Today, President Bush declared that war with Iraq is “inevitable”, and  Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld declared that Iraq’s destruction of the Al Samoud missiles is just for show. This war is a test of the Bush doctrine of “preemption” which will change the nature of international relations for all time. Meanwhile, Pope John Paul, the US bishops and numerous other faith traditions have declared that this war does not meet the standards of a just war.

THE JUST WAR TRADITION
The just war tradition presumes that war is evil and should be avoided.  If  war cannot be avoided, it must at least be limited.  While this tradition was intended to restrain Christian participation in war, today it is used by governments to support their war efforts.
 
The Catechism of the Catholic Church enumerates strict conditions for a “just war” which require “rigorous consideration.”  These conditions must be applied at “one and the same time” (cf. nos 2302-2317).
1. Just Cause – the damage inflicted by the aggressor on the nation or community of nations must be lasting, grave and certain.
2. Last resort – all other means of putting an end to it must have shown to be impractical.
3. Probability of Success – there must be serious prospects of success.
4. Proportionality – the use of arms must not produce evils and disorders graver than the evil to be eliminated.  The power of modern means of destruction weighs heavily in evaluating this condition.
5. Discrimination – there must be a distinction between combatants and noncombatants.  (While the Catechism considers discrimination to be of secondary importance, most just war theorists consider it essential.)

Clearly, the US is committed to an unjust war, which will take the lives of thousands, put at great risk the majority of the population of Iraq, especially those millions dependent on government rations, fuel greater instability in the region, provoke greater hatred and retaliation against the US and US citizens, and give license to other nations to act “preemptively” against whomever they wish (Russia against Chechnya, Israel against the Palestinians, Turkey against the Kurds, etc.).

ACTIONS
1. A national moratorium has been declared for Ash Wednesday, March 5 by numerous social and religious organizations throughout the country.  Everyone is being asked to stop their day to day activities (school, work, etc.).  You and I are asked to consider what line we have not yet crossed to show our determination to stop this war.  On Ash Wednesday, we are being asked to cross it in large and small acts of courage. For example, teachers can give their students the day off to participate in various anti war activities, students can leave class for such purposes, workers can call in sick and join others in leafleting, everyone can wear a black arm band to show opposition to war, etc.  (For other suggestions, see http://www.moratoriumtostopwar.org  or  http://mar5.chicagohumanist.org/ )

2. Instruct those who are members of the military to refuse to follow unjust orders to go to war.  To do otherwise will be to expose themselves to grievous sin and make themselves subject to prosecution for crimes against peace. (Nuremberg taught us that following orders is not justification for war crimes.)

3. Use the following example of “a call to soldiers to lay down their arms” to send a letter to the editor, contact your local church leaders, to leaflet locally at military establishments, etc.

SAMPLE LETTER/LEAFLET
Dear Editor,

Pope John Paul II, the US Bishops and numerous other religious bodies have declared that the pending US war with Iraq does not meet the standards of a just war, especially regarding just cause, imminent threat and last resort. (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, nos. 2302-2317) As such, it is a war of aggression and merits condemnation.  That is to say, not only is it wrong for the US government to call for this war, but it is wrong for any person to participate in it, if I read moral standards correctly.

It was, I believe, this truth that led Abp. Romero to call upon the members of the Salvadorean military to lay down their weapons and stop the repression of their own people, just days before he was executed in March 1980 by a US backed terrorist, I might add.

In this same spirit, as a (member the US Catholic Church, teacher, parent, etc.) I call upon all Catholic members of the US Armed Forces to lay down their weapons and to refuse participate in this immoral war.  Not to do so will expose them to grievous sin.  I also call upon all officials of the Catholic church to make such a call, in their (arch)diocese, parish, school, etc., and to use every means at their disposal to communicate this message to those forces within the US and already deployed overseas, be that via newspaper, radio and TV.  Not to do so will make them responsible, in part, for the sins of those who will be carrying out immoral orders.  After all, what does it mean to love the members of ones military, not to mention the people of Iraq.

I realize that such a call will seem unpatriotic to some and will place church officials in a vulnerable position. As followers of Christ, we can do no other.

Regards,