Posted by andreas from p3EE3C6C5.dip.t-dialin.net (62.227.198.197) on Tuesday, September 17, 2002 at 2:57PM :
Shlama Jeff,
Hope you're doing well.
I'll have to take a break for some time from continuously posting here because of a professional commitment in the days ahead.
Only some intermittent messages will be possible
(I can hear the sighs of relief of many a life form around here)
But before doing so, I'd like to refer to your earlier posting on MP Galloway entitled
"And I thought ALL british people were bad...".
In fact they are not.
Rather there are many good, principled advocates of peace among them being collectively denounced as "rebels [against Blair]" - among all the Brits of any origin.
As you know the British comprise the English as well as the "Celtic Fringe", i.e. Scots and Welsh and Irish (in Northern Ireland).
Now, if you look a bit deeper then you'll detect very easily a pattern in the UK underlying the massive stands against war:
While there is a tremendous opposition also from brave English liberals (as in the wider British population at 70+%), most remarkably the staunchest opposition against Blair's war plans comes from Tam Dalyell, Galloway and many other ... Scots.
The Welsh, for their part, with "Plaid Cymru" [= Welsh Board, having als MEPs = Members of the European Parliament)] have been very consistently against the destructive Blair war course since 11/9 - 2001.
The Welsh future Canterbury Archbishop Rowan Williams is especially vocal against the Iraq war. Unfortunately at present I have only a minor item on him at hand (2nd article).
Could send you masses on info on that "strange Celtic fringe" - in case of interest, of course.
Take the latest Plaid Cymru press release as an appetizer for now.
Gentle words - massive meaning.
Not so easily acknowledged in God's own land of the Brave & the Beautiful & of Overstatement.
Now, I stop here, cause I don't know if you're listening, at all ...
Best
andreas
P.S.
The article on Rowan Williams is a bit older, from a phase when the Bushies wanted to circumvent the UN - hence Rowan's endorsement of UN involvement as the minimum legitimization.
But after the American machinations and manipulation of UN members have become so visible these days will he still stick to that?
Have written a letter to ask him, his answer together with any additional findings will be posted here - in case of interest, of course, which increasingly turns out to be the rarest commodity around.
-------------------------------
1)
http://www.plaidcymru.org/press020909a.html
Medi 9fed.....September 9th 2002
Plaid opposes military action against Iraq
The National Executive Committee of Plaid Cymru - The Party of Wales meeting in Aberystwyth over the weekend has today (Monday) issued the following statement on Iraq:
"Plaid Cymru - The Party of Wales totally opposes escalating military action against Iraq by the United States and the UK. The party considers that there is no possible justification for such action, given the fact that Iraq poses no immediate threat to the United States, and there is no United Nations mandate for military intervention."
Ieuan Wyn Jones, President of Plaid Cymru, said:
"I cannot see any justification for military action by the United States in what would be a pre-emptive strike against Iraq. Such action would lead to massive casualties, including innocent civilians on both sides in what would inevitably be a prolonged land based conflict.
"Tony Blair does not speak for Wales when he says that he supports George Bush on this issue. Mr Blair should re-call Parliament urgently so that he can hear the public's views as expressed by their elected representatives and see for himself how deeply divided his own party is on the issue."
The party said that it supports UN resolutions calling for weapons inspectors to be allowed access to Iraq to see whether it possesses weapons of mass destruction, but is unconvinced that Saddam Hussein has the capability to pose a significant threat to the United States.
Jill Evans MEP, the party's spokesperson on International Affairs, said:
"Further military action against Iraq would have catastrophic effects and would cause instability in the whole region again. The majority of people in Wales are opposed to an attack. It is time the Prime Minister paid more heed to our demands for peace than President Bush's call to war."
Diwedd/Ends.
Meleri Evans
Swyddog y Wasg a Chyfathrebu/Press and Communications Officer
Plaid Cymru The Party Of Wales
Ffon/Phone: T: 029 2064 6000
Symudol/Mobile: 07939 270821
E-bost/E-mail: meleri.evans@plaidcymru.org
-----------------
2)
The Times
July 24, 2002
Archbishop will not give blessing for war on Iraq
By Ruth Gledhill, Religion Correspondent
DR ROWAN WILLIAMS hinted at future confrontation with the Government after
being named as the next Archbishop of Canterbury yesterday when he insisted
he would only support military action on Iraq which had been cleared by the
United Nations.
Dr Williams, who is currently Archbishop of Wales, recently signed an open
letter condemning any possible attack on Iraq.
He also said he had no regrets about taking part in direct action against
nuclear weapons in a protest organised by CND during the 1980s.
The Archbishop outlined his vision for the future of the Church of England,
saying that he was determined that Christianity should once again “capture
the imagination of our culture”.
Dr Williams, 52, who will step down as Archbishop of Wales at the end of
November and be enthroned at Canterbury next spring, said he felt “rather
overwhelmed” by the task ahead and a sense of “enormous inadequacy and
challenge”.
Although frightened by the huge expectations the job carries, he indicated
that he would not shirk political controversy.
Dr Williams, speaking at a press conference at Church House after he was
named by Downing Street as the successor to Dr George Carey, admitted he
had entertained doubts about accepting the job.
“I think frankly you would be a maniac not to have doubts about accepting a
job of this kind,” he said.
He described the challenge of taking up his new post “in the middle of a
culture which, while it may show a good deal of nostalgia, fascination and
even hunger for the spiritual, is generally sceptical of Christianity and
the Church.”
He made it clear that one priority will be leading his diocese. He
described the danger of treating the Archbishop of Canterbury as a “sort of
Pope” whose primary task was to govern the worldwide Anglican Communion.
Tony Blair welcomed the appointment of Dr Williams and defended his right
to speak out on controversial issues.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “Mr Blair believes the
Archbishop’s wisdom, intellectual stature and deep spirituality will all be
invaluable as he seeks to lead the Anglican Church in ever more complex and
challenging times.
“It is fair to say that members of the Church have commented on a range of
social and global issues over the years: that is their right and
prerogative. The Government may not always agree with everything that is
said but people are always perfectly at liberty to state their views.”
The present Archbishop, Dr Carey, who retires at the end of October, said:
“Rowan will bring to this demanding office great abilities as a theologian
and as an experienced Primate of the Anglican Communion.”
Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster,
said: “As a theologian of distinction, a man of deep spirituality and a
gifted communicator he will prove to be a force for great good in this
country and throughout the Christian world.”
The President of the Methodist Conference, the Rev Ian White, said: “His
appointment comes at a significant moment in the life of our two Churches
as we enter into conversations on a covenant between us and explore the
partnership of our two traditions.”
The Chief Rabbi, Dr Jonathan Sacks, said: “Rowan Williams is a quite
exceptional thinker and man of God, and I look forward to the same warm
friendship that I had with his predecessor, which did so much to improve
Jewish-Christian relationships.”
-- andreas
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