GC38 War Crimes (2003W116)

WHEREAS the Nuremberg Tribunal identified a war of aggression as a crime against humanity, calling it “the supreme international crime, differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole,” and in so doing specifically rejected arguments designed to justify a pre-emptive military attack; and

WHEREAS in March of 2003 the governments of the United States of America, Great Britain and other nations initiated a military invasion of Iraq without demonstrating any clear and present danger to their own security or that of any allied nation; and

WHEREAS the invasion has been conducted in disregard of binding obligations to the international community as expressed in the United Nations Charter, thereby setting an ominous precedent for unilateral and pre-emptive armed intervention; and

WHEREAS this action has led to thousands of needless deaths and injuries; new and intensified levels of suffering for the civilian population of Iraq; prolonged environmental devastation; and further social, economic and political turmoil in Iraq and the surrounding region;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that Saskatchewan Conference petition the 38th General Council of The United Church of Canada:

• to call upon the Government of Canada to support responsible efforts investigating the possibility of bringing war crimes charges in a suitable court of international justice against senior officials of the governments of the United States of America, Great Britain and other nations participating in the military invasion of Iraq which commenced in March of 2003; and
• to circulate copies of this correspondence as appropriate to partner churches and ecumenical agencies within Canada and internationally.