Resolution to St Petersburg,Florida City Council Against US Military Action in Iraq

A RESOLUTION OPPOSING UNITED STATES’ MILITARY ACTION
AGAINST IRAQ

WHEREAS, the people of the United States have already
suffered grievous loss of life and well-being as a
result of the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001;
and
WHEREAS, the Bush Administration is waging a
propaganda campaign against the regime of Saddam
Hussein to justify war by the United States against
Iraq; and
WHEREAS, the Bush administration has failed to present
convincing evidence that Iraq poses a military threat
to the United States; and
WHEREAS, former United Nations weapons inspectors,
other experts, and world leaders have contested the
Bush Administration’s claim that indisputable evidence
exists of Iraq’s present possession of nuclear weapons
and immediate ability to deploy such weapons; and
WHEREAS, a war to remove Saddam Hussein is the most
credible scenario that would cause Iraq to use any
weapons of mass destruction that it might possess; and

WHEREAS, the United States already is conducting
military action, including aerial bombardment of Iraqi
territory, without basis in international law or
United Nations’ resolutions; and
WHEREAS, a United States war against Iraq threatens to
destabilize the entire Middle East region, possibly
resulting in regional war; and
WHEREAS, a United States war against Iraq would
significantly increase oil prices and boost corporate
profits while detrimentally affecting the world
economy; and
WHEREAS, the Bush Administration has failed to build
an international consensus in support of United States
military action, with European and Middle East allies,
Japan, Russia and China opposing unilateral United
States military action; and
WHEREAS, war should not be undertaken unilaterally by
the United States or other parties; and
WHEREAS, past military conflict in the region resulted
in widespread environmental destruction, the effects
of which have not yet been mitigated or understood;
and
WHEREAS, past military conflict in the region resulted
in widespread damage to the civilian infrastructure of
Iraq and widespread suffering and death of Iraqi
civilians; and
WHEREAS, the United States has been the primary
force behind twelve years of non-military sanctions
against Iraq that have resulted in the death of over
500,000 children under age five due to inadequate
water, food, and medicine, according to UNICEF and
other international relief organizations; and
WHEREAS, humane, international diplomatic efforts
should be the preferred means to resolve international
conflicts; and
WHEREAS, war should be a last resort; and
WHEREAS, Article 1, Section 8 of the United States
Constitution requires that Congress must debate and
vote on whether to declare war on Iraq;
WHEREAS, the government of Iraq has agreed to
unconditional return of international weapons
inspectors to determine Iraq’s compliance with United
National Security Council resolutions concerning the
development of weapons of mass destruction by Iraq;
and
WHEREAS, the ultimate security of the United States is
dependent on creating the conditions of life for all
nations, working together cooperatively, that will
eliminate poverty, injustice, inequality,
environmental degradation and other factors that breed
war and terrorism; and
WHEREAS, the citizens and their local elected
officials have the constitutional right to petition
the national government on this matter of grave
concern to our community as part of the national and
international debate now underway; and
WHEREAS, there is a spirited debate on the possibility
of war on Iraq and there is a wide range of opinions
in the United States about the advisability and likely
consequences of war with Iraq; and
WHEREAS, the City Council cannot speak for all
residents but has been asked by hundreds of people to
speak out on this momentous issue facing our nation;
and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the City Council:
1. HEREBY reaffirms the articles of the United Nations
Charter and the principles of international law on the
peaceful resolution of disputes; and
2. HEREBY expresses our opposition to the United
States’ continued and threatened violation of United
Nations Charter and of international law by its
unilateral, preemptive military action against the
nation of Iraq, and
3. HEREBY opposes continuing non-military sanctions,
continuing United States’ military action against
Iraq, and proposed escalated military action by the
United States against Iraq; and
4. HEREBY urges the Bush Administration and our
federal representatives to actively support United
Nations’ diplomatic efforts to support and encourage
democracy and respect for human rights in Iraq and all
nations.
5) HEREBY urges the Bush Administration and our
representatives in Congress to work with and through
the United Nations to obtain compliance by Iraq with
United Nations Security Council resolutions concerning
the development by Iraq of weapons of mass destruction
and to support fully the return of international
weapons inspectors to Iraq for that purpose; and
6) BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that no war against Iraq be
undertaken at any time by the United States without
the agreement of the United Nations Security Council
under the United Nations Charter, and without a full
debate and vote in the United States Congress under
Article 1, Section 8 of the United States
Constitution.