting of economic sanctions against Iraq after 13
years, and called for cancellation of the country's onerous debt, which it
said resulted from "loans that merely financed the previous Iraqi regime."

It affirmed the inter-religious cooperation being demonstrated in Iraq, and
said the country's religious institutions must play a central role in its
reconstruction. It also urged all Christians to pray for the Iraqi people and
churches."

U.S. lays out new Iraq UN resolution

A proposal for a new UN Resolution?

It's about time!
Let's hope Bush is sincere and humble. He's made a real mess of things in Iraq....and in this world.
Let's hope it's not too late. You can almost be sure there will be intense UN negotiations to follow since Bush has regularly and ignorantly shown himself to be an international divider.
How much time is there to spare before we lose this war in shame?

U.S. lays out new Iraq resolution
From CNN's Dana Bash and Elise Labott
Wednesday, September 3, 2003

WASHINGTON (CNN) --"
A U.S. resolution strengthening the United Nations' role in Iraq and calling for a broader multinational force in the country could be presented to the Security Council as early as Wednesday, White House officials have told CNN."

Look, people...I'm just a writer in the wilds of upstate New York. I'm not a politician or a foreign policy expert.
I do, however, have good clean common sense. I could see this coming for months. If you don't believe me, go to my archives and read what I've been saying.
So many of us common folk could see this disaster on the horizon.
Why didn't our President see it?
Why didn't our Congress ask the hard questions before we began this fatal adventure in Iraq?
Did Republicans fall in blindly?
Did Democrats vote YES to give this duncecap-President the authority to make war upon Iraq....hoping he'd mess up and they would score political points?
Do you find it all disgusting?
Do you want your country back?

Another soldier has died tonight in a helicopter crash south of Baghdad.
The military says two more American soldiers were killed in a roadside bomb attack on their convoy in southern Baghdad on Monday.

This is madness.
Our Founding Fathers would die if they weren't dead already.

Bush is the worst President in U.S. History

So how much will the Iraq War cost us?
George Bush won't say right now because of the likely political fallout.
Bush will wait until the last possible moment so Congress won't have time to debate.
As usual, it's politics first, the American public last.
Bush is the worst President in U.S. History.


From USA Today Article Posted 9/3/2003 12:19 AM
Officials: No Iraq price tag for now


"....Administration officials, speaking on the condition that they not be identified, say they believe adequate funding is available for Iraq through December. Presenting the funding request in November gives Congress a limited amount of time to debate before acting.

The administration did not offer a prewar estimate of postwar costs. It has said profits from Iraq's oil wells would be used to offset expenses, but production remains below prewar levels.

Leon Panetta, who served as budget director for President Clinton, says the administration probably doesn't want to be specific about costs "for fear that it will set off a political explosion."

Other current articles:

Army Lacks Forces for Iraq Mission, CBO Warns
By Thomas E. Ricks and Jonathan Weisman
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, September 3, 2003


Frustrated lawmakers question Bush Iraq policies

Congress starts to grumble over Iraqi occupation
DOUBLE TROUBLE: Both sides of the political spectrum are engaged in a debate over whether to send more troops, while others groan about costs

Iraq occupation could cost from $8 billion to $29 billion, congressional analysts say
By Alan Fram, Associated Press, 9/2/2003 22:32

Latest Iraq threat: cash crunch: US administrator Paul Bremer says the coalition budget for Iraq will fall short by $3.5 billion this year.