Posted by Lilly from ? (160.129.27.22) on Thursday, September 26, 2002 at 11:22AM :
Congress is the center of a great deal of activity in opposition to war with Iraq. Reps. Thompson, McDermott and Bonior are on a fact-finding trip to Iraq. This follows up the trip by Rep. Rahall and former Senator James Abourezk. Rep. Barbara Lee has introduced a resolution urging that all US action on Iraq be conducted through the UN, rather than through unilateral military action. Protestors have held sit-ins in the offices of Minn. Senators Dayton and Wellstone. Seven other Minn. congressional offices were also the scene of protests. Two senatorial offices in Washington state were hit. As of yesterday, 4 people had been arrested.
Congress is receiving thousands of letters and calls opposing a war. Please let your representatives know of your views. You can reach any congressional office at the congressional switchboard at 202-224-3121 or through the ADC website (www.adc.org).
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From the National Network to End the War Against Iraq
For Immediate Release
September 25, 2002
Contact: Ed Matovcik
(707) 226-9898
THOMPSON HEADS TO IRAQ
Local Congressman Embarks on Fact Finding, Diplomatic Tour
WASHINGTON, DC - Congresssman Mike Thompson (D-CA) today flew to Iraq in an
effort to personally assess the region's threat and encourage immediate
United Nations inspection compliance.
Thompson, a member of the House Armed Services Committee and combat veteran,
said his mission will be to meet with Iraqi officials to help convince them
to allow immediate and unfettered access to U.N. weapons inspectors.
Thompson will travel with Reps. Jim McDermott (D-WA) and David Bonior
(D-MI). They are expected to meet with Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq
Aziz as well as other senior Iraqi officials to discuss immediate U.N.
compliance. They will also tour a hospital, water filtration plant and an
oil-for-food distribution facility; all considered key sites in stabilizing
the region after a regime change.
The delegation left Washington, DC this afternoon and will arrive in Baghdad
on Friday. They will return to the United States on Tuesday.
Thompson said gaining firsthand knowledge about Iraq will better help him
and Congress work with our regional allies to address the humanitarian
challenges faced by Iraqi citizens who may not be responsible for their
leaders' actions. "The classified briefings Congress has been presented to
date have fallen short of bridging the current chasm between a rush to war
and evidence of an immediate threat," he said. "There is also a critical
lack of information regarding what kind of Iraq will be left standing after
a regime change and how its condition will impact our national security.
The more we can learn, the better our ability will be to work with our
allies and bring long-term stability to this region."
Thompson served in the Army's 173rd Airborne Brigade in Vietnam and was
awarded the Purple Heart.
-- Lilly
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