| The preparations for the United States' planned | | | | frequently and sincerely stated his belief in God |
| military operation against Iraq are moving | | | | and the Bible, the Christians' holy book. For that |
| full-speed ahead. It seems that unless something | | | | reason, we believe that he, and all religious people |
| happens to reduce the tension between the | | | | in the administration, will carefully consider those |
| United States and Iraq, there will be war in the | | | | passages from the Bible that command peace |
| Middle East. Inevitably, that war will cost the lives | | | | amongst men. |
| of tens of thousands of people and will lead to | | | | For instance, the Gospel according to St. Matthew |
| the deaths of innocent civilians. Many soldiers from | | | | says, "Blessed are the peacemakers." (Matthew, |
| the U.S. and Iraqi armies will be killed, and their | | | | 5: 9) |
| families will suffer terribly. Unless war is | | | | The following quotations command all Christians to |
| prevented, great harm will be wreaked on the | | | | love their enemies, pray for their improvement, |
| economies of the countries in the region, of which | | | | to be forgiving and not to seek revenge: |
| Turkey is a part, and particularly that of Iraq. | | | | Love your enemies and pray for those who |
| Poverty and all the difficulties that stem from it | | | | persecute you. (Matthew, 5: 44) |
| will increase. | | | | If possible, so far as it depends upon you, live |
| There is no doubt that the prevention of this | | | | peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge |
| approaching disaster, the avoidance of war and | | | | yourselves… If your enemy is hungry, |
| the finding of a peaceful solution, is the hope and | | | | feed him; if he is thirsty, give him drink. (Romans, |
| desire of every person of good conscience. In | | | | 12: 18-20) |
| fact, many individuals and civil society | | | | There are also passages in the Old Testament, |
| organizations all over the world are today saying | | | | the guide for both Christians and Jews, that |
| "No to war" and encouraging their own | | | | command peace amongst men. One such passage |
| governments to take initiatives to prevent such a | | | | reads, "by the fear of the LORD a man avoids |
| clash. A wide community and many opinion | | | | evil. 7 When a man's ways please the LORD, he |
| formers within the United States maintain that the | | | | makes even his enemies to be at peace with |
| problem needs to be resolved by peaceful means. | | | | him." (Proverbs, 16: 6-7) In other words, he who |
| Yet all these demands for peace need to be | | | | follows God's path forgives his enemies. |
| backed up by a concrete solution. Let us first | | | | President Bush is sincerely devoted to the moral |
| briefly examine the present situation with a view | | | | values of the Holy Book. His words in his address |
| to finding such a solution. | | | | to the nation on September 11, 2002, "Our |
| 1. It is clear that following the September 11 | | | | deepest national conviction is that every life is |
| terrorist attacks, the United States entered a | | | | precious, because every life is the gift of a |
| state of alarm, declared war on terrorism and | | | | Creator who intended us to live in liberty and |
| those administrations it perceived as being | | | | equality." are a clear statement of this. The entire |
| connected to it, and is totally determined on the | | | | world hopes that he will bring his common sense |
| issue. | | | | and conscience to bear on the subject of the Iraq |
| 2. After the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, the | | | | in the most effective manner. |
| main target in this war was set out as Saddam | | | | If there is war between Iraq and the United |
| Hussein's regime in Iraq. Even if there is room for | | | | States, many innocent people will die. Innocent |
| debate whether Saddam Hussein really has built | | | | Iraqi children, women and old people will die under |
| nuclear or chemical weapons, that regime is now | | | | the bombs, or be crippled and suffer, and a whole |
| firmly on the U.S. administration's black list, and it | | | | nation will drown in pain. The Iraqi Army will suffer |
| does not appear possible that this can change. | | | | terrible casualties, and those dead soldiers will |
| 3. Unless there is a radical change in the present | | | | leave orphans and widows behind them. The |
| situation, the United States will strike at Iraq. The | | | | American Army will also suffer casualties, leaving |
| decision has long since been taken. | | | | weeping families in their wake, and American |
| What is noteworthy here is the fact that the | | | | servicemen will be condemned to all sorts of |
| United States has gone on the offensive not | | | | sorrows, thousands of miles from home, in a land |
| against Iraq but against Saddam Hussein's regime | | | | they do not know. |
| in that country. As President Bush and other | | | | How and why should anyone choose disaster |
| officials have repeatedly stressed, Saddam's | | | | when there is a peaceful way? |
| administration has to come to an end. For that | | | | No to a War of Pride |
| reason, the most realistic formula to preventing | | | | The element that needs to be observed if peace |
