The war in Iraq turns 4: Religion and ethics resources

Posted on February 27th, 2007

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SoldiersMarch 19, 2007, marks the fourth anniversary of the Iraq war, a conflict that has been steeped in issues of religion, ethics and values from the start. Now, with public support for the war diminishing, casualties rising, and a new Democratic congressional majority pushing for change, those themes resonate more than ever in reporting about the war. Stories can be told from the streets of Iraq to the halls of Congress, from hospital beds to the communities where injured soldiers return, from sanctuaries to the streets where people of faith are staging protests and rallies. ReligionLink offers a guide to the issues and experts who can add perspective to daily reporting about the war and its unwelcome fourth anniversary.

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Spiritual support for troops

Attention to spiritual support for troops has grown as the numbers have: More than 23,000 soldiers have been injured, and 10,000 of those have been unable to return to military duty. That support is directed both at those on the battlefield and those returning home. Support programs are growing, particularly as an all-volunteer army has required more use of National Guard and armed forces reserves. Around 20 percent of the more than 140,000 American troops in Iraq are drawn from Guard and reserve forces. In some cases, combat experience has physical and mental health consequences long after a soldier’s duty ends. Congregations, soldiers’ families and soldiers themselves all have stories to tell, while military chaplains have a unique perspective from which to chronicle the role faith plays in wartime.

MILITARY CHAPLAINCY RESOURCES

Care for wounded warriors

Americans’ determination to support troops during the Iraq war has brought greater attention to the nature of injuries suffered by soldiers involved in the war. As with other wars, the war in Iraq brings a signature injury: traumatic brain injury, caused by improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Defense Department figures from December 2006 show that 80 percent of 37,000 service members evacuated from Middle East combat zones (Iraq and Afghanistan) for medical reasons were either ill or sustained non-battle injuries. But it’s also true that many of those wounded in battle have experienced brain injury. The U.S. Army Surgeon General says 64 percent of those injured in Iraq sustained injuries from explosive blasts, a leading cause of traumatic brain injury. Brain injury poses a major medical — and spiritual – challenge. Mental health issues also affect soldiers and new veterans. Here too, chaplains can play a role in helping the injured and their families.

  • Read a Feb. 1, 2007, article from Government Executive on the high incidence of brain injury – a “hidden wound” occurring at a higher rate than in previous conflicts — among those wounded in Iraq.
  • The Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center is headquartered at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and operates at eight other sites in the country. Contact the center, 202-782-6345; Walter Reed public affairs, 202-782-7177.
  • Injured soldiers also go to other centers for rehab, including:

National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., which offers spiritual support for all faiths. Contact public affairs, 301-295-5727.

  • Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, opened an Amputee Care Center in 2005. For ministry and pastoral care, contact 210-916-1105.
  • The Rev. Robert Barry, a campus minister who teaches religious studies at St. Xavier University in Chicago, received a Meritorious Service Medal for his work at Landstuhl Hospital in Germany. Soldiers who have been seriously injured in Iraq are usually taken there to be medically stabilized. Barry, a lieutenant in the Illinois Air National Guard, will return there this summer for a third tour of duty. Barry, who provides spiritual support for soldiers, their families and staff, says he prays like he’s never prayed before. Contact 773-298-3857, rbarry@sxu.edu.
  • Lawrence G. Calhoun and Richard G. Tedeschi co-edited the Handbook of Posttraumatic Growth – Research and Practice (Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2006) and teach psychology at University of North Carolina Charlotte. The psychology department maintains a Web site devoted to posttraumatic growth. They have studied the relationship between posttraumatic growth and religion and have written about the positive growth that traumatic experiences such as combat can bring. Contact Calhoun, 704-687-4744, lcalhounjr@uncc.edu; Tedeschi, 704-687-4754, rtedesch@uncc.edu.
  • A U.S.
    Army study     done
    in 2005 of the mental health of soldiers in Iraq found that 14 percent
    were experiencing stress and 17 percent depression and anxiety.
  • Veterans
    facilities include chaplains. Find a local
    veterans facility     through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

