Flyby News Home - Flyby News Archives - Casinni NoFlyby - Flyby Links

Flyby  News

"News Fit to Transmit in the Post Cassini Flyby Era"




God's Gift to Humanity ? War/Cost * Cities for Peace



31 January 2003



God's Gift to Humanity?

President Bush's concluding remarks at the 2003 State of the Union address:

"..America is a strong nation and honorable in the use of our strength. We exercise power without conquest, and we sacrifice for the liberty of strangers. Americans are a free people, who know that freedom is the right of every person and the future of every nation. The liberty we prize is not America's gift to the world; it is God's gift to humanity. We Americans have faith in ourselves, but not in ourselves alone. We do not claim to know all the ways of Providence, yet we can trust in them, placing our confidence in the loving god behind all of life and all of history. May he guide us now, and may God continue to bless the United States of America. Thank you."


= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

The following reply on Bush-Iraq war talk by

Jerry Zero, Secretary Treasurer of Teamsters Local 705 in Chicago, and principal convener of US Labor Against the War. (This is an association of more than 42 labor locals, 14 district or regional councils, 13 central labor councils, 5 state federations, 4 national labor organizations and 22 local committees which have passed anti-war resolutions, whose own local passed its anti-war resolution by a vote of 402 to 1.)

Jerry Zero stated:

"Our membership is split 50-50.

Fifty percent don't believe a thing President Bush says,

and 50 percent think he's a liar."


[Info receive via Bruce Gagnon / GlobalNet list serve]



1) US Prepared To Violate International Law
- All Bush Wants is Iraqi Oil, Says Mandela -
- War Would Be 'Catastrophic' for Iraqi Children -
- Impeach Bush - Resolution and Resources

2) U. S. Military Spending And the Cost of Invading Iraq
3) War 'has ruined Afghan environment'
4) Cities for Peace Anti-War Resolution

- Kucinich: No Case For War Against Iraq




Editor's Notes:

There was a disturbance in the force last Tuesday night when President Bush took to the air~waves on his administration's war dance in full throttle in hot pursuit. The first item explains International Laws jeopardized by a US invasion. Nelson Mandela questioned the US most harshly, and fairly, (I would add), recognizing terrorism of the US in the past, dropping an atomic bomb on people, twice. The US is the principle agent of the export of weapons of mass destruction around the globe, including in Iraq. Oil, Mandela said, is a big motivator for the US to attack and threaten another holocaust. At the end of this first item, too, you will find a link to an article about the smallest and most hard hit victims of war, children. In Iraq it would be ‘catastrophic.' Item 2 is another assessment of the financial down-sides from a Bush attack, -- of course – except for military and oil-related interests. Item 3 is on Afghanistan and the impact of war on its environment and wildlife, nature and humankind is suffering. Item 4 is hopeful; cities are responding with Resolutions for Peace for US, Iraq. Help your city, town, become an advocate for peace -- CitiesforPeace.org --

Instead of mending the leaks in US homeland security, where crossing the US borders illegally, as reported by network news, is "like taking a walk in a park," crossing the territories owned by the US, National Park. Bush, instead, has tanks sailing to Turkey to force them to help us in this oil war. Bush will be antagonizing and engaging the terrorists, leave security behind in our country, lacking.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Take Action

Call your Senators and ask them to support SR. 32.
Capitol Switchboard # - 202-224-3121
.

Iraq Resolution SR. 32 calls on the President to come back to Congress to obtain approval of the legislation authorizing the use of force before committing American troops for war against Iraq. The resolution also calls on the President to fully support the inspectors with the assistance they need for their ongoing disarmament work.

* Senator Kennedy introduced this sense of the Senate resolution on January 29, 2003. Senator Byrd (D-WV) is an original co-sponsor of the resolution.

* Many in Congress DO NOT believe that the President has made a compelling case that the use of military force is the only way to disarm Iraq. This war shouldn't be unilateral; it needs to have the support of our Allies. UN weapons inspectors need more time to do their job.