| war is for Saddam's administration to end before | | | | is to be established is the positive, rather than |
| the war starts. The only way for that to happen | | | | negative use of psychological factors. If, for |
| is for Saddam Hussein to step down before the | | | | example, America uses language that provokes |
| onset of war. | | | | Saddam Hussein and causes Iraqi disarmament to |
| Saddam Hussein Must Step Down From Power | | | | become a matter of pride for Saddam Hussein, |
| In order for this formula to come about, the | | | | the problem will continue to escalate. Many wars |
| United States and the international community | | | | of pride have broken out in the past. There must |
| have to put forward a plan that is acceptable to | | | | not be another. |
| Saddam Hussein. There is one point in particular | | | | On the other hand, it is a terrible mistake for |
| that must not be ignored: that is the fact that | | | | certain circles to use the kind of language that will |
| Saddam Hussein has a wife and children, a family. | | | | provoke president Bush and the U.S. administration |
| In all probability he is not at all happy with the | | | | and thus prepare the groundwork for a question |
| situation facing his country and people. Yet he | | | | of pride. Neither President Bush, nor the current |
| may be unable to arrive at a healthy decision on | | | | administration nor the American state have any |
| account of concerns for his own and his family's | | | | need to engage in a show of power or |
| safety. For that reason, if that safety is | | | | determination. The calming down of emotions |
| guaranteed, then it is clear that Saddam Hussein | | | | heightened by the mutual use of provocative |
| will have no wish to see a terrible slaughter that | | | | statements and the adoption of a rational |
| will cost tens of thousands of Arab lives. In that | | | | approach by both sides are of great importance |
| light, the following elements must be included in | | | | to a solution. |
| the plan that needs to be put to Saddam Hussein: | | | | The Baghdad regime, on the other hand, must |
| 1. Saddam Hussein must be allowed to leave Iraq | | | | understand and respect the United States' |
| and settle in a friendly Arab country, in security | | | | sensitivities. America was subjected to the world's |
| and with certain assets. It must be guaranteed | | | | worst ever terrorist attack on September 11, |
| that he will be able to spend the rest of his life in | | | | 2001, in which thousands of innocent Americans |
| comfort in that Arab country | | | | lost their lives. America is perfectly justified in |
| 2. Following Saddam Hussein's abdication, a | | | | finding the perpetrators of this attack, bringing |
| technocratic government consisting of moderate | | | | them to justice, and preventing any repetition of |
| and independent figures must be set up in Iraq. | | | | similar terrorist incidents. For that reason, no |
| That government must react positively to the | | | | government must take any action that provokes |
| international community's demands for | | | | alarm in the United States, but must |
| disarmament, and must seek a solution to the | | | | wholeheartedly help eliminate existing concerns. If |
| urgent problems facing the country. The embargo | | | | the United States is concerned that Iraq might |
| and sanctions against Iraq must be lifted, and with | | | | support various terrorist actions in the near future |
| assistance from the international community a | | | | or pose a threat to the United States and its allies |
| regeneration programme must quickly be initiated. | | | | in the region by producing chemical and nuclear |
| The suffering of the Iraqi people, who have lived | | | | weapons, then Iraq needs to do all in its power to |
| in terrible misery and poverty ever since the | | | | do away with those concerns. Iraq will not be |
| 1980s, must be brought to an end as a matter of | | | | diminished by proving it is not involved in a |
| urgency. | | | | threatening activity. Quite the opposite. It will earn |
| 3. The necessary legal and institutional changes | | | | the appreciation and confidence of the |
| must be brought in to allow Iraq to become a | | | | international community and its neighbors. |
| democratic state of law. A constitutional order | | | | What Will Happen if War Cannot Be Prevented? |
| that respects the rights of all ethnic and religious | | | | If war cannot be prevented by means of the |
| groups living in the country, and that allows them | | | | formula we have put forward here or by some |
| to live together under one roof in peace in | | | | other means, then the ensuing developments will |
| security must be established. Later still, free | | | | be most unfortunate: |
| elections must be held, and Iraq must take its | | | | 1) Deaths: If a wide-ranging operation begins as |
| place in the world as a respected member of the | | | | planned, this will inevitably lead to a great many |
| community of nations. | | | | deaths. Iraqi troops, Iraqi civilians and American |
| If Saddam Hussein takes the common sense | | | | troops will die, and others will be crippled. |
| approach and prevents war by stepping down, | | | | 2) The Destruction of Iraq: It appears inescapable |
| then he will have done the people of Iraq one of | | | | that a land and air operation against Baghdad will |