The role of protest

Protest against the Iraq war is growing in scope and frequency. Antiwar demonstrations took place in Washington in September and January; more are scheduled for March to mark the fourth anniversary of the war. The historic peace churches – Quakers, Mennonites, Brethren – have always promoted pacifism in war time, but this time individuals and members of many other denominations are joining in protests that call for an end or change in military action. Journalists can help gauge how much influence the protests have, how participation changes protesters’ views, and what kind of protests are most effective.

These protests are occurring at a time when there is new openness to the role of religion in politics, and those who have studied peace and protest movements can provide perspective on how the current protests compare to those during the Vietnam War and civil rights movement. Protest was particularly prominent during the Vietnam era, but degrees of dissent have marked most major American military actions. Antiwar dissent can be religiously motivated.

  • Maurice Isserman is a historian at Hamilton College in Clinton, N.Y., and co-author of America Divided: The Civil War of the 1960s (Oxford University Press, 2003, 2nd ed.). He is regarded as one of the leading historians on the era. Contact 315-859-4404, misserma@hamilton.edu.
  • Steven Nolt is a history professor at Goshen College in Goshen, Ind. He contributed a section on peace movements to the Encyclopedia of Religion in American Politics. Religious opposition to war is a minority perspective, he says, although pacifism has acquired more legitimacy in the 20th century. Current opposition is more practical than theological, he says. Contact 574-535-7460.
  • Ronald Pagnucco teaches peace studies at College of St. Benedict/St. John’s University in Collegeville, Minn. He has written a comparison of the politics of faith-based and secular peace groups. Contact 320-363-5784.

  • David Greenberg teaches journalism and media studies at Rutgers the State University of New Jersey. In a March 26, 2003, column in Slate, he said protest has been effective in limiting or forestalling war. In the case of Iraq, however, facts about the war rather than protest have helped sway public opinion, he says. Contact 732-932-7500 ext. 8178.

Noticing No’s: Conscientious objectors

As the war continues and casualties mount for both Americans and Iraqis, conscientious objectors are gaining a higher profile. CO’s, as they are called, are members of the military who say they developed — during either their training or service — a deeply held conviction that all wars are wrong. Some CO’s are starting Web sites. They are featured at rallies and anti-war protests. Some have moved to Canada. They tell their stories in the media. Their stories are unique and nuanced, ranging from newly adopted religious beliefs to patient reconsideration of what beliefs and values mean in action.

Each branch of the armed forces processes its own requests for CO status. The Army – the largest branch – has recorded around 60 each year since 2003, when the war began, but the number of requests that are rejected has risen in each of the last three years,
according to figures from the U.S. Army Public Affairs Office:
In 2003, 29 of 60 requests were rejected.
In 2004, 34 of 67 requests were rejected.
In 2005, 38 of 61 requests were rejected.

Figures from the U.S. Marines Public Affairs Office:
In 2003, 10 of 32 requests were rejected.
In 2004, 13 of 18 requests were rejected.
In 2005, all 3 requests received were rejected.

  • J.E. McNeil, executive director of the Center on Conscience and War, which works with conscientious objectors, notes that numbers kept by the armed forces reflect only cases that went from beginning to end (at the end, applications are either rejected or, if approved, the applicant is either reassigned or discharged). The process of applying for and gaining CO status is long and complicated and involves a written application, interviews and character witnesses. The center estimates that 200 people annually seek such status, though many do not complete the extensive process, for a variety of reasons. McNeil says inquiries about CO status have risen steadily since the Iraq invasion.

