RESOLUTION ON THE USE OF FORCE AGAINST IRAQ

September 2002

• WHEREAS the Humboldt County Democratic Central Committee is responsible for representing the values and interests of Democratic voters in Humboldt County;
• WHEREAS members of the Humboldt County Democratic Central Committee are publicly elected and constitute a diverse body of community leaders with demonstrated knowledge of civic issues and commitment to public service;
• WHEREAS there are over 30,000 registered Democratic voters in Humboldt County, making the Democratic Party the largest civic organization on California’s North Coast;
• WHEREAS the possibility of war between the United States of America and the Republic of Iraq is a matter of great concern to Humboldt County Democrats;
• WHEREAS the consequences of such a war could include the loss of American lives, the deaths of innocent Iraqi civilians, damage to United States diplomatic relations with countries throughout the Arab and Muslim world, diminished cooperative international efforts to reduce international terrorism, dangerously high global energy prices, and increased ethnic and religious violence in the Middle East;
• WHEREAS a congressional authorization for the President to use force that would result in the overthrow of another government is tantamount to a declaration of war, a power constitutionally reserved to Congress, and one which cannot be deferred or delegated to the President;
• WHEREAS embarking on such a war without broad international support and participation defies international laws and standards of decent, civilized behavior;
• WHEREAS, the United States and the international community have not yet exhausted peaceful means to resolve the issues of Iraqi compliance with United Nations Security Council resolutions, which if successful, would provide knowledge about the true extent of potential threats posed by Iraq;
• WHEREAS the Administration has failed to justify the human and financial cost of attacking Iraq, which must be based on either an objectively imminent threat posed by Iraq or a preeminent role that Iraq plays in supporting terrorism;
• WHEREAS the use of force by the United States against another government under these circumstances undermines the democratic principles of this great republic to uphold justice, liberty and human rights;
• WHEREAS the sudden and relentless emphasis on this issue by the Republican Party, the President and his administration just before a critical national election diverts public attention away from other vitally important issues including corporate fraud, the growing national debt, health care reforms and preserving Social Security;

1. Now, therefore, be it RESOLVED that the Humboldt County Democratic Central Committee hereby opposes the preemptive use of force or a Congressional resolution authorizing such a use of force against Iraq or any sovereign nation without independently verified evidence of an imminent threat, due consideration of the short- and long-term consequences noted above, and the exhaustion of all peaceful means to remedy the situation;
2. Be it further RESOLVED that the Humboldt County Democratic Central Committee calls upon the President and his administration to fully participate in international collaborative efforts to peacefully ensure Iraqi compliance with United Nations resolutions; and
3. Be it further RESOLVED that the Humboldt County Democratic Central Committee calls upon our elected officials to pursue domestic policies that reduce our dependence on energy imports and support foreign policies that consistently respect and support human rights, national sovereignty, and international efforts to reduce poverty; and
4. Be it further RESOLVED that copies of this resolution be sent to our elected officials, the local media and civic organizations.

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