DRAFT RESOLUTION ON IRAQ FOR JAN. 13 CITY COUNCIL MEETING:

WHEREAS, unverified claims that Iraq possesses or is developing weapons
of mass destruction have brought our nation to the brink of war; and

WHEREAS, the existence or development of such weapons is to be
determined by the on-going inspection process established under United
Nations Security Council Resolution 1441; and

WHEREAS, the inspection process itself is a deterrence to Iraqi
development of such weapons, provided that the inspectors are allowed
enough time and support to do their job fully and without outside
interference; and

WHEREAS, unilateral preemptive military action by the U.S. would set a
dangerous precedent, put our nation on the wrong side of international
law, and further destabilize an already explosive situation in the
Middle East; and

WHEREAS, international sentiment is overwhelmingly opposed to war on
Iraq at this time, not only among Arab nations, but also among our
European allies; and

WHEREAS, the enormous financial cost of going to war at a time when
Washington is confronting huge budget deficits, would result in even
fewer federal dollars flowing to already strained state and local
governments, including Illinois and DeKalb; and

WHEREAS, the diversion of billions of dollars from other programs would
directly impact our community's ability to meet the needs of its
citizens in areas such as education, transportation, health, housing,
and safety from terrorist attacks; and

WHEREAS, military action on the part of our nation would expose the
nation's youth, including those from DeKalb, to possible death or
physical and long-term emotional damage, as occurred to our troops in
the Gulf War, only in much greater numbers; and

WHEREAS, a U.S. attack on Iraq would cause great suffering and death of
the Iraqi people, who have already lost a half million children due to
sanctions in place since the 1991 Gulf War; and

WHEREAS, opposition to the war is on the increase in this country, with
72% of the American public in a recent Los Angeles Times poll saying
that the President had not provided justification for war, and with
opposition to war being expressed in hundreds of cities by thousands of
Americans, including prominent religious leaders, Gulf War veterans,
former generals and former President Jimmy Carter; and

WHEREAS, it is the responsibility of this Council in representing our
constituents to make the feelings of this community known to our
representatives in Washington;

WE THEREFORE RESOLVE THAT:

THE CITY COUNCIL OF DEKALB, ILLINOIS URGES OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO EXERCISE RESTRAINT AND RESPECT FOR INTERNATIONAL LAW AND OUR OWN CONSTITUTION BY NOT LAUNCHING A PREEMPTIVE WAR ON IRAQ, BUT RATHER LETTING THE UNITED NATIONS INSPECTORS DO THEIR JOB UNTIL SUCH TIME AS THEY AND THE SECURITY COUNCIL DECIDE THAT FURTHER ACTION IS NECESSARY.