RESOURCES

  • The Selective Service System defines a conscientious objector as “one who is opposed to serving in the armed forces and/or bearing arms on the grounds of moral or religious principles.” The agency’s Web site explains the requirements and procedure for claiming conscientious objector status.
  • J.E. McNeil is executive director of the Center on Conscience and War in Washington, D.C., an interreligious body that has worked since 1940 to support conscientious objection. Contact 202-483-2220, j_e@centeronconscience.org.
  • The Central Committee for Conscientious Objectors administers a GI Rights Hotline that is maintained by a number of organizations. It offers links to information about individual military war resisters. Contact the Oakland office, 510-465-1617; Philadelphia office, 215-563-8787.
  • Courage to Resist is a California-based organization supporting several war resisters. Contact 510-764-2073.
  • The University of Winnipeg in Canada hosted a conference in October 2006 on conscientious objection.
  • The War Resisters Support Campaign in Toronto profiles nine men who left the U.S armed forces while serving in Iraq or while facing deployment there. The campaign is endorsed by religious leaders and groups. Contact 416-598-1222.
  • Agustin Aguayo, an Army medic, is imprisoned in Germany after he refused in September 2006 to return to Iraq. He will be court-martialed March 6.
  • A mistrial was declared Feb 7 in the court-martial of Army Lt. Ehren Watada, who refused an order in June 2006 to go to Iraq. He is scheduled for a new trial March 19.
  • Martin L. Cook is Elihu Root Professor of Military Studies and professor of ethics at the United States Army War College in Carlisle, Pa. He wrote the article “Can Christians Serve in the Armed Forces?” for the July 4-11, 2001, issue of The Christian Century. His answer is a nuanced “yes.”
  • Gregory S. Clapper is assistant professor of religion and philosophy at Westmar College in Le Mars, Iowa, and a National Guard chaplain. In “Wounds of War,” a June 28, 2000, article in The Christian Century, he argues that military service is compatible with Christianity.
  • Read an Oct. 13, 2006, New York Times story about Sgt. Ricky Clousing, a Christian soldier who was sentenced to 11 months of confinement for going AWOL during the Iraq war. He is quoted as saying: “My experiences in Iraq forced me to re-evaluate my beliefs and my ethics. I ultimately felt I could not serve.”

  • Read an April 1, 2003, New York Times story that says C.O. numbers are small but growing. It’s posted by CommonDreams.org.

Waging peace: Civil disobedience

Anti-war and peace activists in the United States have been energized by election results that wrested control of Congress from President Bush’s Republican Party. Peace coalitions that include many faith groups are planning anti-war activities nationally and locally to mark the fourth anniversary of the March 2003 invasion. Civil disobedience and nonviolent resistance – two tactics used during civil rights-era protests – are gaining profile and popularity. Religious activists used them in a demonstration in a U.S. Senate office building in September that led to 71 arrests. Training in nonviolence is being offered as part of the runup to the March demonstrations.

RESOURCES

  • Christian Peace Witness for Iraq, a coalition of 25 Christian religious groups, plans to hold a March 16 service in Washington National Cathedral, followed by a candlelight procession to the White House. Plans for civil disobedience are being considered. Local events are also planned. Contact Dan Nejfelt (NI-FELT), 202-745-4654 (office), 573-823-5123 (cell).
  • Declaration of Peace, a campaign begun in 2006 by religious and secular peace groups, has called for withdrawal of troops and an end to funding for them. Peace activities took place in 11 states and Washington, D.C, at the end of September, resulting in 268 arrests across the country in 21 cities for nonviolent protest. The group is also mobilizing national and local activities for the weekend of March 16-19. Contact in Chicago, 773-777-7858.
  • Gordon Clark is convener of the National Campaign for Nonviolent Resistance. Contact 301-589-2355.
  • The Chicago-based activist Voices for Creative Nonviolence has organized the Occupation Project, a campaign of nonviolent civil disobedience targeting the offices of elected representatives in a number of areas. Group coordinator Kathy Kelly, who has visited Iraq 24 times since 1996, has received numerous peacemaking awards from religious groups. Contact 773-878-3815.
  • The United for Peace and Justice Coalition includes a number of religious groups.

