Cease-Fire in Lebanon

A small but growing number of Representatives are co-sponsoring House Concurrent Resolution 450, calling for an immediate end to the violence in Lebanon and Israel, and negotiation of a lasting settlement to be enforced by international peacekeepers in southern Lebanon. This resolution presents the best hope for an end to the rapidly rising civilian toll in this deeply troubled region and should be approved in Congress.

The United States bears a special moral responsibility in this crisis as the only nation that can bring an end to the violence and relieve the humanitarian catastrophe that has enveloped the people of Lebanon and Israel. Regrettably, Mr. Bush and Secretary of State Rice are all too clearly doing what they can to stall a ceasefire. Each day of delay leads to more unnecessary civilian deaths in both Lebanon and Israel.

Achieving peace in the region requires that the government of Lebanon establish full military control over all of its territory, with Hezbollah disarmed and the rocket attacks stopped. However, it is clear that the Lebanese government is too weak to accomplish these tasks, so an international peacekeeping force is required.

Israel has a right to defend itself against military attacks, but its response to Hezbollah has involved attacks on Lebanese civilians and the destruction of vast amounts of civilian infrastructure totally unrelated to Hezbollah. Fully one-fourth of Lebanese civilians are now refugees. The current Israeli policy of declaring any civilian remaining in southern Lebanon as a target subject to bombardment is simply immoral and has already led to hundreds of civilian deaths, with more certain with each passing day.

The current U.S. policy of delay in favor of continued war is likely to have great consequences for the region, the world and the safety of our nation and its allies. Congress needs to step forward and call for an immediate cessation of hostilities by passing Representative Kucinich's resolution.

Support an Immediate Cease-Fire in Lebanon

I'm writing to ask that you support and co-sponsor House Concurrent Resolution 450, introduced by Representative Kucinich of Ohio. This resolution is the best chance for an end to rising civilian casualities in the region and should be passed by Congress right away.

How many innocent lives will be lost -- on both sides of the conflict -- before America steps up and takes a leadership role? We have a moral obligation to stop the violence and initiate efforts towards peace in the region -- which is exactly what this resolution does.

An immediate cease-fire will put an end to the needless loss of life. Multi-party talks are the only way for all the parties to air their grievances peacefully and come to a settlement. Finally, an international peacekeeping force will clearly be necessary to implement U.N. Resolution 1559 and disarm the militias such as Hezbollah that threaten Israel and destabilize the entire region.

So I ask that you support Representative Kucinich's resolution and demonstrate American leadership towards a peaceful resolution of this conflict. I look forward to your response to my letter.

Sincerely,

Cosmos   •   Tags:   POLITICS · GOVERNMENT · BUSH · LEBANON · ISRAEL