Anti-War Effort Gains Steam
City Council considers two anti-war resolutions

In response to a growing grassroots anti-war effort, the Los Angeles City Council has been considering a series of anti-war related resolutions.

The first one, sponsored by Councilmember Eric Garcetti, CD13, was a request to have the City declare the U.S. should not engage militarily in the current conflict with Iraq at all.

The second one, by Councilmember Tom LaBonge, CD4, requested the President of the United States as well as the U.S. Congress exhaust all diplomatic options available to them before committing any U.S. troops.

In the end, the two resolutions were combined in a single compromise resolution which is now before City Council.

Here is a report sent in by Suzanne Thompson, an anti-war activist, about the City Council vote on Tuesday, February 18. The resolution was one vote short of passage, and will be reconsidered in the session on Friday, February 21.

Below her report you'll find the current compromise resolution, followed by the two original proposals:

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R E S O L U T I O N

RESOLUTION REGARDING POSSIBLE U.S. MILITARY ACTION AGAINST IRAQ

WHEREAS, any official position of the City of Los Angeles with respect to legislation, rules, regulations or policies proposed to or pending before a local, state or federal governmental body or agency must have first been adopted in the form of a Resolution by the City Council with the concurrence of the Mayor; and

WHEREAS, the Congressional Budget Office estimates a military action against Iraq will cost the taxpayers of the nation between $9 billion and $13 billion a month, likely resulting in further cuts in federally funded projects and programs that benefit our city and its residents at a time when state and local governments are in crisis; and

WHEREAS, that cost would be borne by the people of the City of Los Angeles, who rely on federal funds for anti-poverty programs, for workforce assistance, for housing, for education programs, for infrastructure, and for the increased demands of homeland security; and

WHEREAS, we recognize that Saddam Hussein has perpetuated great human rights abuses with aims contrary to peace, and that the United Nations Security Council accordingly approved a program of weapons inspections; and

WHEREAS, the strength of NATO and of the United Nations rests on consensus and the rule of law; and

WHEREAS, the United States should make every effort to work within the United Nations framework and leave war as an option of last resort; and

WHEREAS, war in Iraq would take the lives of untold Iraqis, the vast majority of whom would be noncombatants; and

WHEREAS, California is home to more veterans than any other state in the nation, and Los Angeles has 597 employees, including 271 Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers, on military reserve who stand to be called to active duty, and as veterans and patriots these brave men and women know well the consequences of war and the human costs involved; and

WHEREAS, we support and appreciate the U. S. military personnel and law enforcement officials serving at home and abroad against global and local terrorism; and

WHEREAS, this unquestionable pride in and support for these brave men and women, who know well the human costs of war, prevent us from sending them off to war easily or lightly before exhausting all diplomatic means to avoid combat, and

WHEREAS, the Council should work towards improving the quality of life for all and enhancing public safety in Los Angeles and improving the City's ability to prevent and respond to terrorist attacks,

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, with the concurrence of the Mayor, that by the adoption of this Resolution, the City of Los Angeles URGES the President of the United States to exhaust all diplomatic options available in dealing with the growing crisis in Iraq and exercise great caution before resorting to using military force; and OPPOSES a unilateral war against Iraq.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, with the concurrence of the Mayor, that by the adoption of this Resolution, the City of Los Angeles hereby includes in its 2003-2004 Federal Legislative Program support for federal funding for the initiatives outlined in correspondence attached to the file and support for H.R. 764, the First Responders Expedited Assistance Act, any other similar legislation that would provide additional funding to first responders in the City.

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Original resolutions below:

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Eric Garcetti - R E S O L U T I O N

RESOLUTION REGARDING POSSIBLE U.S. MILITARY ACTION AGAINST IRAQ

WHEREAS, any official position of the City of Los Angeles with respect to legislation, rules, regulations or policies proposed to or pending before a local, state or federal governmental body or agency must have first been adopted in the form of a Resolution by the City Council with the concurrence of the Mayor; and

WHEREAS, the United States is poised on the brink of a war against Iraq; and

WHEREAS, generation after generation has recognized that war brings great suffering to combatants and non-combatants, leaves human, social, and environmental devastation beyond recognition, and must only be seen as a last resort to resolve disputes among nations and people; and

WHEREAS, the Congressional Budget Office estimates a military action against Iraq will cost the taxpayers of the nation between $9 billion and $13 billion a month, likely resulting in further cuts in federally funded projects and programs that benefit our city and its residents at a time when state and local governments are in crisis; and

