Statement on Iraq * Bristol Labour group

Kool…

marc


> Statement on Iraq * Bristol Labour group
>
> Bristol Labour Group Leader Diane Bunyan today issues
> the following
> statement on behalf of the Labour Group, Bristol City
> Council.
>
> "We decided to make a public statement of the Labour
> group position on
> Iraq because Labour councillors have spoken with many,
> many people in
> Bristol who want to know where we stand on this
> important issue.
>
> "For a democracy to go to war, its' leaders must
> present an
> overwhelming case for military action as the option of
> last resort. While people
> in Bristol are anxious to see Saddam Hussein answer
> for his human rights
> abuses against the Kurds, Shi'ites and even his own
> people, they find
> it difficult to understand how military action in Iraq
> will benefit
> international security. And while I support Tony Blair
> in his considerable
> achievement in bringing the US to consult with the UN,
> I feel that it
> would be unwise to take military action against Iraq
> at this time.
>
> If the UN inspectors report that Iraq has weapons of
> mass destruction
> and insists on retaining them then it should be for
> the UN Security
> council to determine what action should be taken and
> not the US. There can
> be no justification for unilateral military action by
> anyone.
>
> This is a complicated international situation and the
> British peace
> movement, with active support from Bristol, has become
> usefully engaged
> with clarifying the issues, and making their views
> known. While I
> support intervention, I do not support war. I consider
> that disarming
> Saddam
> Hussein without military action remains an option and
> should be
> supported with further weapons inspections and more
> time. Crucially any
> future action in dealing with Iraq must be carried out
> by the UN."
>
> >>> Ryan Griffis <[email protected]> 27/01/03 17:32:03
> >>>
> Dear Representatives Benson and Saward,
> I am writing you at the suggestion of a citizen of
> your district, who feels that your support, or dissent
> against, the current leanings of the Blair Labor Party
> in support of a US led attack on Iraq are crucial to
> the direction of policy in the UK.
> As a US citizen, I can tell you that US popular
> support for military action is dwindling, while direct
> criticism of such action is gaining numbers and
> validity. The Bush Administration does not seem to
> represent any notion of consensus, whether
> international or in terms of our own national
> politics. Such political ambitions are imperial at
> best and catastrophic at worst. As our own voices and
> civil rights are being slowly, but surely, squashed,
> it is crucial for representatives of influential
> governments (as well global/local grassroots
> movements) to vocally oppose US unilateralism.
> While the concerned citizen from your district
> suggests you resign out of protest, I cannot say the
> action you should take, but any form of protest is
> welcome, and indeed, necessary.
> Thank you for your time.
> Ryan Griffis
> Citizen, Missouri, USA
>
> __________________________________________________
> Do you Yahoo!?
> Yahoo! Tax Center - forms, calculators, tips, more
> http://taxes.yahoo.com/
> + ti esrever dna ti pilf nwod gniht ym tup
> -> post: [email protected]
> -> questions: [email protected]
> -> subscribe/unsubscribe: http://rhizome.org/preferences/subscribe.rhiz
> -> give: http://rhizome.org/support
> +
> Subscribers to Rhizome are subject to the terms set out in the
> Membership Agreement available online at http://rhizome.org/info/29.php
>
>