THE UNITED STATES PLANNED ATTACK ON IRAQ
IS UNJUSTIFIED AND SUBVERTS INTERNATIONAL LAW

The International Association of Democratic Lawyers (IADL) an Organization in consultative status with ECOSOC, represented at UNESCO and UNICEF and with affiliates in over ninety-six countries,
RECALLING, that Article 2(4) of the U.N. Charter states that nations "shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state …"
RECOGNIZING, that The Charter contains only two exceptions to the use of force: when such force is employed in self-defense pursuant to Article (51) of the U.N. Charter or when it is authorized by the U.N. Security Council pursuant to its chapter VII powers.
Thus far the Security Council has been unwilling to authorize any attack against Iraq. This refusal, reflects the widespread international sentiment against war with Iraq and makes any unilateral U.S. attack illegal under international law.
NOTING that the United States war agenda was well underway before Security Council Resolution 1441 was adopted on November 8, 2002 and its adoption has not deterred the U.S. objectives to wage war on Iraq and to force a regime change in a sovereign country. In fact, as Iraq complies with the resolution, the U.S. intensifies its efforts to compromise the credibility and independence of the U.N. inspection team. For example, the U.S. has pressured U.N. Inspections Chief, Mr. Hans Blix, under the provisions of SCR 1441, paragraph 5, to interview Iraqi scientists outside the country, and the U.S. has offered witness protection to scientists who defect. The U.S. has also urged the U.N. inspection team to accept U.S. surveillance equipment, operated by U.S. pilots, which could pass intelligence back to Washington. In both of these examples, the U.S. is desperately seeking to suborn statements or highlight omissions in Iraq’s declaration, which would constitute a material breach, under SCR 1441, paragraph 4.Despite all these attempts the Report of the Chief of the Inspector's team does not justify or support the war cry of President Bush. The U.S. has already declared that Iraq’s firing on U.S. and British aircraft in the "no-fly" zones is a material breach of SCR 1441, paragraph 8, but U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan has rejected the U.S. position.
DEPLORING the fact that the U.S. is doing everything possible to usurp the Security Council’s authority, and to anoint itself as the unilateral enforcer of SCR 1441, thereby making a mockery of the principles of the U.N. Charter.
 
EXPRESSING the gravest concern on   the  independence of the UNMOVIC and IAEA inspectors despite some of the positive positions they have taken, by the continued build-up of United States armed forces and preparation for war in the region.
REAFFIRMING its commitment to the Charter of the United Nations, the International Association of Democratic Lawyers (IADL) calls upon lawyers around the world to strongly condemn the United States war agenda which seriously violates the sovereignty of Iraq and established principles of international law. Such aggression will not only threaten world peace and security, but would severely impact on the situation in the Middle East, resulting in enormous loss of civilian lives. Lastly, IADL calls upon lawyers, peace loving people, to urge their governments to oppose the use of force in Iraq. IADL further urges its members to organise Conferences,demonstrations, seminars and meetings in every country and in cooperation with other peace forces to build up a strong campaign to expose the warmongering of President Bush It is time for the world community to act, and raise our voices in protest