Rights of detainees, prisoners under scrutiny

The war in Iraq and the war on terror in general have challenged government policy on detainees and prisoners. The government has struggled to balance the need for security in a post-9/11 world with the rights of suspects. That’s led legislators, human rights activists and religious leaders to press for reform. On Feb. 13, a group of U.S. senators introduced legislation that would restore the right of habeas corpus to detainees and narrow the definition of “enemy combatant.” Concerns about detainees’ rights heightened after the Abu Ghraib prison abuses came to light in April 2004 and after complaints about the treatment of suspects in the U.S. and at Guantanomo Bay.

Attitudes toward Islam

The Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and the war in Iraq have brought attitudes toward Islam into sharp focus. While stories and polls have often focused on Americans’ attitudes toward Muslims and Islam, a new concern has emerged: tensions between Sunni and Shiite Muslims and their potential to inspire violence in the U.S. Most Americans don’t understand the difference between the two major branches of Islam and why they result in deadly conflict overseas. A number of recent articles are good starting points for reporters who want to explore the relationship between Sunnis and Shiites in their own area:

Extreme makeover: Just-war theory

The Iraq war has changed just-war theory from an academic debate to a mainstream conversation. The war – with the complicating factors of pre-emption, international terrorism, torture, prisoner abuse and more — has also challenged the limits of just-war theory, a doctrine with roots in Christianity that posits that governments sometimes – but not always — have a morally justified reason for using mass political violence. Experts have recognized that while just-war theory is an important tool for analyzing political and military action, the changing character of international conflict requires that just-war theory and other ethical standards on war be developed beyond where they are now. The 21st century has brought the bewildering realization that war presents new challenges and new dangers. Political and military leaders, academics, religious leaders and citizens all need a way to talk about wars in order to prevent conflicts, to keep them focused on morally just and attainable goals, and to end them in ways that do not beget more wars – the three principal aspects of just-war theory.

The Iraq war has brought new vigor and commitment to developing just-war theory and other forms of ethical debate about war. The power shift in Congress and the clear election mandate for a change in military policy means these developing conversations may get a greater public airing, particularly as the United States debates when and how to reduce or end its military commitment in Iraq. The Global Ethics and Religion Forum, for example, has quietly been working on a new project called “Revising Just War Theory for the 21st Century,” which involves top experts from around the world (many from the United States) and includes representatives of all the major religious traditions.

Just-war theory has generally been debated in scholarly conferences or academic journals. But it is not just an academic exercise. It is important because it provides a moral framework for evaluating the reason for starting a war and the way it is conducted. And that moral framework is important because not all wars should be waged, and once they are, an “anything goes” approach to combat can lead to unnecessary suffering, death and, perhaps, more war. The Bush administration’s call for a pre-emptive strike against Iraq caused political scientists, theologians, politicians and military experts to debate whether that call met the requirements of a just war. Different experts came to different conclusions. While some interpreted this as a weakness of just-war theory, others saw it as the natural result of the fact that while a doctrine has set standards, different people will apply those standards in different ways, resulting in different conclusions.

Many are working to develop just-war theory so that it can be helpful in resolving conflicts in the Middle East, Sudan and other places as well as Iraq. Here are resources to get started.

