CSN Statement Against the War in Iraq
CSN-Madison, March 19, 2003
The Colombia Support Network (CSN) is an organization dedicated to working for peace. Time and again during the last fifteen years we have raised our collective voice to protest against actions of governments and individuals which threaten peace or promote war. We believe fervently in the value of negotiations to settle conflict or to avoid conflict.
Even though our focus is on Colombia we would be less than true to our principles and our tradition if we were to remain silent in the face of the decision of the Bush Administration to make war on Iraq. The decision to invade Iraq is very wrong. The decision to snub the United Nations is ill conceived and will have negative repercussions for all the world. We are very concerned about the great loss of life that likely will result from a "preemptive strike", which itself violates the most basic principles of international law. We are chagrined that the government of the United States has acted recklessly to endanger the lives of millions of Iraqi men, women, and children who have done nothing to "deserve" the terrible fate that awaits them. We are also aware that some CSN members have followed their conscience by traveling to Iraq and may now be in great danger. We express our solidarity with them and hope and pray for their well-being. We also promise them we will redouble our efforts to seek peaceful resolution of conflict. Saddam Hussein has committed many terrible abuses as the leader of Iraq. We in no way support him or what he has done. But the only humane way to counter his actions is to negotiate, to inspect for weapons, and to carry out peaceful measures that do not put civilian lives as risk.
We call upon the Bush Administration and the U.S. Congress to reverse course and pursue peace, not war.
Colombia Support Network
P.O. Box 1505
Madison, WI 53701-1505
phone: (608) 257-8753
fax: (608) 255-6621
e-mail: csn@igc.org
http://www.colombiasupport.net