The following is mirrored from its source at:
http://veteransforpeace.org/remembernuremburg.htm


                    Vets To Top US Military Commanders:
                             REMEMBER NUREMBERG
                             Veterans For Peace
                              13 February 2003


     Veterans For Peace, Inc.
     438 No Skinker
     St. Louis, MO 63130
     (314) 725-6005
     FAX (314) 725-7103
     vfp@igc.org
     www.veteransforpeace.org

     NEWS RELEASE - NEWS RELEASE - NEWS RELEASE

     Vets To Top US Military Commanders:
     REMEMBER NUREMBERG

     Veterans For Peace has sent an open letter to fifteen generals and
     admirals in the top ranks of the US Military advising them of
     their possible liabilities, under international law, to criminal
     prosecution for being part of a pre-emptive war against Iraq.
     Veterans For Peace, headquartered in St. Louis, MO, is an
     organization of men and women who have served in peacetime and in
     most of the wars of the last century, with 92 chapters nationwide.


     OPEN LETTER TO THE NATION'S TOP MILITARY COMMANDERS

     General Richard B. Myers, Chairman, USAF;
     General Peter Pace, Vice Chairman, USMC
     Admiral Vern Clark, Chief of Naval Operations
     General Michael W. Hagee, Commandant USMC
     General John P. Jumper, Chief of Staff, USAF
     General Erick Shineski, Chief of Staff, USA
     _________________________________________
     United States Unified Combatant Commanders:
     General James L. Jones, USMC, US European Command,
     Admiral Thomas B. Fargo, USN, US Pacific Command,
     Admiral E.P. Giambastiani, USN, US Joint Forces Command,
     General James T. Hill. USA, U Southern Command,
     General Tommy R. Franks, USA, US Central Command,
     General Ralph E. Eberhart, USAF, US Northern Command,
     General Charles R. Holland, USAF, US Special Operations Command,
     General John W. Handy, USAF, US Transportation Command,
     Admiral James O. Ellis, Jr., USN, US Strategic Command,

     February 13, 2003

     Dear Gentlemen,

     Veterans For Peace is an organization whose members have served
     with honor in the armed forces of the United States of America.
     Among our members we count decorated veterans of WWII, the Korean
     War, the Vietnam War and the Gulf War. Many served during two, and
     in several instances, three of these wars. Two of our members are
     recipients of the Medal of Honor, dozens received Silver and
     Bronze Stars for valor in combat, and hundreds were awarded the
     Purple Heart for wounds received in action. One of our members was
     a POW for over seven years in the Hanoi Hilton.

     We learned the horrors of war through our military experience and
     we want the killing stopped. We believe it is not just enough to
     be against war, we must also work against war and that is the
     purpose of our organization.

     We, like you, know the world is a dangerous place and that our
     military forces are necessary for our defense. We realize that you
     too have seen and do not want war. War must only be the option of
     last resort.

     We believe the war against Iraq that the US government is planning
     and preparing for is in violation of the Charter of the United
     Nations and customary international law. The judgment of the
     International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg noted, "Resort to war
     of aggression is not merely illegal, but is criminal."

     The principle of renunciation of the use or threat of force is now
     one of the fundamental principles of international law and, as
     such, is stated with the utmost clarity in Article 2(4) of the UN
     Charter, which imposes definite obligations on states
     participating in international affairs. States are bound in their
     international relations to renounce "the threat or use of force
     against the territorial integrity or political independence of any
     state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the purposes of
     the UN".

     The US seeks to justify a pre-emptive strike on Iraq on the basis
     of self-defense. Article 51 of the UN Charter permits the use of
     force by a state to repel an armed attack or a substantial and
     immediate threat to the national security of the state until the
     Security Council exercises jurisdiction. A threat which permits
     the use of force must be an immediate, specific threat to US
     national security and not a general threat to the Gulf region or a
     possible future threat. The legality of pre-emptive self-defense
     has been rejected on the basis that use of force to deter future
     use of force constitutes punitive rather than defensive action. If
     the US fails to gain Security Council approval for war, the US is
     bound by Article 51 and may not lawfully, unilaterally take
     military action.

     It is clear that the planned massive attack on Iraq is not based
     upon self-defense. Iraq has not attacked the US nor does Iraq
     constitute an immediate and specific threat to US national
     security. We are not apologists for Saddam Hussein but we believe
     there are ways to deal with his regime without the resort to a war
     of aggression. Other countries and many Americans have suggested
     reasonable and safe alternatives.

     We members of VFP remember well our military service. We swore to
     support and defend the Constitution of the United States. We were
     informed of the Nuremberg Tribunal and the conviction and
     punishment of soldiers for following illegal orders. We were
     taught that we must not follow an illegal order. US military
     leadership must not only know and teach the obligations of
     international law but must respect and follow them.

     You are in high military positions and you have awesome
     responsibilities under our Constitution and international law. We
     believe you are honorable men. We respectfully urge that you do
     the right thing in this terribly difficult situation. Clearly your
     duty is to not engage in the political leaderships' illegal war.
     Many veterans will support you if you refuse to participate in an
     illegal war and we believe that you can successfully use your high
     positions to warn the American people and you will be supported.

     If you fail your sworn duty to the Constitution and international
     law by engaging in an illegal war against Iraq, we fear the US
     will become a rogue nation that will believe in and act on the
     principle that might is right to the great dishonor of all our
     professed values and to the great discredit of all who served in
     the armed services of the US so that their children and future
     generations could live in peace and freedom.

     With great urgency,

     David Cline
     National President
     Veterans For Peace


     Copyright © 2003 Veterans for Peace
     Reprinted for Fair Use Only.




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