* Under current conditions and circumstances, Senator Kennedy's words are valid: "..that this is still the wrong war at the wrong time."

S. Res 32: Resolution Language

The key language of the resolution states "the sense of the Senate that, before the President uses military force against Iraq without the broad support of the international community, the President should -

(1) provide full support to the United Nations weapons inspectors to facilitate their ongoing disarmament work; and

(2) obtain approval by Congress of new legislation authorizing the president to use all necessary means, including the use of military force, to disarm Iraq."


= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Public Demonstrations for PEACE
February 15 * for details see:
CAMPAIGNS * ACTIONS * EVENTS
FlybyNews.com
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"The spectacle of the United States, armed with its weapons of mass destruction, acting without Security Council authority to invade a country in the heartland of Arabia and, if necessary, use its weapons of mass destruction to win that battle, is something that will so deeply violate any notion of fairness in this world that I strongly suspect it could set loose forces that we would deeply live to regret."

Former U.N. arms inspector Richard Butler,
(Quoted in a Reuters article, January 28, 2003.)





1) US Prepared To Violate International Law


US Prepared To Violate International Law
By Adrian Kuzminski

In a fundamental change of policy, the Bush administration has embraced the doctrine of preemptive war, including the first strike use of nuclear weapons, and is now applying it to Iraq. Speaking in Davos, Switzerland, on 26 January 2003, US Secretary of State, Colin L. Powell, said: "We continue to reserve our sovereign right to take military action against Iraq alone or in a coalition of the willing . . ."

There is no such unqualified sovereign right. On the contrary, as a member state of the United Nations, the US is obliged by law to pursue peaceful means in international relations, as stated in the UN Charter, Chapter 1, Article 2:

"All Members shall settle their international disputes by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security, and justice, are not endangered; and, All Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner consistent with the Purposes of the United Nations."

The UN Charter does recognize the use of unilateral military force by a member state, but only for purposes of self defense and only when an "armed attack" has occured against that state, as stated in Chapter 7, Article 51 of the UN Charter:

"Nothing in the present Charter shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence if an armed attack occurs against a Member of the United Nations, until the Security Council has taken measures necessary to maintain international peace and security."

Iraq has not been shown to have carried out "an armed attack" on the United States. No evidence has been offered that assigns any responsibility to Iraq for the attacks on the United States made on 11 September 2001, or any other attacks. Iraq has not been shown to be a credible threat to the US.


Possession of weapons of mass destruction by Iraq, weapons already widely distributed among many countries, does not constitute an "armed attack" on anyone; nor does it justify unilateral US military action. If such weapons are a threat to its neighbors or anyone else, including the US, this is a matter for UN action, not unilateral American military action outside the UN.

Iraq may have links to Al Queda, but this too does not constitute an "armed attack" on anyone. If such links constitute a serious threat, this too is a matter for UN action, not for unilateral American action.

A US attack against Iraq, absent evidence of an Iraqi armed attack against the US, would violate international law and render the UN impotent. It would promote the US as world dictator, accountable to no one, with inevitable resentment abroad. Such a US attack might someday be determined a war crime, and those with authority to carry out such attacks, war criminals.

The US must respect international law and work through the United Nations to resolve international disputes, and not act unilaterally to impose its own will on the world. If the US is unhappy with decision-making at the UN, it should work to make that organization more democratic and accountable.

The US has been the only superpower since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. It could have used its power during that period to strengthen international institutions and establish a more responsible global democratic system, but under both Democratic and Republican administrations it chose not to do so.

To renounce the UN and other international institutions such as the World Court in favor of our own military and economic power is the path of empire and tragedy, so often followed in the past. The alternative path, that of working for a just and democratic world order, still remains open to us. We should take it before it is too late.

