The White House is set to launch war against Iraq. Yet there has been no
convincing explanation of why a war is needed, and the international community
is strongly opposed to a US attack on Iraq. A war against Iraq would isolate
the US from the rest of the world, undermine the effort against terrorism, and
kill tens of thousands of civilians. This is a war that will tear the world
apart.
1) There is no Justification for Going to War
---- What was Iraq's act of aggression against us that justifies war? There
has been no attack on the US, no Iraqi threat of war, no Iraqi connection to
September 11. War should be a last recourse of self-defense, a step to be taken
only when all other alternatives have been exhausted. What the Bush Administration
is planning is an act of agression, not self-defense.
2) Iraq Does Not Pose a Clear and Present Danger
---- The White House says we should invade Iraq to prevent Saddam Hussein from
using weapons of mass destruction. But during the 1990s United Nations weapons
inspectors dismantled all of Iraq's major weapons factories and destroyed nearly
all of Iraq's chemical and biological weapons and long-range missles. According
to Ex-Marine and former UN Weapons Inspector Scott River, Iraq presents "absolutely
nothing" of a military threat. Since deterrence is working, why should
the US start a war that would lead to massive human suffering?
3) When it Comes to Invading Iraq, the US has Few Allies
---- The international community supports sending weapons inspectors to Iraq
to disarm Saddam Hussein’s regime, but it does not support the White House’s
goal of “regime change.” An invasion of Iraq would isolate the US
and shatter the principles of international cooperation that are key to US and
global security.
4) An attack on Iraq Would Make Us Less Safe.
---- An isolated US is an unsafe country. Attacking Iraq without provocation
will ignite and anti-American sentiment around the world, disrupting efforts
to weaken terrorist networks. While the benefits of invading Iraq are murky,
the costs are all-too-clear.
5) A Costly Invasion Would Take Resources Away From Much Needed Priorities at
Home
---- It is estimated that any full-scale invasion of Iraq will cost up to $200
billion. During the first Gulf War, allies like Japan covered 80 percent of
the cost. This won’t happen again. Instead of spending $200 billion on
an unnecessary war, we should be investing in our nation’s overcrowded
schools and failing health care system.
6) Invading Iraq Would Be Difficult -- And Without a Clear Victory
---- An invasion of Iraq will not be as easy as kicking the Taliban out of Kabul.
And if the US does overthrow Hussein, what next? An invasion without allies
would leave the US to enforce a peace in a country fractured by ethnic conflicts.
7) A War Would Kill Thousands of People
---- An assault on Baghdad would result in far more American casualties than
the war in Afghanistan. And the toll on Iraqis would be terrible – an
invasion of Iraq could lead to the deaths of 80,000 innocent civilians.
8) We Should Not Wage a War For Oil
---- The Bush Administration says we must invade Iraq because Saddam
Hussein is abusing his own people and pursuing weapons of mass destruction.
Yet at the same time the US supports the nuclear-armed dictator of Pakistan.
The double standard makes one wonder: What is this war really about? The short
answer is oil. We should not attack people in a far-off country to take their
resources.
9) Other Options Besides War Are Available
---- When North Korea announced that is was close to constructing a nuclear
weapon, the Bush Administration didn’t threaten war – instead, it
started cooperating with our allies in Asia to defuse the situation. The North
Korean experience shows a way to dealing with weapons of mass destruction and
proves that negotiations are preferable to war.
10) Opposition to the War is Growing
---- Americans know deep down that this war makes no sense. We have
to educate our fellow citizens about why war with Iraq is wrong, and then hold
our elected representatives accountable to the will of the people.
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