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Open letter calling on Ohio House of Representatives to vote on Iraqi refugee resolution
by Greg Coleridge and Dana Williams
March 15, 2007

The Northeast Ohio American Friends Service Committee [AFSC], a Quaker social action organization, calls on the Ohio House of Representatives to take up the recently-passed state Senate resolution welcoming Iraqi refugees to Ohio. This is a timely moment to address this humanitarian concern. Next Monday, March 19, 2007 marks the 4th anniversary of the launch of the war, invasion and occupation of Iraq.

The AFSC believes Ohio’s reputation in the eyes of the world can be enhanced by agreeing to accept people who have fled from the violence and destruction of their nation following 4 years of US military occupation. We believe it is, indeed, the responsibility of our nation to accept the responsibility for our actions. Therefore, the Northeast Ohio AFSC calls for the Ohio House of Representatives to pass the Ohio Senate resolution – but only after adding the following “Whereas” clauses.

“WHEREAS, The original invasion, war and occupation was based on supposed ‘facts’ that Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein had a working relationship, that Hussein and the Iraqi government had connections to the September 11, 2001 US attacks, that Iraq possessed Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs), and that Iraqi WMD’s posed an imminent threat to the US. All these ‘facts’ turned out to be fiction, untruths, lies.”

“WHEREAS, the US ‘shock and awe’ attack, invasion, and occupation has resulted over 4 years in the deaths of 655,000 Iraqis, and destruction of their economy and environment.”

“WHEREAS, most Iraqis would prefer to live in Iraq, not relocate to Ohio, Oklahoma or Ontario – however the illegal invasion, unwinnable war and unending occupation has made their country unstable and, in many ways, unlivable – forcing people who can afford so to leave. The UN estimates that up to 2 million Iraqis have fled to other countries and another 1.8 million have been internally displaced.”

“WHEREAS, the Iraq war, invasion and occupation has resulted, to date, in the deaths of 156 Ohio troops and injuries to at least 1100 Ohio troops.”

“WHEREAS, 14.2 billion tax dollars from Ohio alone, to date, has been spent on the Iraq war and occupation – money that could have been used for education, health care, infrastructure improvements, housing, jobs and other services enhancing the social and economic security of all Ohioans.”

AFSC also calls on the Ohio House of Representatives to add the following “THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED” sections to the resolution:

“THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the state of Ohio believes the best means in the long run to prevent further refugees from leaving Iraq is to call on the federal government to bring all Ohio and US troops home now and end the illegal war and occupation.”

“THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the state of Ohio calls on the federal government to pay for the cost of any relocation of Iraqi refugees to Ohio and to pay reparations to the Iraqi people for launching an illegal war against their nation.”

“THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the state of Ohio calls on the federal government to oppose further funding of the war and occupation and redirect those funds toward meeting the social and economic security needs of Ohioans.”

AFSC believes the Ohio Senate resolution with these additions, if passed by the Ohio House of Representatives, would represent a full understanding of the Iraqi refugee issue and the sincerity of all Ohioans in accepting responsibility for the impact of US military actions in Iraq. Ohio’s reputation in the eyes of the world would surely be enhanced.

For more information, feel free to contact us:

Greg Coleridge
Director, Economic Justice & Empowerment Program
Phone: 330-928-2301
Email: GColeridge@afsc.org

Dana Williams
Co-Clerk, Economic Justice & Empowerment Program
Phone: 330-253-5847
Email: dana@riseup.net

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The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) is a Quaker social action organization and recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1947 for its post-WWII relief and reconstruction work.

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