Adrian Kuzminski
279 Donlon Road Fly Creek, NY 13337
607-547-8586

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =


All Bush Wants is Iraqi Oil, Says Mandela

Former president Nelson Mandela said on Thursday the United States was preparing to go to war because "George Bush wants to get hold of the Iraqi oil".

For the article, published Thursday, January 30, 2003 by the Independent (Cape Town, South Africa), posted by CommonDreams.org, see:

http://news@commondreams.org/headlines03/0130-05.htm

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =


Published on Thursday, January 30, 2003 by the Inter Press Service

War Would Be 'Catastrophic' for Iraqi Children -
Report
by Marty Logan

MONTREAL - War in Iraq would have devastating effects on the country's 13 million children, many of whom are already malnourished and living in ''great fear'' of another conflict, says the report of a Canadian-led, fact-finding team released Thursday.

The document, based on a trip to Iraq Jan. 20-26 by 10 health experts, concludes that, ''Iraqi children are at grave risk of starvation, disease, death and psychological trauma''.

For the complete article, see:

http://news@commondreams.org/headlines03/0130-04.htm

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Impeach Bush - Resolution and Resources

"The President, Vice President and all Civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors." --Article II, Section 4 United States Constitution

http://www.rise4news.net/impeach.html

Impeachment Resolution:
http://www.rise4news.net/Impeachment_Resolution.html




2) U. S. Military Spending And the Cost of Invading Iraq

The Bush administration's defense spending next year will be $394 billion. The United States already has the most powerful military on earth and now spends as much on defense as the next 15 big defense-spending nations combined. Russia, China and "Rogue" states spend $60, $42, and $15 billion for military, respectively. The U.S. military spending is about eight-times that of education or health care spending and twenty-times that of training, employment and social services spending.


In the same budget, with such huge military spending that is already $100 billion higher than Bill Clinton's final year, one will notice the following program cuts that relate to poverty and hunger in America:

* 36,000 seniors will be cut-off of meal programs
* 532,000 families will be cut-off of heating assistance
* 8,000 homeless kids will be cut-off of education programs
* 50,000 kids will be cut-off of after school programs
* 33,000 kids will be cut-off of child care

The most important sections of the mainstream media in the USA continue to carry out psychological warfare against the citizens of the USA in order to mobilize them to support the military invasion of Iraq at a time when millions want jobs, heat, affordable housing and medicine, healthcare, and decent education. According to military and economic experts, the invasion of Iraq will likely cost as much as $200 billion, which has to be paid by the American people. $200 billion is:

* Six-times what federal government spends on K-12 education
* Enough to provide health care to all uninsured children in the U.S. for ten years
* More than eight-times the total international affairs budget

Perhaps the biggest cost of invading Iraq will be the tens- if not hundreds-of-thousands of innocent Iraqi civilians who will lose their lives to massive bombardments and military invasion and occupation of their cities and homes. In addition, rebuilding of Iraq is likely to cost another $50 billion and would require significant material and personnel resources. Just the security forces alone would entail 75,000 personnel in the first year amounting to about $16.5 billion. At least 5,000-10,000 troops would have to remain in place for five-ten years, costing $1- $2 billion a year. Beyond security, the U.S. would be expected to make a significant contribution for humanitarian and emergency aid, a transitional administration, civil service and other components of reconstruction. These non-security costs would amount to $15 - $25 billion over the next decade.

At a time of economic recession and when 35 states face severe economic difficulties and budget short falls, the $200 billion cost of invading Iraq must be carried by all of the States of the Union.
In addition, the administrations new tax plan will cost states, on average, another $4.5 billion in revenues. This will push the states further into recession, resulting in loss of jobs, and deeper cuts in social, health and educational programs, since states are now mandated by the federal law to balance their budget.

Lafayette [Indiana] Area Peace Coalition 1/16/03




3) War 'has ruined Afghan environment'


BBC News Online
Wednesday, 29 January, 2003, 09:55 GMT

War 'has ruined Afghan environment'

Snow leopards and other species suffer as well as people

By Alex Kirby
BBC News Online environment correspondent

Two decades of war have laid waste Afghanistan's environment so badly that its reconstruction is now compromised, the United Nations says.