WHEREAS, that cost would be borne by the people of the city of Los Angeles, who rely on federal funds for anti-poverty programs, for workforce assistance, for housing, for education programs, for infrastructure, and for the increased demands of homeland security; and

WHEREAS, we recognize that Saddam Hussein has perpetuated great human rights abuses and is a despot with aims contrary to peace, and that the United Nations Security Council accordingly approved a program of weapons inspections; and

WHEREAS, a preemptive attack by any nation acting alone sets a dangerous precedent for the international community, and undermines the international law that the United States has helped build since the end of World War II; and

WHEREAS, the "first-strike" use of nuclear weapons in such a war, as proposed by members of the Administration, would create instability and a precedent for destructiveness that has thus far remained outside of the realm of possibility; and

WHEREAS, war in Iraq would take the lives of untold Iraqis, the vast majority of whom would be noncombatants; and

WHEREAS, our unquestionable pride in and support for the men and women of the Armed Services prevents us from supporting their deaths in an unjustified war;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, with the concurrence of the Mayor, that by the adoption of this Resolution, the City of Los Angeles hereby includes in its 2003-2004 Federal Legislative Program SUPPORT for all international diplomatic efforts to resolve the current conflict with Iraq, and OPPOSES a unilateral war against Iraq.

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Tom LaBonge - R E S O L U T I O N

RESOLUTION REGARDING POSSIBLE U.S. MILITARY ACTION AGAINST IRAQ

WHEREAS, any official position of the City of Los Angeles with respect to legislation, rules, regulations, or policies proposed to or pending before a local, state, or federal governmental body or agency must first have been adopted in the form of a Resolution by the City Council with the concurrence of the Mayor; and

WHEREAS, on October 11, 2002 the United States Senate voted 77-23 to authorize the President to use military force against Iraq if he deems necessary, stating "The President is authorized to use all means that he determines to be appropriate, including force, in order to enforce the United Nations Security Council Resolutions referenced above, defend the national security interests of the United States against the threat posed by Iraq, and restore international peace and security in the region"; and

WHEREAS, the President and the Congress based this decision on their shared belief that Iraq is an untrustworthy nation that threatens the security of the United States and other nations by continuing to build and sustain a chemical and biological weapons programs; and

WHEREAS, members of Congress and the President have access to classified information that is not available to the public or local elected officials regarding Iraq's chemical and biological weapons programs; and

WHEREAS, the President on Tuesday, January 28 in his State of the Union address laid out his case to the American people as to why Saddam Hussein should be removed from power; and

WHEREAS, Chief United Nations Weapons Inspector Hans Blix recently released an evaluation that listed numerous examples of Iraq's failure to comply with United Nations mandates to dissolve their chemical and biological weapons program; and WHEREAS, Secretary of State Colin Powell on February 5 released varied and detailed evidence concerning Iraq's efforts to hide evidence of their weapons programs to the United Nations Security Council; and

WHEREAS, the United States should make every effort to work within the United Nations framework and leave war as an option of last resort; and WHEREAS, California is home to more veterans than any other state in the nation, and Los Angeles has 597 employees, including 271 LAPD officers, on military reserve who stand to be called to active duty, and as veterans and patriots, these brave men and women know well the consequences of war and the human cost involved.

WHEREAS, we give our unconditional support to U.S. military personnel serving at home and abroad in their tireless battle against global terrorism; and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, with the concurrence of the Mayor, that by the adoption of this Resolution, the City of Los Angeles urge the President of the United States as well as the U.S. Congress to exhaust all diplomatic options available to them in dealing with the growing crisis in Iraq, before resorting to using military force; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Secretary of State of the United States be strongly encouraged to share as much information as can be safely released when he speaks to the United Nations about evidence that the United States has gathered about Iraq's chemical and biological weapons programs; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the California congressional delegation and the President of the United States.

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EDITOR'S NOTE: If you wish to express an opinion, you can reach City Council members by dialing 311 from the Los Angeles area, or by calling / faxing directly at the numbers listed below.

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EDITOR'S NOTE: For more information about grassroots Anti-War efforts contact:

Suzanne Thompson
Campaign Coordinator, Neighbors for Peace and Justice
www.neighborsforpeaceandjustice.org
www.citiesforpeace.org
310 / 664-1142
310 / 399-2329 fax
thompsonsuz@attbi.com

Please also see: Grassroots Anti-War Effort Gains Steam