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News from the Keweenaw Peninsula Posted November 2, 2002 Text © 2002 William Sewell; photo of Rep. Bart Stupak courtesy Rep. Stupak's office; Peace Walk photo © 2002 Keweenaw Now.

Stupak addresses Copper Country Peace Alliance on war with Iraq

HOUGHTON -- United States Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Menominee, met with members of the Copper Country Peace Alliance on Monday, October 28, in Houghton. The congressman explained his recent vote against President Bush's resolution for war with Iraq and answered questions about possible consequences of an invasion of Iraq. 

Stupak has received strong support for his vote from people in his district and very little negative feedback.

Stupak said he was trying to slow down the process bringing us to war and instead let the United Nations do its work.  He believes, however, that the U.N. Security Council will not agree with the Bush resolution, and that the United States and England will initiate a unilateral, pre-emptive first strike against Iraq sometime close to Christmas. This timing would be after the November elections and after the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

He noted Saddam Hussein is a survivalist and will not relinquish power without using everything he has to keep power. If the invasion seriously threatens him, he will let loose with all his weapons. Some of these would be aimed at Israel, who would sit on the sidelines unless attacked. If attacked, Israel would retaliate and we would have ignited a nuclear war in the Middle East. While a Middle East nuclear war is not necessarily a consequence of an invasion of Iraq, it is nevertheless a prospect that has to be taken seriously.

Stupak reminded listeners that the U.S. has never before been the invader, the first strike aggressor. Moreover, a policy of pre-emptive first strikes is against international law. If nations are allowed to use such a policy, India could attack Pakistan, Russia could attack the province of Georgia, China could attack Taiwan, etc. A pre-emptive first strike policy would allow any nation to invade another for any reason. Given that the international community does not accept the policy of pre-emptive first strikes, the Bush policy is clearly mistaken, Stupak said.

The prospect of nuclear war in the Middle East and the dangerous implications of Bush's policy have led Stupak to urge the White House to go slowly. Let the U.N. do its work, and then re-visit the need to invade Iraq. He pointed out that there are other nations that pose a greater threat to the U.S. -- for example, North Korea and Iran.

When questioned about the role of oil in the current Iraqi crisis, Stupak said that the Bush Administration is not worried. Russia will pick up the slack, but wants a deal: They will approve a U.N. resolution to attack Iraq if the U.N. will also allow them to attack Georgia. The U.S. does not need Iraqi oil, since much of our oil comes from South America. But Europe and Japan are still heavily dependent on Middle East oil.

Stupak also noted that oil is the driving force of U.S. policy in Columbia, and that the U.S. is interfering in a long standing civil war there. The U.S. presence in Columbia is indicative of the Bush Administration's growing involvement of the U.S. military around the world.

What can we do here in the Copper Country? Stupak noted that the Peace Alliance is already doing a great job. It is important that other voices be heard; and the demonstrations in Washington, D.C., and elsewhere are doing just that.

Members of the Copper Country Peace Alliance and Citizens Opposed to War with Iraq walk from Houghton to Hancock and back on Oct. 26, 2002. Some members of the group attended the Oct. 26 antiwar protest in Washington, D.C. The group plans to walk again on Saturday, Nov. 2. The public is invited to join the walk. Participants meet at the Motherlode at noon. (Photo by Michele Anderson)

On Saturday, Oct. 26, a group from the Houghton area and Marquette joined more than 100,000 people who marched in Washington, D.C. to protest against military action in Iraq.*

Editor's Notes:  Keweenaw Now guest writer William Sewell, a resident of Houghton, is associate professor of philosophy in the Humanities Department of Michigan Technological University and is active in several community organizations. *An October 30, 2002, New York Times article, "Rally in Washington Is Said to Invigorate the Antiwar Movement," said organizers of the Oct. 26 demonstration called it the biggest antiwar protest since the Vietnam War era. Visit Rep. Stupak's Web site to read Stupak's position on Iraq and other current issues. Citizens may contact Stupak's Washington office at (202) 225-4735 or email him at stupak@mail.house.gov. His Congressional Aide Amy Wisti may be reached in Houghton from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at (906) 482-1371.

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