Global Greens Statement on a War With Iraq

FEBRUARY 2003

Greens all over the world re-assert their opposition to any armed intervention against Iraq.

The Global Greens continue to condemn the regime of Saddam Hussein, in particular its blatant violation of human rights and the rights of minorities such as the Kurdish people.

The preparedness of the United States, Britain and supporting governments to act unilaterally against Iraq, despite the fact that the United Nations weapons inspectors have been accepted by the Iraq government and are still at work, despite the fact that Iraq has not attacked any country and is not a threat to world and regional peace, reveals that the real purpose of such a war is to gain control of the world's second largest oil reserves and to install a regime sympathetic to the economic and political objectives of the United States and Britain. The United States is determined to protect its corporate oil interests and its huge energy consuming society and  lifestyle at any cost.

The Global Greens call on all governments in the Security Council of the United Nations to oppose or veto any decision in favour of armed conflict. 

The Global Greens support the French-German peace plan for Iraq, to be presented to the United Nations Security Council on 13 February 2003, and call on all governments to support it.

If the United States, Britain and other countries such as Australia attack Iraq without a United Nations mandate, the Global Greens call on all governments to refuse the involvement of their armed forces, and to refuse logistical support such as use of air corridors and harbours.

A war against Iraq will destabilise the whole Middle East region and is contrary to the spirit of the United Nations Charter and the Geneva Convention. We Greens are convinced that United Nations resolution 1441 can be implemented through means other than military intervention.

The Global Greens welcome the decision of Belgium, Germany and France to veto war preparations by NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) in Turkey.

The Global Greens appeal to members of the Security Council not to give the go ahead to any military attack on Iraq.

For more than ten years the implementation of an economic embargo has imposed huge suffering on the Iraqi people while failing to dislodge the government.

The Global Greens call for an immediate end to economic sanctions against Iraq. 

Greens all over the world together with citizens who want peace are determined to resist a war in Iraq.  We will continue to support and participate in the fast-growing worldwide movement against such a war. 

The Global Greens will oppose war against Iraq with every nonviolent means at our disposal.

GLOBAL GREENS STATEMENT

The Global Greens support the following statement adopted by the Coordinating Committee of the Green Party of the United States on September 19th, 2002:

Green Party of the United States Statement in Opposition to U.S. Plans to Invade Iraq The Green Party of the United States is adamantly opposed to President George W. Bush's plans to continue and expand military operations against Iraq. The Bush administration claims the invasion of Iraq would improve the security of citizens of the United States, but it would do just the opposite. A U.S. war on Iraq would undo decades of progress in international conflict resolution and make the world a more dangerous place for everyone. The United States should not undertake military operations against Iraq for the following reasons:

• An attack on Iraq would be illegal. The United States must hold to the highest standards and abide by international law if it expects other nations to do so. The United Nations Security Council has not authorized any military attacks on Iraq for its failure to cooperate with United Nations weapons inspectors. In fact, no UN Security Council resolutions concerning Iraq, including SC Resolution 688 of 1991, have ever authorized the "no-fly zones" over Iraq, declared unilaterally by the U.S. and Britain. Yet these two countries have bombed Iraq in these zones nearly daily for a decade.

• Peaceful means for addressing the possibility that Iraq is developing weapons of mass destruction have hardly been exhausted. The threat posed by Iraq must be confronted through multilateral action by the United Nations, and not by the U.S. acting alone. 

• Allies in the region of Iraq are opposed to the U.S. plans for an invasion. Anti-Americanism would be fueled further by U.S. military action. Terrorist activity against U.S. citizens would increase. Islamic countries would be less likely to cooperate with the U.S. in anti-terrorism strategies. 

• The overthrow of Saddam Hussein's regime through a U.S. invasion is unlikely to lead to a democratic government there. Iraqis, already suffering for a decade from the effects of UN sanctions, would be likely to suffer more in the ensuing chaos.

• There is no evidence that the security and safety of the United States are directly threatened by Iraq. Iraq has not been linked to Al Qaeda or other currently active anti-American terrorists. Even if such evidence were to be presented, unilateral attacks by the U.S. on Iraq would not be the most effective, legal or moral option available. 

• A war against Iraq would be immensely costly at a time when resources are desperately needed for the eradication of poverty both domestically and globally. We therefore urge our fellow citizens of the United States to raise their voices against the U.S. invasion of Iraq. 

We must encourage the President and Congress to build a true foundation for peace and security in these ways:

• Act in concert with the United Nations to address any potential security risks posed by the regime of Saddam Hussein. Support arms control initiatives in the entire Persian Gulf region, as already specified in UN Security Council Resolution 687.

• Take substantial steps to free our foreign policy from distortion by U.S. economic dependency on energy from non-renewable fossil fuels. Encourage energy conservation and invest heavily in the development of renewable energy.

• Shift investment from military spending to address the basic needs of humanity, both within the United States and around the globe: clean air and water, access to education and health care, adequate housing and transportation, and civil liberties. 

In sum, the Green Party's key value of non-violence implies that war is neither an effective nor justifiable means for resolving disputes between nations. The United States is in a position of unprecedented economic and military power in the global scene. We should use that power to work towards security and peace through justice, rather than through intimidation and military destruction.

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