There's Still Time to Call in About Iraq Hearings!

Aside from the peae organizations, many news reporters (NYTimes, Boston Globe, Washington Post, etc.) are either leaking critical strategic info or are reporting top military officials who strongly question a war in Iraq.

We can make a difference!

There is still time to call!!

National Call-in Day
Tuesday, July 30, 2002

Urgent Action Alert
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I. Update - Hearings on Military Plans for Iraq NEXT WEEK
II. TAKE ACTION - National CALL IN DAY MONDAY 7/29/02
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These hearings will be the first public congressional debate on President Bush’s war plans for Iraq. Unfortunately, the hearings could be used to further war plans by only calling pro-invasion witnesses or by those present asking only superficial questions. In order to ensure fair and balanced hearings, Congress needs to hear from you.

TAKE ACTION – National Call in Day Tuesday July 30th!

CALL the offices of
SEN. JOSEPH BIDEN (D-DE) 202-224-5042
SEN. JESSE HELMS (R-NC) 202-224-6342
and DEMAND FAIR HEARINGS by ensuring a balanced range of witnesses (see list below).

If your senator sits on the FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE (listed below), call and implore them to ask these difficult questions:

WHY?
+ What has Iraq done since 1990 to justify risking the lives of hundreds of thousands of American servicemen and women – and millions of Iraqi civilians – in a new war?
+ What is the hard evidence linking Iraq to the September 11 attacks?
+ How can we make sure that UNMOVIC and other UN arms control programs will return to Iraq, an action that can both prevent war and lift economic sanctions?
+ As a signatory to the UN Charter and member of the Security Council, how will a unilateral invasion be justified under international law?

AT WHAT COST?
+ What will happen once Saddam Hussein is removed?
+ What are the expected numbers of civilian casualties?
+ How many troops will be required and what are plans for force protection?
+ What will be the cost to taxpayers and where will the money come from?
+ What will be the impact on the international effort to bring those truly responsible for 9/11 to justice?
+ Are we prepared to stay and commit resources for 5 or more years for nation building efforts in Iraq?

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Roster:

Chair Joseph Biden (D-DE) 202-224-5042
Ranking Member Jesse Helms (R-NC) 202-224-6342

(And alphabetized by state)

Barbara Boxer (D-CA) 202-224-3553
Christopher Dodd (D-CT) 202-224-2823
Bill Nelson (D-FL) 202-224-5274
Richard Lugar (R-IN) 202-224-4814
Sam Brownback (R-KS) 202-224-6521
John Kerry (D-MA) 202-224-2742
Paul Sarbanes (D-MD) 202-224-4524
Paul Wellstone (D-MN) 202-224-5641
Chuck Hagel (R-NE) 202-224-4224
Robert Torricelli (D-NJ) 202-224-3224
Gordon Smith (R-OR) 202-224-3753
Lincoln Chafee (R-RI) 202-224-2921
Bill Frist (R-TN) 202-224-4944
George Allen (R-VA) 202-224-4024
Russ Feingold (D-WI) 202-224-5323
John Rockefeller (D-WV) 202-224-6472
Michael Enzi (R-WY) 202-224-3424

Recommendations for witnesses should be sent directly to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The telephone number is 202-224-4651. Names of witnesses can be faxed to 202-228-1612 attn: Puneet Talwar. It should include your location and phone number to assist the committee.

Witnesses who will provide critical perspectives of the Administration’s war plans include:

Scott Ritter – Former UNSCOM Weapons Inspector in Iraq
Edward Peck – Former Ambassador to Iraq
Tun Myat – Former U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator in Iraq (2000-2002)
Hans Von Sponeck – Former U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator in Iraq (1998-2000)
Denis Halliday – Former U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator in Iraq (1997-1998)
Richard Falk – Princeton University Professor of International Law
Laith Kubba – Iraqi intellectual, National Endowment for Democracy
Louis Fisher, PhD – Author and War Powers Expert, Congressional Research Service
Brent Scowcroft - Former U.S. National Security Adviser

To contact your elected officials via email regarding hearings on Iraq, follow NETWORK's (a Catholic Social Justice Lobby)link http://www.networklobby.org/hotnews.htmClick on Take Legislative Action, enter your zipcode, click on Hold Fair and Balanced Hearings on Iraq, modify, fill in letter and send to your elected officials.

As we approach the twelve year anniversary of the first time a UN member state invaded another UN member state (i.e. Iraq's invasion of Kuwait), we must ensure the U.S. does not repeat history.

<<Special thanks to Harry Scott who provided essential help with this alert>>

EPIC Alerts
Education for Peace in Iraq Center
1101 Pennsylvania Avenue SE
Washington, DC 20003 USA
Tel.: 202.543.6176
Fax: 202.543.0725

http://www.epic-usa.org
EPICmedia [at] igc.org

http://www.michaelmoore.com/
http://www.epic-usa.org/
http://www.democracynow.org/
http://www.endthewar.org/default-new.htm
http://www.webactive.com/pacifica/demnow/dn20020729.html
http://indymedia.ie/cgi-bin/newswire.cgi?id=8487 (Ireland IMC)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A10749-2002Jul27.html (Washington Post)
http://www.commondreams.org/views02/0721-02.htm (Boston Globe)
http://dc.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=26031&group=webcast (DC Indymedia - NYT