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Strong words against a war with Iraq 

To the Editor: 

We firmly oppose the call to a new war with Iraq made by the Bush administration and recently approved by the U.S. Congress. 

We call on our leaders to step back from the brink of war. We call on the American people to seek solutions to the forces of division and violence in our midst. 

The case for a pre-emptive attack on Iraq fails to persuade us or the world community. In particular, there is no evidence that Iraq is an imminent threat. A pre-emptive attack by the United States to deal with weapons proliferation would establish a dangerous precedent 

Unilateral military action against Iraq is detrimental to U.S. interests. The U.S. must cooperate with international efforts to constrain militarization in the region. 

The human cost of the new war would be enormous. The ordinary people of Iraq should not bear the burden of deprivation and death such a war would surely exact on them. 

We expect our government to reflect the values we hold dear – pursuing peace not war; self-defense with courage; working with the community of nations; respecting international law and treaties while holding in high regard all human life. 

First Congregational Church of Berkeley, Peace and Justice Ministry Team 

Berkeley