Date:          Wed, 21 Aug 2002 22:05:29 -0700
From:           Jim Pivonka <pivonka571@earthlink.net>
To:          Representative Jerry Moran <jerry.moran@mail.house.gov>,          Senator Sam Brownback <Sam_Brownback@Brownback.senate.gov>,          redacted
BCC:  A redacted list
 
The Bush White House is aggressively promoting war on Iraq, against the advice of its diplomats, and without strong support from Congress, the American public, or our allies.  Most of you received my note recently in which I stated that my opposition to US military action there is somewhat hedged.  But there can be no "hedging" about the Bush Administration's current plans.  They do not meet the test of reason or prudence, and are not calculated to successfully achieve any of the goals which they supposedly are directed towards.

Please join me in signing an online petition to oppose a war that would likely undermine both national and world security.  Let’s show our representatives that they have strong public support to stop this war.

If you join me in signing today, your comments will be hand-delivered to your Senators as part of a national day of action on August 28th. Constituent meetings are being organized with Senate offices everywhere.

I hope you will join me in signing the petition at:
  http://www.moveon.org/nowar/

It's important that we speak out against a war in which many of our young people, and likely many more innocent Iraqis, would die, which has not been properly planned, which has not been justified or explained clearly to the people of this country and the rest of the world, and which will, without the preparation appropriate before such an effort, precipitate Iraq and probably other countries in the region into chaos and anarchy.

Even top Republican leaders are publicly questioning a war:

Brent Scowcroft, the former National Security Advisor, says a U.S. invasion of Iraq "could turn the whole region into a cauldron and, thus, destroy the war on terrorism."  He also says "there is scant evidence to tie Saddam to terrorist organizations, and even less to the Sept. 11 attacks."

Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) says the CIA has "absolutely no evidence" that Iraq possesses or will soon possess nuclear weapons.

Henry Kissinger says, "The notion of justified pre- emption runs counter to modern international law, which sanctions the use of force in self-defense only against actual -- not potential -- threats."  Kissinger also says, "American military intervention in Iraq would be supported only grudgingly, if at all, by most European allies."

Dick Armey, the House Majority Leader (R-TX-26), says, "I don't believe that America will justifiably make an unprovoked attack on another nation.  It would not be consistent with what we have been as a nation or what we should be as a nation."

I am surely no Republican.  And I have said there are circumstances under which I would support an intervention in Iraq.  Perhaps that is why the current situation, which fails so utterly the tests which should be met before an intervention seems is so distressing to me.  And why I feel we too have  got to speak out against this action.  Please join me and do your part, at:

  http://www.moveon.org/nowar/

Thanks,

Jim