Committee has soul-searching discussion of war in Iraq

by Shane Whisler
Presbyterian News Service

SAN JOSE, June 23, 2008 — The General Assembly Peacemaking and International Issues Committee quickly and unanimously voted on its first two overtures, then approved two others before settling into thorough and soul-searching hearings and discussion for hours on overtures related to the war in Iraq.

Items approved are listed at the end of this article.

Heading into the evening session, the committee has agreed to make Overture 11-10 with amendments their answer to overtures 11-08, 11-20 and 11-24, with the understanding that the study paper mentioned in 11-24 has been added.

The committee narrowly approved recommending Overture 11-10 as amended by a vote of 39-33-4. The contentious issue is item number 5 in the overture, which deals with withdrawal of troops.

The main points of Overture 11-10 include:

A call to prayer, to commend and thank nonviolent peacemakers who have worked in Iraq, to commend and thank members of the armed forces, call for the U.S. government to grant speedy discharges for conscientious objectors and to fully fund veterans (especially those injured) and
benefits to surviving family members, call for the U.S. and United Nations to fund a peace-building effort with partners in the region and return control of oil resources and revenue to Iraq.

One commissioner intends to file a minority report due to Item number 5 on troop withdrawal.

After nearly four hours of work, at 9:30 p.m. Monday, the committee then turned to three other overtures relating to Iraq: Overtures 11-09, 11-11 and 11-17.

When committee members discussed all the Iraq-related overtures, an ecumenical advisory delegate from Iraq said his people need the freedom to not be kidnapped or killed.

“Iraq has been and is a pluralistic society,” said Archbishop Avak Asadourian of the Armenian Apostolic Church. “This mosaic ought to be maintained at all costs.”

Asadourian is also the general secretary for the recently formed Council of Christian Church Leaders in Baghdad. He said that the continued forced migration of Christians in parts of Iraq, coupled with the instability of the country and region, must be addressed or “Christianity in its Eastern form will be severely in peril.”

“And I would like to say that many promises were made to Iraq and the Iraqis and we expect these promises to be kept,” he said in favor of ecumenical groups helping making sure that coalition forces complete their security work.

The committee agreed with one member who asked to hear from the Army chaplains in the audience.

Chaplain (Col.) James Boelens and Chaplain (Maj.) John Kaiser, both speaking as private citizens, said they are proud to be Presbyterian soldiers and feel strongly that the mission in Iraq needs to be completed.

Much of the discussion focused on a common concern for the citizens of Iraq and U.S. troops and anger toward the U.S. government from several speakers who said they felt misled. Disagreement and amendments centered upon how prescriptive to be in calling for military withdrawal or whether withdrawal should even be included in the recommendation.

For an hour, about 20 committee members spoke in agreement for the need to end the U.S. involvement in fighting. Most said it is hard to know how that should be accomplished.

Another hour of discussion of Overture 11-10 began before the Rev. Nancy Kahaian, committee moderator, broke the discussion with a suggestion for those who feel the most passionate about the issue to gather and offer a resolution to keep the committee business moving.

The Rev. George Spransy Jr., seemed to state a common feeling. “I’m still wrestling with this,” he said. “It is not easy for me. Help me with my struggle.”

The committee recommended that the General Assembly approve the following overtures:

Overture 11-12 approved, with minor amendments, by a vote of 75-0, on the prevention of trafficking of women.
Overture 11-13 approved, by a vote of 76-0, on expanding ministry related to human trafficking.
Overture 11-14 approved, as amended, by a vote of 73-1-2, on endorsing the “Publish What You Pay” Campaign.
Overture 11-22 approved by a vote of 57-15, on supporting those who feel called to seek status as conscientious objectors.
Text of the overtures and any amendments will be available on PC-biz under Committee 11 — Peacemaking and International Issues.