| the greatest services possible, and will go down in | | | | result in serious physical damage to the city and |
| history as a hero. We need to be aware that | | | | other settlements of strategic importance. The |
| according to Islam, the greatest heroism lies in | | | | Iraqi economy is already in collapse, and a strike |
| winning the "Great Jihad" (Jihad al-Nafs), in other | | | | against the capital and important facilities will |
| words in conquering one's own desires. Power is a | | | | wreak the kind of damage it will take decades to |
| desire that is hard for many people to forsake. A | | | | put right. |
| leader who foregoes power for the sake of the | | | | 3) The Danger of Civil War: If the Baghdad |
| safety and happiness of his people thus wins that | | | | regime is overthrown, a struggle for power will |
| "Great Jihad" and behaves in the most honorable | | | | begin between the different religious and ethnic |
| manner possible. | | | | minorities in the country, and that might lead, in |
| For this reason: | | | | turn, to a bloody civil war. The repetition in Iraq of |
| We Call on Saddam Hussein: | | | | the civil war in Lebanon during the 1970s and '80s, |
| If you step down from power and leave Iraq, | | | | which caused so much bloodshed, is a disaster |
| you will have prevented a war that would cost | | | | that looks likely to be repeated. |
| the lives of thousands, tens of thousands of | | | | 4) The Fragmentation of Iraq: Another likely |
| Iraqis. Babies and defenseless women and old | | | | development after the war is the fragmentation |
| people who would otherwise have died under the | | | | of Iraq in a framework of ethnic and religious |
| bombs will be saved. Your cities will not be razed | | | | minorities. Such a fragmentation would lead to |
| and your country will not be ruined. You will | | | | fighting between those minorities and also give |
| prevent the people of Iraq from suffering a | | | | rise to exceedingly powerless, poor and |
| terrible disaster for the sake of a war that | | | | uncontrolled tiny states, which would inevitably fall |
| cannot possibly be won. | | | | into anarchy and chaos. Furthermore, these tiny |
| Please make that sacrifice... Then the world will | | | | states that would probably emerge could also |
| regard you not as a leader who led his people to | | | | have the effect of destabilizing Iraq's neighbors. |
| death and suffering, but as one who gave up | | | | This is what gives rise to Turkey's justified |
| everything for their sake. | | | | concern in the face of the danger represented by |
| Even more importantly, there is no doubt that | | | | a Kurdish state in Northern Iraq. Not just Turkey, |
| such behavior will please God. In the Qur'an, God | | | | but other neighboring and Gulf states, such as |
| reveals that saving just one person from death is | | | | Iran, Syria and Jordan would also be harmed by |
| as much a good deed as saving all of mankind: | | | | the confusion in Iraq. |
| ...If someone kills another person-unless it is in | | | | 5) Economic Difficulties in the Region: It is |
| retaliation for someone else or for causing | | | | estimated that in the 11 years since the 1991 Gulf |
| corruption in the earth-it is as if he had murdered | | | | War, Turkey has suffered an economic loss of |
| all mankind. And if anyone gives life to another | | | | more than $100 billion. A new war would put an |
| person, it is as if he had given life to all mankind... | | | | end to commercial life in the region and deal a |
| (Qur'an, 5:32) | | | | deadly blow to tourism, and there would be |
| If you allow the war to be prevented, you will | | | | recession and losses in all other sectors of the |
| have saved not one life but thousands. | | | | economy. |
| We must not forget that the outbreak of war on | | | | 6) Increased Danger of a "Clash of Civilizations." A |
| earth is displeasing to God. We are told in the | | | | potential war between Iraq and the United States |
| Qur'an that war is a great evil, that it represents | | | | would represent an opportunity for those who |
| corruption, and that God does not love corruption. | | | | wish to encourage a bloody conflict between the |
| (Qur'an, 5:64) In another verse, God calls all people | | | | Western and Islamic civilizations. Protests against |
| to peace: | | | | the war will come from all over the Islamic world, |
| O You who believe! Enter absolutely into peace | | | | and that will serve the purposes of the scenario |
| (Islam). Do not follow in the footsteps of Satan. | | | | aimed at bringing the United States against the |
| He is an outright enemy to you. (Qur'an, 2:208) | | | | Islamic world. A peaceful solution in the face of |
| In short, supporting peace and bringing it about is | | | | this problem will lead the way to the world peace |
| a great duty of all Muslims. | | | | and security necessary for the "Peace of |
| We Call on the U.S. Administration | | | | Civilizations." |
| The divine principles that should guide the Iraqi | | | | Our hope is the prevention of a war in Iraq, a |
| administration must do the same for the U.S. | | | | solution to the problem without bloodshed, and |
| administration. | | | | the Middle East becoming a region where peace |
| President Bush is a religious man. He has | | | | and friendship prevail over conflict. |