A UN Environment Programme (Unep) survey found more than half of Kabul's water supply is going to waste. It found children working 12-hour shifts in dangerous factories, and sleeping at their machines. More than half the forests in three Afghan provinces have been destroyed in 25 years. A team from Unep's Post-Conflict Assessment Unit worked with the Afghanistan Transitional Authority to carry out the survey. It involved 20 Afghan and foreign scientists in visits to 38 urban sites in four cities, and to 35 rural sites.

Basic resources

The team's report says the years of conflict have led to the "collapse of local and national governance, destroyed infrastructure, hindered agricultural activity and driven people into cities already lacking the most basic public amenities".

It says: "Three to four years of drought have compounded a state of widespread and serious resource degradation: lowered water tables, dried-up wetlands, denuded forests, eroded land and depleted wildlife populations."

Children are at special risk

For the complete article/report, see:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/2704989.stm




4) Cities for Peace Anti-War Resolution

Cleveland Becomes 50th City to Pass Anti-War Resolution
Active Campaigns Underway in More than 60 Additional Cities

==========================

Cleveland City Council unanimously passes anti-war resolution Tuesday 28 Jan 2003

From: "James K Miller"
posted To:

Independent Media Center
http://www.cleveland.indymedia.org:8081

author: stav (stavrosthehunter@yahoo.com)

Summary: An Emergency Resolution: Supporting the men and women serving in the armed forces an honoring their commitment to our national safety and security; opposing unilateral military actions against Iraq and urging President Bush to continue seeking a peaceful resolution of issues with Iraq in a diplomatic manner.

===

On January 27 of 2003 Cleveland City Council unanimously passed a resolution in opposition to unilateral military action against Iraq. Over one hundred people gathered outside city hall an hour before the council came to order to rally support for the measure. The full transcript of the resolution can be found here.

This marks Cleveland as the 50th city nationwide -- and the very first in Ohio -- to adopt such a resolution. A complete list of all cities that have passed resolutions can be found at http://www.citiesforpeace.org.

==========================

Cities for Peace is a rapidly growing effort to get City Councils and other civic bodies to pass resolutions against a war on Iraq. Civic and religious leaders, educators, peace activists, business leaders and individuals from all sectors are coming together across the country to say "no" to Bush's call for war. We the people of the U.S. are wary of a military venture against a country that has not attacked us. We are fearful that a war will lead to the deaths of thousands of Iraqis and US troops. We see this as a potentially dangerous distraction from fighting terrorism and we are aware that such a war would have devastating consequences on our city budgets and on local capacity to meet the current needs of our own communities in these difficult economic times.

We need to exercise our democratic rights by pressing our local elected officials and other public institutions to pass resolutions expressing the will of local communities with regard to a war with Iraq. It is imperative that local officials weigh in on national matters that will ultimately have enormous impacts on our communities.

Please join us! This web site is a hub to link the many City Council resolutions and campaigns across the country. It is a testament to the growing unease that people across the country are feeling about Bush's preemptive strike policy and our commitment to cultivating a world based on peace and justice.

Citiesforpeace.org brought to you by the Institute for Policy Studies.

CitiesforPeace.org/

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Representative Dennis Kucinich Press Release - January 27, 2003

See:

No Case For War Against Iraq - Administration Must Stop Rush To War And Allow UN To Disarm Iraq




A "Fair Use Policy" that describes Flyby News' use of copyrighted material is posted at flybynews.com.

Your feedback, networking Flyby News, and forwarding us articles of interest, are welcomed and appreciated. You can write to the publisher/editor Jonathan Mark info@flybynews.com



FLYBY NEWS

=====Fit to Transmit in the Post Cassini Flyby Era====>

= = = = = = www.flybynews.com = = = = =



Email address: