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CMEP writes Powell on Iraq
~July 10, 2003~
July 10, 2003 (printed on CMEP letterhead)
The Honorable Colin Powell
Secretary of State
Secretary Powell:
Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) is a coalition of the
Washington-based public policy offices for 18 denominations and church
organizations.
We appreciate your recent diplomatic efforts to move forward the "road
map" and are hopeful that this framework will lead to a just and
lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians.
In this regard, we are concerned that current developments in Iraq
could undermine further progress on the road map. As you know,
instability in one part of the Middle East can have significant impact
on other parts of the region.
Several member organizations of Churches for Middle East Peace are
engaged in relief work in Iraq and are well aware of just how volatile
the situation is. The Christian community in Iraq feels especially
vulnerable. It is urgent that ordinary Iraqis experience immediate
improvements in their daily lives and that security and stability be
restored. News reports in recent weeks make it unmistakably clear
that the United States cannot do the job alone -- in part because of
the enormity of the task, but also because many Iraqis resent the
visible U.S. occupation and are suspicious about U.S. motives for
being there.
We believe that the United States should bear significant
responsibility for rebuilding Iraq's war-damaged infrastructure. But
we also urge the Bush administration to invite the United Nations to
play a much more prominent, if not the lead, role in broader
reconstruction efforts. As an international body, the United
Nations is uniquely equipped to help restore stability, to assist in
forming a new Iraqi government and to strengthen critical elements of
civil society.
We hope that you will use the good influence of your office as
Secretary of State to urge the President to move in this direction.
Sincerely,
Executive Committee of Churches for Middle East Peace
The Rev. Stan DeBoe, OSST
The Rev. Mark B. Brown
Catherine Gordon
James H. Matlack
Jere Myrick Skipper |
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~ Churches for Middle East Peace -- 110 Maryland Ave., NE #311 -
Washington, DC - 20002 -- 1-202-543-1222 ~
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