[mobglob-discuss] Iraq

[Carl Stewart]

From:

http://www.peacefultomorrows.org/


September 23, 2002
President George W. Bush
The White House
Washington, DC

Dear President Bush,

Each of us lost at least one family member on September 11, 2001.  We 
are writing to you now to express our grave concerns about your stated 
intention to lead our country into a war in Iraq. After what we have 
endured, no one desires an end to terrorism more than we do. This is why 
we strongly urge you to pursue diplomatic, multi-lateral and non-violent 
action to protect the American people from any danger posed by the Iraqi 
regime.

Our group, September Eleventh Families for Peaceful Tomorrows, was 
formed to work to see that no family anywhere on earth experiences the 
pain and loss that we have suffered through senseless violence. We know 
that war in Iraq would cause the suffering of many thousands of innocent 
Iraqi families, people who, like our family members on September 11th, 
will find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time. A war would 
also place our military personnel in harm’s way, causing deaths and the 
suffering of more American families. It is out of concern for our own 
service people and for the Iraqi citizens that we implore you to pursue 
a resolution of the situation in Iraq without war.

We are disappointed that you have used the anniversary of our loved 
ones’ deaths not as a time to mourn and reflect but as a time to call 
for war on a country unrelated to the events of September 11th. We are 
concerned that a war in Iraq will divert the necessary resources from 
the task of apprehending and bringing to justice those responsible for 
the September 11th attacks. We fear this war could destabilize the 
Middle East region and cost the lives of countless, innocent civilians 
in other nations. We are deeply troubled that more killing will only 
fuel the fires of terrorism and enable terrorist organizations to 
recruit more easily those who would harm us.

We are worried that a new war will diminish our commitment to bring 
stability and democracy to Afghanistan. Our group, September Eleventh 
Families for Peaceful Tomorrows, has sent two delegations to Afghanistan 
this year. Members of our group met with dozens of ordinary Afghan 
families that were concerned that the US would abandon their country. 
The US cannot afford to forsake its responsibilities to assist 
Afghanistan in her rebuilding. We know more than anyone does how an 
unstable Afghanistan can affect us in America.

Finally, we are deeply troubled that you are proposing war in Iraq as a 
pre-emptive, and if necessary, unilateral action. This is a dangerous 
precedent in a world that is growing more closely connected and 
interdependent. We do not feel the role of the US as a world leader 
should be to act in ways that might condone other nations’ taking 
military action as a first rather than a last option in dealing with 
their own disputes.

During the past year, each of us has tried to respond to the death of 
our loved ones not out of rage and anger, but out of a sincere desire to 
create a world in which no family experiences the suffering we have. We 
hope that you will join us in honoring our loved ones by pursuing the 
path of peaceful tomorrows. We want America to be safe. And most of all, 
we do not want to see September 11th repeated anywhere on earth. We look 
forward to hearing from you about our concerns.

Sincerely,

September Eleventh Families for Peaceful Tomorrows

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