Dear Security Council Members;

 

Lawyers against the War congratulates Security Council members on holding firm to the Principles and Purposes of the United Nations Charter and refusing to authorize the American war against Iraq. Your principled stand can only mean that you, along with almost all of the world's peoples, consider this war to be unjustified either in the collective interest or in any nation's self-defence. In other words, a war of aggression, now deprived of any pretense of legality by reason of its lack of your authority.

 

As you know, the Nuremberg Tribunal characterized such an aggressive war as the 'supreme international crime.'

In our respectful submission, the Security Council must now follow through to protect world citizens and the people of Iraq from the inevitable devastation that will result if the threatened war proceeds.

We therefore urge you to immediately act, under Chapter VII, to contain the threat to international peace and security posed by the illegal invasion and bombing campaign of Iraq which, according to the March 17 announcement by US President Bush may start as early as March 19.

 

We urge you to act pursuant to Article 40 of the Charter to call upon the government heads of the United States, Britain, Bulgaria, Spain, Turkey, Jordan, the Czech Republic and Slovakia and Australia to forbear from any military aggression against Iraq, to desist from invading Iraq's territory and to immediately issue all orders necessary to stop preparations for such actions.

 

The world community relies on you to ensure adherence to the UN Charter and international law and to do everything in your power to prevent the loss of life and destruction that will result from the threatened 'Shock and Awe' campaign.

The Security Council has emerged proudly from the recent attempts to replace judicious consideration and weighing of evidence with bullying, bribery and the intentional misrepresentation of facts, including the deliberate misrepresentation of prior Security Council Resolutions.

In our respectful submission, the Security Council now faces an equally important challenge, the attempt by the American government to flagrantly overthrow international law. We urge to you to meet this challenge by acting immediately to condemn and order the cessation of aggression against Iraq.  Nothing less will suffice to protect the rights of those dependent on the Security Council for their lives.

Michael Mandel and Gail Davidson for Lawyers against the War

Lawyer Against the War is a committee of jurists residing in 11 countries.
We would be most grateful for any opportunity to be of further assistance on these questions.