The
Episcopal Peace Fellowship
637 S. Butterfield Ave.
Chicago IL 60605
July 19, 2007
The Honorable
.
U.S. Senate
Washington D.C. 20510
Dear Senator
..:
In October, 2002, the
Bishops of the Episcopal Church wrote to Congress expressing their opposition
to the imminent war with Iraq, calling for prudence and caution. Then, in Columbus, Ohio, at General Convention, the Episcopal Church in
General affirmed its opposition to the war in Iraq. The Bishops
in May, 2007, called on Congress to debate openly and honestly the on-going war
and implement policies that will end the violence in Iraq and bring stability and a just peace to the
region.
We, your fellow
Episcopalians and followers of Christ, call upon you to reflect on the words of
Convention and the Bishops. We ask you
to work unceasingly for the withdrawal of American military from Iraq, supporting legislation in accord with HR 2956,
the Responsible Redeployment from Iraq Act, which passed the House on July 12, 2007.
Several amendments to
the Defense Appropriation bill are before the Senate. We ask you to support those amendments
containing timetables for the withdrawal of American forces, believing that
four years of war, over 3650 Americans killed, over 29,000 grievously wounded,
and uncounted Iraqis killed and wounded are long enough.
We also believe that the
money spent in waging war in Iraq, estimated by the Congressional Research
Service at $2 billion a week which, when compared with the 2008 budget for the
entire Commerce Department ($6.6 billion); the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention ($8.8 billion); the FBI ($6.4 billion); the Army Corps of Engineers
($4.9 billion); the federal judiciary system ($6.1 billion) and the Environmental
Protection Agency ($7.9 billion), shows clearly how this war is challenging
American resources at home and abroad.
Our commitment to helping Africa fight
HIV/AIDS and malaria, our desire to provide health care for all our children
and to fully fund No-Child-Left-Behind all suffer from our excessive spending
on war.
It is time, as the
Prayer Book says, for no sword to be drawn but the sword of righteousness, no
strength known but the strength of love.
Yours in Christ,
