US opposition to war with Iraq growing

By Tim Wheeler

This article was reprinted from the February 21, 1998 issue of the People's Weekly World. For subscription information see below. All rights reserved - may be used with PWW credits.

WASHINGTON - Hundreds of demonstrators picketed the White House Feb. 11 to protest U.S. preparations for a bombing attack on Iraq and to demand that the U.S.-enforced economic blockade of that Persian Gulf nation be ended.

The protesters called for an end to sanctions against Iraq, and also chanted, "In the name of God, don't bomb Iraq!"

The crowd was swelled by a busload from Detroit including three college students of Iraqi background. "I was born in Baghdad," said Flora Romaya, a Michigan State University student. "I think its wonderful that so many people turned out." Her classmate Janice Bashi interjected, "We are demonstrating for the people. Too many innocent people are dying in Iraq."

Two busloads of middle school students from Bruderhof communities in Pennsylvania came, accompanied by Bruderhof leader Christoph Arnold.

There were also protesters from Baltimore and from Washington D.C. George Meyers, chair of the labor commission of the Communist Party USA, came from his Baltimore home.

"I am against bombing to protect oil company profits," Meyers said. "We should abolish all weapons of mass destruction including U.S. and Iraqi weapons."

Bishop Thomas Gumbleton of Detroit, who returned from a fact-finding mission to Iraq last September, decried the death of an estimated one million Iraqis from starvation and disease brought on by the U.S.-enforced economic blockade.

Looking frail from a hunger strike against what he called the "war on the Iraqi people," Gumbleton told a Lafayette Park rally, "Today is the seventh anniversary of the bombing of the Amariyah Shelter in Baghdad. The U.S. Air Force knew that hundreds of children took shelter there every night. They used one bomb to drill a hole through the five-foot-thick shelter followed by a bomb to kill everyone inside." That one bomb blast killed 1,500 women and children. Renewed bombing would kill thousands more, he said.

A few minutes later the Detroit priest joined in a civil disobedience sit-down on the sidewalk in front of the White House and was arrested. All the protesters were later released on their own recognizance.

During a rally outside the U.N. in New York, Sonya Ostrom of Metro New York Peace Action, said, "We strongly oppose the proposed military strikes against Iraq." And if Iraq's weapons facilities are to be inspected and dismantled, why not the U.S., Britain and France which have huge arsenals of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons.

There is growing opposition to the bombing and growing demands for a negotiated solution. Even Rep. Ron Paul (R- Texas), a conservative and former Air Force flight surgeon, has introduced emergency legislation to stop President Clinton from bombing Iraq. "There is absolutely no moral or constitutional reason to go to war with Iraq at this time," Paul said.

Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-Ga.) said, "How many people are we going to kill this time just because we don't want to set a precedent for having a country dictate ... who can do an inspection?"

All seven active U.S. Roman Catholic cardinals were among the 54 U.S. Catholic bishops who signed a letter to Clinton that bombings cannot be justified. The executive board of the National Council of Churches of Christ representing 34 Protestant and Orthodox denominations, sent a letter to Clinton urging him to seek a diplomatic solution.

Sam Husseini, leader of the American-Arab Anti- Discrimination Committee, said he is baffled by the type of diplomacy conducted by Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and President Clinton. "Comply or die. That's not diplomacy," he said.

Gordon Clark, executive director of Peace Action, said military action could scuttle Mideast peace efforts, spawn terrorism and increase the danger from chemical and biological weapons. "The only consequence we can be sure bombing will bring is that we will kill thousands more innocent people who have no control whatsoever over what Saddam Hussein does."