RESOLUTION
Urging the Philadelphia Congressional delegation to continue their efforts to promote world peace.

WHEREAS, This Council, like all Americans, strongly believes that a central obligation of the federal government is to protect our national security. But we believe just as strongly that the specific steps taken to discharge that duty must be decided through a democratic process. It is this very democratic process that we are in fact trying to protect; and

WHEREAS, On October 11, 2002 Congress enacted House Joint Resolution 114 entitled "Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002". This resolution has been widely interpreted as giving the President the unilateral power to go to war against Iraq at his discretion; and

WHEREAS, In the face of a White House administration committed to going to war at all cost, it took great courage for two of Philadelphia's Congressional representatives, Congressmen Robert Brady and Congressman Chaka Fattah, to oppose the President's call for the unilateral authority to go war; and

WHEREAS, Twenty-two (22) cities to date have enacted anti-war resolutions which is testimony to the growing movement for world peace in our nation; and

WHEREAS, The world community, including most of our allies have publicly expressed their support for a diplomatic solution to the Iraqi conflict. A November 2002 survey of forty-four countries by the Pew Research Centre found widespread agreement that Saddam Hussein represented a threat to stability in the Middle East but it also found that majorities among America's key allies like France and Germany oppose the use of military force in Iraq. Even among the British, Americas' closest supporters, public opinion about the use of force is equally divided; and

WHEREAS, Many labor union locals throughout the country are publicly opposing a U.S. invasion in Iraq while calling for international multi-lateral action that is sanctioned by the United Nations; and

WHEREAS, A recently released December 2002 study by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences concluded a war with Iraq could cost the United States from $99 billion on the low side to an astronomical 1.9 trillion assuming a prolonged war and a disruption of oil markets. Such an enormous drain on the federal budget would necessarily result in dramatic spending reductions in other parts of the federal budget that could affect essential and critical domestic programs and services; and

WHEREAS, The holiday season is upon us - a special time of the year for charitable giving, personal reflection and spiritual healing; and

WHEREAS, Millions of people in countries throughout the globe are already engaged in fighting other wars - the wars against world hunger, illiteracy, poverty and political oppression.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, That the Council of the City of Philadelphia calls upon the Philadelphia Congressional Delegation to continue urging President Bush to exhaust all diplomatic avenues and work closely with Nobel Prize Recipient and United Nations Secretary General, Mr. Kofi Annan to avert a full scale war and instead seek a peaceful resolution to the Iraqi conflict.

BE IT RESOLVED FURTHER, that an engrossed copy of this Resolution be presented to Congressman Robert A. Brady and Congressman Chaka Fattah as evidence of the sincere sentiments of this legislative body.

Introduced by
Councilman Angel L. Ortiz
Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown
Thursday, December 19, 2002