Scientists Condemn US-UK March to War on Iraq
(SGR Statement
14.03.03)
FROM: Scientists for Global Responsibility
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SGR condemns the impending attack that US and UK forces are planning on
Iraq. As scientists we are particularly disturbed that the UN weapons
inspectors have not been given adequate time and resources to carry out
their job. Despite this they are making significant progress in
identifying, and where necessary destroying, Iraqi illegal weapons. SGR
further opposes a US-UK attack on Iraq because:
1. Without UN backing and without an imminent threat of attack by Iraq,
such an attack is an aggressive act, illegal and in breach of the UN
Charter.
2. According to the UN's own report, the war is likely to cause tens of
thousands of Iraqi deaths, hundreds of thousands of injuries and
millions
of refugees. The planned attack includes use of area wide cluster
munitions;
the enormous and indiscriminate area destruction weapon, the MOAB (a
huge
21 ton bomb similar to the "Daisy Cutter" used in Vietnam); widespread
use
of radioactive and poisonous depleted uranium munitions; fuel air
explosives
and intense aerial bombardment of urban areas; and attacks upon
civilian
infrastructure, including electricity supplies vitally needed for
hospitals
and water supplies.
3. The ensuing war is likely to destabilise the already volatile Middle
East and cause an increase in terrorist attacks against Western targets.
4. There is no provision in any of the war plans for protecting the
quasi-independent Kurdish state in Northern Iraq. In fact the deal
which has fallen through with the Turkish Government would have led to
further suppression of the Kurds
who have already suffered in Eastern Turkey.
5. The continuing instability in Afghanistan does not bode well for
post-attack Iraq. Warlords are still in control of much of the west of
Afghanistan, a
low-intensity civil war continues, even the progress made in in the
east of the country is in danger of unravelling.
6.There are better ways to spend the billions of pounds / dollars that
this war will cost: - providing clean water - cancelling of Third-World
debt - providing life-saving medicines, especially to the poor -
peace-building activities in Palestine, Kashmir and other similar areas
of conflict - making safe the hundreds of kilograms of nuclear weapons
material held insecurely, e.g. in Russia - funding development and
deployment of environmentally-friendly technologies All these options
would build longer term security based upon greater justice and
equality. Even if a second UN Resolution is somehow agreed,
its validity and the integrity of the UN will have to be questioned
because
of the intense financial and political pressure applied by the US
Administration
to the small countries currently on the Security Council. Any such
offers
should be made public so that citizens can judge for themselves the
probity
of UN decision-making.
ENDS
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Scientists for Global Responsibility (SGR) is an independent UK-based
organisation of scientists and engineers promoting ethical science and
technology. SGR PO Box 473 FOLKESTONE CT20 1GS Tel.: 07771 883696
E-mail: sgr@gn.apc.org Web Site: http://www.sgr.org.uk
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