Four years ago, nearly every faith group in the United States and around the world urged President Bush to refrain from attacking Iraq. On September 12, 2002 Roman Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox leaders wrote the president ,

“U.S. military action at this time has great potential to further destabilize the region. It is likely that international support for the war on terrorism will erode if the United States attacks Iraq without a United Nations mandate. Militants in Arab and Islamic majority countries would seize the opportunity to incite people against not only the United States but also against governments that cooperate with the U.S. An invasion of, or intensified military action against, Iraq will divert attention from the need to seek ways to reduce international terrorism and will retard efforts to restore stability in Afghanistan.

“Rather than attacking Iraq, we urge that your priority in the Middle East be an Israeli-Palestinian ceasefire and peace settlement.”

That plea sounds rather prophetic today but it, along with many others, was ignored. The United States attacked Iraq 3 years, 6 months, and 1 day ago. Many in the faith community, myself included, fell silent as the government pursued this course.

It is now clear that everything the letter warned of has come to pass. The war has accomplished nothing, but has brought about great loss of American lives, an untold number of Iraqi deaths, and enormous suffering. Our children and our grandchildren will be paying the financial and moral bills for this war for years to come.

Now people of faith are looking at all of this and saying, “Enough!” Now is the time for all believers to put their faith into action, end their silence, and speak up for peace.

Coalition for Peace
contact: 402-499-6672
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