September 12, 2002
The Honorable George W. Bush
President of the United States of America
The White House
Washington, D.C. 20500
Dear Mr. President:
We, like all Americans, kneel in prayer and remembrance for the tragedy and
violence that obliterated the lives of so many people one year ago. As
American religious leaders, we have sought during this year to listen, to
learn, and to grow in our faith and compassion both for persons in our
congregations and also for those many outside of our churches. We applaud
your leadership in bringing peoples of disparate faiths together to worship,
to mourn, and to move on boldly with our lives - in a more caring fashion and
with appreciation for the precious gifts of God given to all humankind.
Today, however, we write out of concern that those same precious gifts may be
damaged by actions being contemplated by our nation.
We, leaders of American churches and church-related organizations, are
alarmed by recent statements by yourself and others in the Administration
about pre-emptive military action against Iraq for the expressed purpose of
toppling the regime of Saddam Hussein. Understanding that Mr. Hussein poses a
threat to his neighbors and to his own people, we nevertheless believe it is
wrong, as well as detrimental to U.S. interests, to take such action.
We oppose on moral grounds the United States taking further military action
against Iraq now. The Iraqi people have already suffered enough through more
than two decades of war and severe economic sanctions. Military action
against the government of Saddam Hussein and its aftermath could result in a
large number of civilians being killed or wounded, as well as increasing the
suffering of multitudes of innocent people.
It is detrimental to U.S. interests to take unilateral military action when
there continues to be strong multilateral support for a new weapons
inspection regime and when most governments in Europe and the Middle East
resist supporting military action. It is important for the U.S. to cooperate
with international efforts to control Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, if
possible, through a regional weapons-of-mass-destruction control initiative.
The pre-emptive use of military force by the United States to deal with
proliferation problems, as serious as they may be, establishes a dangerous
precedent, particularly for other nations that feel threatened by the weapons
capabilities of their neighbors. Furthermore, unilaterally overthrowing enemy
governments heightens concern in other countries about American respect for
their integrity as nations, as well as for international law.
U.S. military action at this time has great potential to further destabilize
the region. It is likely that international support for the war on terrorism
will erode if the United States attacks Iraq without a United Nations
mandate. Militants in Arab and Islamic majority countries would seize the
opportunity to incite people against not only the United States but also
against governments that cooperate with the U.S. An invasion of, or
intensified military action against, Iraq will divert attention from the need
to seek ways to reduce international terrorism and will retard efforts to
restore stability in Afghanistan.
Rather than attacking Iraq, we urge that your priority in the Middle East be
an Israeli-Palestinian ceasefire and peace settlement. As do many in the
world, we look to the United States government to set an example for the
international community. As Christian religious leaders responsible for
millions of U.S. citizens we expect our government to reflect the morals and
values we hold dear - pursuing peace, not war; working with the community of
nations, not overthrowing governments by force; respecting international law
and treaties while holding in high regard all human life.
Sincerely,
Rev. Dr. Robert Edgar, General Secretary, National Council of the Churches of
Christ in the USA

Rev. Fahed Abu-Akel, Moderator, 214th General Assembly, Presbyterian Church
(U.S.A.)

Marilyn Borst, Executive Director, Evangelicals for Middle East Understanding

Rev. Dennis Cleary, MM, U.S. Regional Superior, Maryknoll Fathers and
Brothers

Rev. Canice Connors, OFM.Conv Provincial, Immaculate Conception Province
Conventual Franciscans, President, Conference of Major Superiors of Men

Rev. John Doctor, OFM, Provincial, Sacred Heart Province, Franciscans

Fr. John Felice, OFM, Provincial, Holy Name Province, Franciscans

Elenie K. Huszagh, Esq., President, National Council of the Churches of
Christ
in the USA

Rev. Michael Higgins, CP, Provincial, Western Province Passionists

Thomas H. Jeavons, General Secretary, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the
Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)

Archbishop Mor Cyril Aphrem Karim, Archdiocese of the Syrian Orthodox Church
of Antioch for the Eastern USA

Rev. Ted Keating, SM, Executive Director, Conference of Major Superiors of
Men

Rev. Clifton Kirkpatrick, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly Presbyterian
Church (U.S.A.)

Rev. Michael E. Livingston, Executive Director, International Council of
Community Churches,

Ronald J.R. Mathies, Executive Director, Mennonite Central Committee

Canon Patrick Mauney, Chairman, Board of Directors, Church World Service

Rev. John L. McCullough, Executive Director, Church World Service

Mary Ellen McNish, General Secretary, American Friends Service Committee

Rev. Mark Miller, CPPS, Provincial, Society of the Precious Blood

Corinne Whitlatch, Director, Churches for Middle East Peace

Rev. Michael Guimon, OSM, Provincial Order of Servites

Wesley Granberg-Michaelson, General Secretary, Reformed Church in America

The Most Rev. Frank T. Griswold, Presiding Bishop and Primate, The Episcopal
Church, USA

The Rev. Dr. Richard L. Hamm, General Minister and President of the Christian
Church (Disciples of Christ)
in the United States and Canada

The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, Presiding Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America, ELCA

Stan Hastey, Executive Director, Alliance of Baptists, Joseph Nangle, OFM,
Co-Director,
Franciscan Mission Service, Franciscan Brothers and Fathers

Jose Ortiz, Executive Director, Mennonite Central Committee U.S.

Lindsay Penn-Matheson, President of the Board of Directors, Baptist Peace
Fellowship of North America

Sr. Constance Phelps, SCL, Vice President, Leadership Conference of Women
Religious

Sr. Kathleen Pruitt, CSJP, Past President, Leadership Conference of Women
Religious

Rev. Judy Mill Reimer, General Secretary, Church of the Brethren General
Board

Leonard Rodgers, President/Founder, Venture International

Rev. Dr. Roy Sano, Bishop (Retired), United Methodist Church

James F. Schrag, Executive Director, Executive Board, Mennonite Church USA

Dr. William J. Shaw, President, National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc.

Sr. Carol Shinnick, SSND, Executive Director, Leadership Conference of Women
Religious

Ronald J. Sider, President, Evangelicals for Social Action

Rev. William Sinkford, President, Unitarian Universalist Association of
Congregations

Rev. John Thomas, General Minister and President, United Church of Christ

Kathy Thornton, RSM, National Coordinator, NETWORK, A National Catholic
Social Justice Lobby

Rev. Lydia Veliko, Ecumenical Officer, United Church of Christ

Joe Volk, Executive Secretary, Friends Committee on National Legislation

Rev. Austin Walsh, ST, General Custodian, Missionary Servants of the Holy
Trinity

Dr. Robert K. Welsh, President, Council on Christian Unity, Ecumenical
Officer
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the US and Canada

The Rev. David L. Wickmann, President, Moravian Church, Northern Province

Jim Winkler, General Secretary, General Board of Church and Society, United
Methodist Church

Rev. Ronald Witherup, SS, Provincial, Sulpicians, President-Elect,
Conference of Major Superiors of Men

Sr. Mary Ann Zollman, BVM, President, Leadership Conference of Women
Religious