An Open Letter to the President of the United States and U.S. Congress

We, the undersigned, write this letter to express our deep disappointment and moral outrage at the passage of the $81 Billion supplemental budget for the continued war against and occupation of Iraq. We as people of faith stand firmly against this war. The best support for our troops would be to bring them back to their families. It is highly disingenuous on the part of the administration to attach the war appropriation bill to the funds for the Tsunami relief efforts and other humanitarian aid. We see this as a political ploy to secure votes and make Tsunami victims no more than political pawns. We write this letter in the light of the above to remind ourselves and others including our national leadership of the following:

First, our nation entered into the war on false pretense and fear and violated international law. Religious leaders from every faith tradition opposed the preemptive war on the people of Iraq because of half-truths, our administration's haste to make war, and the reckless abandonment of democratic processes. The facts remain clear and evidential. After over two years, there has been no discovery of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and there was no Iraqi connection to the terrorist attacks of September 11th.

Second, the continued presence of American troops in Iraq only heightens the risk to the newly formed and fragile government of Iraq. The rising insurgency in post-election Iraq is a symptom of the occupation. The over 1500 U.S. casualties and over 15,000 injured American soldiers combined with the innumerable Iraqi lives lost and destroyed continue to bring dishonor to the precious name of democracy.

Third, against this backdrop of violence and manipulation, the current federal budget, with its cuts in social programs and attempt to privatize Social Security while increasing tax breaks that reward the wealthiest citizens, represents a domestic war on the poor and middle class. This budget supports the dual violence of war, which is the use of resources to kill abroad while depleting social programs at home. We raise this concern for justice for the poor of the world as one great unifying theme in the religions of the world which call for those in power to care for the most vulnerable among us.

Therefore, out of our diverse faith traditions, in humble prayer, we issue these demands:

1. We call for the immediate withdrawal of American troops from Iraq by the ceasing of all U.S. military action and the deployment of U.S. troops to the borders of Iraq.
2. We demand that no U.S. military bases are left behind to insure that no vestiges of occupation remain.
3. We call upon the U.S. and its interests to relinquish all control over reconstruction funds including Iraqi ministries, new police and security forces in support of Iraqi sovereignty and reparations. This relinquishment means termination of contracts with U.S. companies and the turning over of projects to Iraqis, while providing transparent accounting for all contracts, including all oil contracts.
4. We call for full funding for Veteran Affairs to provide psychological counseling, health care, and benefits to returning Iraq war veterans and their families as an expression of care for those who have gone to war.
5. We call upon our government to honor the rights of those in the armed forces who seek conscientious objector status until such a time that the war has ended.

It is with our faith in a higher power and our traditions of religious dissent that we strongly urge our government to honor the voice of the faithful and bring our troops home now. Out of our faith commitments, we will continue to speak out about the immorality of the war and occupation of Iraq.

Signers

• Bishop Michael Banks, Mennonite Church of New York
• Rev. Edie Beaujon, New York Theological Seminary
• Rabbi Leonard I. Beerman, Leo Baeck Temple
• Dr. Rita Nakashima Brock , Co-Director, Faith Voices for the Common Good
• Rev. Michael Caine, New York Conference, United Church of Christ
• Pat Clark, Executive Director, Fellowship of Reconciliation
• Rev. John Collins, Methodist Federation for Social Action
• Chuck Currie, Seminarian, United Church of Christ
• Neena M. Das, NYC Campaign for a Religious Freedom Peace Tax Fund
• Dr. James M. Dunn, Professor of Christianity and Public Policy, Wake Forest University Divinity School
• Rev. S. Emmanuel Epps, St. Stephen Outreach, Inc.
• The Rev. Dr. Thom White Wolf Fassett, Emeritus General Secretary, General Board of Church and Society, The United Methodist Church
• Ethan Vesely-Flad, Editor, "The Witness" Magazine
• Rev. Dr. Robert Michael Franklin, Presidential Distinguished Professor of Social Ethics, Emory University
• Rev. Dr. David Frenchak, President, Seminary Consortium for Urban Pastoral Education
• Rev. James Gertmenian, Senior Minister, Plymouth Congregational Church
• The Right Reverend Maximus Gregorios, Community of Inner Light
• Dr. Susannah Heschel, Chair, Jewish Studies, Dartmouth University
• Dr. Joseph C. Hough, President, Union Theological Seminary
• Rabbi Steven Jacobs, Rabbi, Kol Tikvah Temple
• Rev. Dr. Earl Kooperkamp, Pastor, St. Mary's Episcopal Church
• Rabbi Douglas E. Krantz, Congregation B'nai Yisrael
• Nazir Khaja M.D, Chairman, Islamic Information Service, Los Angeles
• Dr. Michael Kinnamon, Miller Professor of Mission and Peace , Eden Theological Seminary
• Rev. Ken Brooker Langston , Director, Disciples Justice Action Network (Disciples of Christ)
• Rabbi Michael Lerner, Editor, Tikkun Magazine
• Bill Marx, Volunteer Coordinator, Pax Christi Western NY Region
• Eric McFadden, President, Catholics for Faithful Citizenship
• Rev. Dr. Albert M. Pennybacker, Chair/CEO, Clergy and Laity Network
• Rev. Osagyefo Uhuru Sekou, National Coordinator, Clergy and Laity Concerned about Iraq
• Cindy Sheehan, Co-founder, Gold Star Families for Peace
• Rev. Fredrick Streets, Chaplin, Yale University
• David Wildman , Board of Global Ministries, United Methodist Church
• Rev. Nathan D. Wilson, Minister, Clintonville Christian Church
• Dr. Cornel West, Professor of Religion, Princeton University
• Rev. Terrance Yearwood, Hip Hop Caucus

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