Scientists Condemn US-UK March to War on Iraq (SGR Statement
14.03.03)
FROM: Scientists for Global Responsibility {page
added 16-03-03}
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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