RESOURCES

PUBLICATIONS

EXPERTS

  • James Childress is Edwin B. Kyle Professor of Religious Studies, director of the Institute for Practical Ethics at the University of Virginia and an expert on just-war theory. Contact 434-924-6724, childress@virginia.edu.
  • Jean Bethke Elshtain is Laura Spelman Rockefeller Professor of Social and Political Ethics in the Divinity School at the University of Chicago and author of Just War Against Terror: The Burden of American Power in a Violent World (Basic Books, 2003). Contact 773-702-7252, jbelshta@midway.uchicago.edu.
  • Vincent Ferraro is the Ruth C. Lawson Professor of International Politics at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Mass. He posts a page on just-war theory. Contact 413-538-2669, vferraro@mtholyoke.edu.
  • Vice Admiral Michael D. Haskins is dean of the Stockdale Center for Ethical Leadership at the United States Naval Academy and holds the distinguished chair of leadership in the department of leadership, ethics, law and character. Contact 410-293-6006, mhaskins@usna.edu.
  • James Turner Johnson, a professor of religion at Rutgers University in New Jersey, is considered one of the deans of contemporary just-war theory. He has written many articles and books on the topic. Contact 732-932-9637, jtj@rci.rutgers.edu.
  • John Kelsay, co-editor of the Journal of Religious Ethics, is the Richard L. Rubenstein Professor of Religion at Florida State University. Kelsay has written about Islam, human rights and just war. Contact 850-644-0209, jkelsay@garnet.acns.fsu.edu.
  • David Kinsella is associate professor of political science at the Mark O. Hatfield School of Government at Portland State University in Oregon. He is co-editor of The Morality of War: A Reader (forthcoming in 2007 from Lynne Rienner). A draft is available on the Web. Contact 503-725-3035, kinsella@pdx.edu.
  • Reuven Kimelman, professor of Near Eastern and Jewish studies at Brandeis University, wrote an essay called Jewish Understanding of War and Its Limits. Contact 781-736-2963, kimelman@brandeis.edu.
  • Robin Lovin, Carey Maguire University Professor of Ethics at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, can discuss just-war theory and Iraq. Read a column he wrote for Faithful Democrats, an online Christian group. Contact 214-768-4134, rlovin@mail.smu.edu.
  • Gerard F. Powers is director of policy studies at the Joan B. Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame. From 1998 to 2004 he was director of the Office of International Justice and Peace of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. He has criticized current military action in Iraq using just-war reasoning. Contact 574-631-3765, gpowers1@nd.edu.
  • Glen H. Stassen is a professor of Christian ethics at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, Calif., who specializes in war, peace and ethics. He wrote Just Peacemaking: Ten Practices for Abolishing War (Pilgrim Press, 2004). Contact 626-304-3733, gstassen@fuller.edu.
  • Michael Walzer is a prominent expert on just-war theory. He is a professor at the school of social science at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, N.J., and the author of Just and Unjust Wars: A Moral Argument With Historical Illustrations (Basic Books, 2006). Contact 609-734-8253.

Anticipating Iran

Religious activists have begun a campaign to pre-empt possible military action against Iran.

RESOURCES

  • Several Christian religious leaders visited Iran in mid-February to meet with officials there, including President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, to press for greater diplomacy and Iranian compliance with nuclear capabilities deadlines. Contact through Mennonite Central Committee, 717-859-1151 ext. 282, 717-333-2826 (cell).
  • Words Not War an interfaith effort spearheaded by evangelical activist Jim Wallis of Sojourners and signed by more than 100 clergy across the country. The petition calls for direct negotiation to prevent military action against Iran. Contact through Tim King, 202-745-4636 or tking@sojo.net and media@sojo.net.
  • Faithful Security is a partner in the Words Not War campaign. Contact 800-233-6786, info@faithfulsecurity.org.

Crafting a message for troops

With more than 150,000 troops stationed overseas, a stateside army of volunteers has popped up to provide them with everything from phone cards to body armor. Many donor groups are religiously based, coming out of well-organized ministries, grass-roots efforts among individual congregations, and groups of friends. Quite a few of these groups are sending handmade items – teddy bears, rosaries, prayer beads, cards, food, blankets and more – with the hope that something made by the hand bears more of the spirit of the maker and can form a deeper connection with the receiver. Many of these handmade items also come with a religious message – a CD with a sermon, a booklet with suggested prayers and Bible readings.

