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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0125.000 2002-2004 SIM RLBERTINI 808 966 7622 P_01 Jim Albertinf, Malu ~Aina Farm, P.O. Hox AB iturtistown, IiI 96760 Phonon (808-966-7622,. Fax No. same as phone, call first.) Mahalo. J FrnAX SI~ET q FROM: Jim Albertini Date : ~ ~ d~ N0. of pages being transmitted i'? including Chia page : ,,,JJ Remarks: - 1 / ,Y~~ Ldp n-css ~ v~r Ud l L ? `IV IJ 1r''~~' i~ j V ~ f~ ~ ~~~h~ a~~-_ cow. No. File No. Rac, o. ' 3 2003 JIM RLSERT INI S08 966 7622 P.O=~ Why Oppose a War on Iraq? 1. A Pre-F.mptive (First-Strike) attack on any country is im»rora/. The death toll of an Iraqi invasion would be enormous, including tens or hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians, many of them women and children. 2. A U.S. First-Strike attack sets a dangerous mllltary precedent and sub~rerts the U.S.'s historic policy against using force pre-emptively. It also violates international law by got a against the Charter of the United Nations, which says that armed force may only be used in self-defense, or with the approval of the UN Security Council, which is what happened during the first Guif War. 3. Bush has provided no convincing evidence to the public or Congress linking Iraq to Al-Qaeda, or proving that Iraq is an imminent threat to the U.S.. ha fact, in terms of conventional arms, Iraq's military is now at one-third of its pre-Gulf War strength. In the words of ex-Marine and former UN Weapons Inspector Scott Ritter, Iraq presents "absolutely nothing" of a military threat. 4. A U.S. First-Strike attack would ignore ovenvhelmingglobal opposition. Only Great Britain's Tony Blair has offered support for a U.S. attack on Iraq, and his approval has been met with widespread opposition from the British public and his own Labotu Patty. 5. AFirst-Strike would be viewed by much of the world as a tesarist action and would perpetuate and escalate the cycle ojviolence. It will ignite anti-American sentiment around the world, disrupting efforts to weaken terrorist networks, and will further destabilize a Middle Bazt already inflamed by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. 6. AFirst-Strike has the potential for the use of weapons of mass destruction. if Iraq still has chemical and biological weapons, an attack could trigger their use against American troops or Israel. U.S. Officials have stated that the use of such weapons by Iraq could trigger the use of the U.S.'s nuclear weapons in response. 7. Bush's stated reason for aFirst-Strike attack--to prevent Iraq from stockpiling weapons of mass destruction--is a cover-up for the U.S. desire to control Persian Gulf oil. A recent statement by a Republican Senator co~rmed that control of and profit from Iraqi oil would be a top priority of an occupation of Iraq. 8. The Buah Administration is using war as a polltlcal taol to divert the American public's attention away from immediate domestic issues like the depressed economy, high unemployment, corporate fraud and corruption, attacks on the environment and women's rrghts, and an overall right-wing agenda. War is also being used to rationalize increasing restnictions on civil liberties. 9. ASK: Who beneflts? Followthe money--oil companies, arms maufacturen. transnational corporations, and an increasingly elite power structure. ASK: Wko loses'. The Iraqi people, the American people, the Earth and ALL PF,OPLE on it. (Hawai'i had an U.S. imposed "regime change" in 1893 and has been under military occupation ever since.) I0. Invading ]raq would be difficult, costly, aad wlthoui a clear victor3+. The price tag for afull-scale invasion would be in the hundreds of billions. U.S. taxpayers, already facing renewed budget deficits and a drain from crucial domestic programs, will be left to pick up the tab. THINK: Couldn't we ttse our vast resources ojwealth, technology and spirit ?nare wisely and lumanely7 Contact-Mato 'Alaa: PO Soa AB, Kurtistown, HI 9ti760. Phone 9tr6-7ti22 .TIM RLBERT INI 80S 966 7622 P. 03 Speak Out Against War! Silence is Betrayal ? Call or email yot?r U.S. Senators and Representatives Senator Daniel Inouye (202) 224-3934, senator@inouye.senate.gov Senator Daniel Akaka (202) 224-6361, senator@akakasenate.gov Representative Neil Abercrombie (202) 225-2726, neil.abercrombie@mai l.house.gov Representative Ed Case (202) 225-4906, ed.case@mail.house.gov ? Wnte a letter to the newspapers against the war: The Honolulu Advertiser, The Ilonoluh? Star-Bulletin, The Hawaii Tribune Herald, West Hawaii Today (addresses in phone book) ? Call or email the President (202) 456-1111, President@wltitehouse.gov ? Join the weekly NO WAR ON IRAQ peace vigil, Fridays 3:30-SPM downtown Hito Post Office ? Participate in Non-violent Direct Action Training, Monday, February l7th. 9AM - 3 PM Kea' au Community Center. Ca11966-7622 for details ? Come to the Peace Teach-Ir? on Iraq, Wednesday, February 5th, noon- 2PM, L3liii Library Lanai. Speak your peace! ? Come to the Nuclear-Free & Independent Pacific Forum, Wednesday, February ] 2th, noon-2PM, UHH Library Lanai. ? Educate yo?uself: Check out the following websites-- www.indymedia.org www.truthout.org www.intemationalANSWER.org www.truemajority.com www.unitedforpeace.org www.votenowar.org www.michaelmoore.com www.notinourname.net ? if/when the Bush administration begins the invasion of lraq, join the Hilo Protest --a silent vigil for peace. Stand in silence on Bayfront on Kamehameha Ave. at 4PM on the day the violence begins. Tell others. Help Stop the War! Delp Stop the Killing Contact: Malu 'Aiwa Center Foe Non-violent Education & Action P.O. Box AB Kurtistown, Hawaii 96760. Phone SO&966-7b22. Email ja@interpac.net "htt :1 www. lu-ai http:/lmalusina.pitas.com Maht?lot