| PHILADELPHIA
- April 22 - We, the Women's International League for Peace and
Freedom, U.S. Section, reject the recently announced "victory"
in Iraq, and accompanying "liberation" of the people
after the demise of their government. The U.S./U.K. military invasion
and takeover of Iraq has resulted in the deaths of thousands of
Iraqi civilians and military, a death toll that may never be reported.
We know
there is a severe humanitarian crisis in Iraq, with lack of
food, water, medical supplies, hospitals and doctors to care
for the wounded. Over half of the 24 million Iraqis are children
whose lives are permanently damaged by this invasion; many are
orphaned. The major cities of Iraq, and their infrastructures,
have been devastated, if not destroyed. We support a plan that
would ensure the UN administration of humanitarian aid and reconstruction
by civilian authorities, not the U.S. military.
It is costing
the U.S. taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars to destroy
Iraq, and it will cost billions more to pay favored U.S. corporations
to rebuild it. In the process, the Bush administration manufactures
a false sense of economic scarcity as communities all over the
United States are forced to make massive cuts in education,
health care, and job creation.
We condemn
the U.S. military occupation of Iraq, which is illegal, immoral
and unjust. We support a form of government in Iraq duly chosen
by the Iraqi people. Ownership of Iraqi oil should remain with
the Iraqi people, not U.S. oil companies. The Iraqi people need
to lead the reconstruction of their economy and their society.
We call
upon WILPF members to continue our resistance to the occupation
and militarization of Iraq and any expanded war in the Middle
East. Secretary of Defense (War) Rumsfeld justifies and alludes
to the possibility of military attacks on Syria and Iran. We
will be asked to believe a continuing series of lies as this
next military phase moves forward.
The U.S.
has committed war crimes - crimes against humanity - in Iraq,
and must be held accountable at the International Criminal Court.
These crimes have been committed in our names. As an anti-war
movement, we must join with others in bringing these crimes
to court under international law.
We condemn
the Bush Administration's drive for military domination worldwide
that threatens to wage permanent war against countries considered
strategically important. We join the global movement in opposition
to war and in strategizing to build a world of peace with justice.
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