  • The Right Reverend George E. Packard is the Bishop Suffragan for Chaplaincies for the Episcopal Church. He is in charge of all Episcopal chaplains attached to the armed services. He describes the rosaries, prayer beads and medals soldiers carry into battle as “companion object[s] which God uses to heighten moments of insight, prayer, and sometimes deep sorrow.” Contact 212-716-6202, gpackard@episcopalchurch.org.
  • The Prayer Bear Ministry of Sherman, Texas, solicits small donations from people to make simple fabric teddy bears for shipment to servicemen and women at home and abroad. Last year, the ministry sent more than 20,000 bears to Iraq and Afghanistan. Each bear is prayed over as it is made and has a silver tear, to represent the tears of Christ on the cross, and a gold cross, to represent the light of God. The ministry was founded by Terry Krawitz, an Episcopalian, after the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq. Contact 903-893-4026, prayerbears@prayerbears.org.
  • Many chapters of the Prayer Quilt Ministry make small patches of patriotic fabric to send to soldiers overseas. The patches are constructed of patriotic fabric and are held together with ties that are knotted by the makers as they say prayers for the soldiers. Contact Kathy Cueva, president of the Prayer Quilt Ministry, prayerquiltpres@cox.net.
  • Some people are making hand-knotted rosaries for distribution to Catholic soldiers. Clo Lillig accepts such rosaries for Rosaries for Soldiers in Carmel, Ind. Catholics in the Military of Fort Royal, Va., collects black hand-knotted rosaries.
  • The prayer beads ministry at Trinity Episcopal Church in Bethlehem, Pa., makes Anglican prayer beads for wide distribution, including to soldiers and AIDS hospice workers in Swaziland. Contact Gaby Whittier, 610-867-4741, gaby@trinitybeth.org.
  • Soldiers’ Angels offers kits to make “blankets of hope” to send to soldiers overseas. It was founded by Patti Patton-Bader when her eldest son went to Iraq. Contact 615-676-0239, soldiersangels@gmail.com.
  • Sew Much Comfort is a volunteer nonprofit group that sews adaptive clothing for veterans who have lost limbs. Seamstresses volunteer from all over the country. Efforts are coordinated by regional contacts. Contact Ginger Dosedel, ginger@sewmuchcomfort.org.
  • The Itty-Bitty-Bakery of Richlands, N.C., offers “Mustard Seed Pins” of military figures, each containing a mustard seed. The creator was inspired by Matthew 17:19-20 when her husband was deployed to Iraq. She suggests that purchasers send pins to those deployed overseas as a reminder of their faith. Contact 910-324-4478, admin@itty-bitty-bakery.com.
  • The 92nd Street YMHA (Young Men’s and Young Women’s Hebrew Association) in New York, N.Y., held a “Mitzvah Days” workshop for children ages 5-10 where they constructed tzedakah, or charity, boxes, complete with handmade cards and other items, for soldiers overseas. The project was to be an example of tikkun olam, the Jewish mandate to repair the world. Contact Beverly Greenfield, media relations, 212-415-5452.

Catalog: Religious groups on the war

Many religious bodies took positions on the Iraq invasion in 2003. Some have made additional statements since then. In addition, many denominations have active peace fellowships.

CATHOLIC

  • At their meeting in November 2006, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a statement on Iraq, calling for the earliest possible troop withdrawal consistent with a responsible transition. The bishops have weighed in on the Iraq situation since 2003 with several statements saying the war does not meet the criteria for a just war. John Carr is secretary of the Bishops’ Department of Social Development and World Peace, 202-541-3181.

