Anti-War Lobbying Effort Heats Up in Washington

WASHINGTON — Religious leaders began another phase of an anti-war lobbying effort on Capitol Hill Wednesday, urging Congress to explore peaceful alternatives in its dealings with Iraq.

"I'm appalled by it all," said Frances Kane, 64, of Washington. "I can't believe our country is seriously considering a pre-emptive strike without international support."

Congress is preparing to vote on a resolution giving the president broad authority to use military force to dismantle Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction. On Capitol Hill, about 100 nuns, lay people and other Catholics dropped off packets and held meetings with congressional staff, outlining their anti-war stance.

Others held silent vigils outside Senate and House buildings.

"Violence isn't the answer to anything," said Sister Mary Ann Smith, of Ossining, N.Y, on her way to the office of Rep. Sue Kelly, R-N.Y. "War is morally and ethically wrong."

Capitol Police Chief Terry Gainer said 13 people were arrested for blocking an entrance to the Senate side of the Capitol.

While Wednesday's events were sponsored by various Catholic groups, including the lobbying group, NETWORK, Leadership Conference of Women Religious and Pax Christi, the National Council of Churches — made up of 36-member denominations — also planned events for this week.

The groups oppose resolutions to authorize the use of U.S. armed forces against Iraq. Instead, they're urging the United States to cooperate with the United Nations Security Council in returning weapons inspectors to Iraq.

"What kind of a democracy do we have when people are saying 'no war,' but representatives are about to vote for a war resolution?" said Andrea Buffa, community organizer for Global Exchange, a human rights group in San Francisco. "Congress isn't listening so people are coming to Washington to make sure they're heard."

Global Exchange, along with Peace Action in Washington, D.C. and American Friends Service Committee in Philadelphia, held a protest Wednesday evening.

Chanting, "War on Iraq, we say no!" about 200 protesters held banners with anti-war slogans and sounded off bells, drums and whistles outside Senate office buildings.

"We don't need a war, we need the U.N. to take the lead, not the U.S.," said Phyllis Bennis of the Washington-based Institute for Policy Studies. "We are not better than the rest of the world. We don't have the right to say we're above international law."

"I'm horrified our president would consider a pre-emptive strike as a way to peace," said Sister Anne Marie Gardiner, 59, of Silver Spring, Md. "That's outrageous. It's a corruption of what the U.S. has tried to stand for."

The day's lobbying effort ended with some 50 people singing about peace around a single candle at a prayer vigil two blocks from the White House.