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PEACE CONFERENCE IN BAGHDAD Correspondence between Larry Ross and Melissa Sarenac: 7 Mar 2003
Hi Melissa, Thanks for your encouraging comments about my ideas for combining the visits to Baghdad of Nelson Mandela and The Pope. Given the expected Bush invasion and bombing schedule, the physical presence of Mandela and the Pope would have to be accomplished in about a week's time if they were willing. This would also allow time for the Bush Administration to cancel or postpone the invasion. There are a great many details that would have to be worked out - with the Baghdad government, the principals and their entourages, in terms of travel, accommodation, program of activities and back up staff, budget etc. The Pope and Mandela will have their own ideas about the best way as both have expressed interest in going to Baghdad. I think the main objective should be: No war and a peaceful resolution of the Iraq crisis. However, if the planned Iraq war is intended to be a step toward a U.S. global empire, then the US will not want a peaceful resolution of the crisis along with some kind if permanent Iraqi disarmament. A peaceful settlement would frustrate the US Imperial goal and acquisition of Iraqi oil resources, and possibly later, Iranian and Saudi oil resources. That is why top religious leaders, such as the Pope, Mandela, US and UK leaders, and your idea of The Dalai Lama and Jewish and Muslim leaders are so important at a Peace Conference in Baghdad. Moral weight is required, as Civilization, our political systems, and humanity itself, are on trial. I will promote this idea as much as I can. However my resources are very limited - too limited to do justice to implementing this idea, especially in the short time remaining. So I would like to see a large organization - with staff and funds - take up this idea if they like it, develop it further, and try and implement it in the time remaining. It really would be a very concentrated, multi-staff, 24 hour-a-day job. There is also the question of venue, conference and agenda organising and perhaps more long-term objectives of a peaceful, just world order. Reply To Larry Ross: WE AGREE ON THE IDEA FOR A
PEACE CONFERENCE IN BAGHDAD (as quoted below). THE MAIN PERSON IS THE
POPE, THE ONLY ONE WHO MIGHT MAKE BUSH HESITATE -- FOR POLITICAL REASONS
-- IN HIS PLAN TO TURN BAGHDAD INTO A POSTWAR HIROSHIMA. NEVERTHELESS,
THE DALAI LAMA, JEWISH LEADERS, AND MUSLIM LEADERS COULD WELL BE ADDED
TO THE CONFERENCE. AND IT SHOULD BE LIMITED TO ONE ISSUE ALONE -- ONE
MONUMENTAL ISSUE: IRAQ. By the way, it is worth reading and publicizing http://globalresearch.ca/articles/SLI303A.html, an interview with the Russian military analyst Vladimir Slipchenko, who says the purpose of the war is to test new weapons on people; he predicts that half a million will die and that the Iraqi army will be exterminated. (which is contrary to The Hague Convention on laws and customs of war on land, as is the bombardment of communities). Jeannette Hassberg and Paul
W. Lovinger, War and Law League, San Francisco, Reply From Larry Ross " A further deterrent would be for other religious and secular leaders to gather at a peace conference in Baghdad, led by His Holiness and Nelson Mandela, to help resolve this crisis. The head of the Anglican Church in UK, and the head of President Bush's Methodist church in the USA and Kofi Annan of the UN are the type of people who could lend their weight to this effort."
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