PROTESTANT CHRISTIANS

  • The National Council of Churches passed a resolution Nov. 8 at its 2006 General Assembly calling for a withdrawal of American troops linked to Iraqi rebuilding. The council opposed the war before it began and has an index of war resources. Contact the general secretary, the Rev. Bob Edgar, through director of media relations Daniel Webster, 212-870-2252, dwebster@councilofchurches.org.
  • Richard Land is president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission http://erlc.com/ for the Southern Baptist Convention, the nation’s largest Protestant denomination. He said in 2003 that the Iraq war met criteria for a just war. Contact through Jill Martin, 615-782-8417.
  • The National Association of Evangelicals supported the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Contact Richard Cizik, vice president for governmental affairs, at 202-789-1011.
  • Evangelical activist Jim Wallis of Sojourners/Call to Renewal has consistently spoken out for peace in Iraq. Contact 202-328-8842.
  • Thirty-one bishops of the United Methodist Church, the largest mainline Protestant denomination, signed a statement of conscience on the war calling for peacemaking. Jim Winkler, general secretary of the General Board of Church and Society, has criticized the war. Contact 202-488-5629.
  • The Rev. Timothy F. Simpson is a Presbyterian minister and interim president of the Christian Alliance for Progress, a national group with headquarters in Jacksonville, Fla. The group calls for withdrawal of troops from Iraq and international assistance in rebuilding the country. Simpson was arrested during a demonstration in a U.S. Senate office building Sept. 26, 2006. Contact tsimpson@christianalliance.org.
  • The Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr. is a community activist and chairman and CEO of the Hip Hop Caucus (H2C) in Washington, D.C., a national coalition of pop culture, social, political and youth organizations. He took part in an Iraq war demonstration Sept. 26 in Washington, D.C. Contact info@hiphopcaucus.org.
  • Some
    Protestant church leaders oppose President Bush’s troop surge in Iraq.
    See a Feb.
    6, 2007, Christian Century article    .

PEACE FELLOWSHIPS

JEWISH

  • American Jewish groups have been divided in their positions on Iraq, with support declining over time. Released Oct. 23, the 2006 Annual Survey of American Jewish Opinion conducted by the American Jewish Committee showed that almost two-thirds of American Jews believe the U.S. should have stayed out of Iraq. The numbers varied among the branches of Judaism, with 38 percent of Orthodox and 73 percent of Reform Jews saying the U.S. should have stayed out of Iraq. Contact AJC executive director David Harris through Kenneth Bandler, 212-751-4000 ext. 271.
  • Rabbi Arthur Waskow of the Shalom Center in Philadelphia took part in a Sept. 26 demonstration against the war in Washington, D.C. Contact the center, 215-844-8494.
  • Rabbi David Saperstein, director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism in Washington, D.C., said Feb. 2, 2007 in the Jewish Daily Forward that Iraq demonstrates the limits of American power and called for more Jewish community involvement on Iraq policy. Contact 202-387-2800.
  • The executive committee of the Union for Reform Judaism gave qualified support in 2002 for unilateral action in Iraq, but in 2005 called for an exit strategy. The Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism in Washington, D.C., posts resources on Iraq. Contact 202-387-2800.
  • The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America supported action against Iraq. Contact 212-613-8123 in New York, 202-513-6484 in Washington, D.C.
  • Rabbi Michael Lerner, a peace activist, is editor of Tikkun magazine and founder of the Tikkun Community, a peace and social justice movement. Contact 510-644-1200, rabbilerner@tikkun.org.
  • The Jewish
    Peace Fellowship     in Nyack, N.Y., is circulating a petition to end
    the occupation of Iraq. Contact 845-358-4601 ext. 35.

MUSLIM

BUDDHIST

  • The Buddhist Peace Fellowship has expressed support for Lt. Ehren Watada, whose court-martial for refusing deployment to Iraq ended in a mistrial Feb. 7 A new trial is scheduled for March 19. Contact 510-655-6169.
  • Claude Anshin Thomas is an author, peace activist, Zen monk and Vietnam veteran who lives in Massachusetts. Contact 978-369-4342.
  • Roshi Bernie Glassman heads the Massachusetts-based Zen Peacemakers, which has chapters around the world. Contact 413-367-2080.

BACKGROUND

Casualties: Where to get names and numbers

Armed forces public affairs contacts:

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