NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #18/NN_1992_18.iso/spool/misc/activism/progress/5944

Text File | 1992-08-20 | 3.5 KB | 79 lines

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Path: sparky!uunet!gumby!wupost!mont!pencil.cs.missouri.edu!rich
From: [e-mail] (Rich Winkel)
Subject: CALL FOR ACTION TO PREVENT CAMPAIGN KILLINGS
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/** mideast.action: 38.0 **/
** Topic: WRL Call against US attack on Iraq **
** Written 10:31 pm  Aug 18, 1992 by cscheiner in cdp:mideast.action **
    A CALL FOR ACTION TO PREVENT CAMPAIGN KILLINGS

From David McReynolds, War Resisters League, USA

On Sunday, August 16, the N.Y. Times carried a front page story based on
U.S. government sources that charged the U.S. planned to provoke a
confrontation with Iraq on the opening day of the GOP convention to help
Bush in the polls.

Despite the heated denials by Bush, there is no question in my mind that
such a provocation was planned and leaked to the N.Y. Times by sources
high in the Pentagon which resented finding itself used to help a
politician secure his hold on office.

Bush is in a desperate situation, the Republican Party is in a state of
panic, and we need to remember that Bush is the man who has said "I will
do whatever is necessary to win" - and the record suggests that he will
do everything he can to cause the death of Saddam before the election.
(The Gulf War, which had been enormously popular a year ago, has now
become a painful story for Bush, because, a the Democrats point out,
"Saddam is still there, thumbing his nose at the world").

If this fax concerned only a cynical ploy by Bush to kill a number of
Iraqis while trying to get Saddam, it would be cause for alarm but mainly
for U.S. groups.  What makes this an international issue is that Bush is
using the UN as his chosen tool - and peace groups in every country
should protest at the further damage that will be done the UN if it
becomes no more than a prop in the domestic political campaigns in the
United States!

The N.Y. Times reported today that "A United Nations official said ties
between the commission (the inspection commission) and the United States
were so close that inspection teams returning from Iraq typically meet
with American officials _before reporting to the Security Council_." Both
the French and British governments are believed to support the bombing
raids.

Saddam is no angel and I hold no brief for him.  But the situation of the
people of Iraq, including the Shiites and Kurds, is much worse since the
UN action of last year than before.  The sanctions are causing hardship
to ordinary people and should be ended.  The war is over.  At a time when
starvation is loose in Somalia, and when people die every day in the
tragedy of what had been Yugoslavia, it is quite literally obscene for
the U.S. to use the UN for domestic political purposes.  If you live in
the U.S., get hold of your member of Congress.  If you are in other
countries, contact your government, your UN association, and make your
voice heard.  Whether Bush wins or loses an election is not important -
whether children die for his campaign is important.  Help prevent it!

David McReynolds
War Resisters League
339 Lafayette Street
New York, New York 10012 USA
[phone]    Fax:[phone]

August 18, 1992


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