Washington, DC, August 1 -- The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) today reiterated its strong opposition to plans circulating in Washington for a United States attack against Iraq.  ADC
stated that an unprovoked attack on Iraq is unjustified, unnecessary and fraught with dangers.  Yesterday, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee held hearings into the alleged threat that Iraq is supposed to pose, although the Committee only heard from voices advocating an attack. Numerous plans, scenarios and strategies for an attack have been leaked to the media.

ADC President Ziad Asali said, "We strongly feel that an attack on Iraq is not in the interests of the American people.  The last thing anyone needs is yet another war in the Middle East.  The people of Iraq have suffered under more than a decade of economic sanctions, routine bombing and international isolation.  It is hardly in their interests to now once again be bombed and attacked."  Asali added that, "Furthermore, there is no need for such a war, and the American people will be saddled with its financial and political consequences for years to come.  There is no reason of whatever to believe that Iraq had anything to do with the September 11th attacks on United States."  "Because this attack would be so unjustified," Asali said, "international opposition to it is almost unanimous.  It is opposed by our European allies, our Arab friends, and many of the highest-ranking officers in our own Armed Forces."

Asali continued, "Concerns about weapons of mass destruction can and should be dealt with diplomatically and are no justification for launching an unprovoked attack.  We agree with those who say that the Iraqi government is repressive and undemocratic, but the answer to that is to unleash rather than attack the Iraqi people."  "The most sensible thing the Bush administration could do is to begin to lift the economic sanctions that have cost so many innocent lives and have only served to make the Iraqi people completely dependent on the Saddam Hussein regime," he concluded.

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American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee
4201 Connecticut Ave., N.W., Suite 300
Washington, D.C. 20008, U.S.A.
Tel: (202) 244-2990, Fax: (202) 244-3196
E-mail: adc@adc.org
Web   : http://www.adc.org