Sunday, March 16, 2003

Friends:

      I believe we need to think as boldly as we can. This is a
desperate moment. The idea (not mine) of a UN peacekeeping force in Iraq, to
protect the Iraqis is, in my opinion, excellent. It is one possible avenue
that the United Nations ought to consider right away.

      Another possible course of action is related to the proposal (also not
mine) that the Pope might go to Baghdad. That idea can be vastly generalized
as follows. It is to me inconceivable that if there were an international
"delegation" of extremely prominent people who took the radical decision to
become  "human shields", instead of limiting their opposition to speaking
out against the war -- it is inconceivable to me that under those
circumstances the Bush gang would not be forced to abandon its planned
assault.

      The people that come immediately to mind, in addition to the Pope, are
Nelson Mandela, Kofi Annan, Jimmy Carter, United Nations Ambassadors,
members of the U.S. Congress, Bishop Tutu, and, if possible, some heads of
state of nation-states strongly opposed to the war. And as many other
prominent religious figures as possible. Also, other former U.S. Presidents
(dare I even think of Bush Senior, who has said a "go-it-alone" attack would
be a mistake).

      It would be a great strike against the war plans if the Pope were
to direct all the cardinals, archbishops, bishops, priests, whoever --
to instruct all Roman Catholics not to take part in or support the
projected war in any manner whatsoever. And of course it would be
wonderful if all denominations took similar or closely analogous steps.

      To write to the members of the Security Council urging them to act
before the attack begins, there are convenient active links in a recent
statement I wrote, at
http://site.www.umb.edu/faculty/salzman_g/Strategy/Salz-mania/2003-03-06.htm
l   [Of course the final "l" of html will be cut off by this software.]

Sincerely,
George