After meeting with the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC)and other concerned organizations, Senator Carl Levin (D-MI) has called for the easing of economic sanctions against Iraq.
Senator Levin responded to our concerns by sending a letter dated October 13, 1998 to Secretary of State Madeleine Albright calling for a number of
humanitarian changes to US policy on Iraq. He proposed that more of the
money in the “oil-for-food” program be spent on humanitarian assistance to
the Iraqi people and less on compensation for those with claims against Iraq. He also endorsed the proposals of Senators Abraham and Wellstone
that Iraq’s oil industry be rebuilt, that relief efforts should be expedited and that restrictions on humanitarian aid be lifted.
Senator Levin wrote that ” … I believe that US national interests would be better advanced if we could spearhead a drive to improve the quality of life of the Iraqi people.”
Senator Levin was among four signatories to a hawkish letter dated September 24, 1998 urging President Clinton to take strong measures, including military action, against Iraq.
When Senator Levin issued this letter, which made no mention of the plight
of the Iraqi people, ADC called for an emergency meeting with him to discuss the United States policy on Iraq, particularly the issue of the suffering of the Iraqi civilian population under sanctions.
Led by Midwest Regional Director Imad Hamad, ADC organized a meeting with
the Senator Levin on October 12, 1998. The meeting was also attended by
representatives of a number of other concerned groups including AAI, IRA the Chaldean Fed. Of America and AAPAC.
We asked Senator Levin to strongly support lifting the economic sanctions
against Iraq by backing such efforts in the House, led by Rep. Conyers and
other concerned members of the Congress, and similar efforts by his colleagues such as the letter to President Clinton by Senators Abraham and
Wellstone.
Please call Senator Levin’s office at (202) 224-6221 or email to
senator@levin.senate.gov. Thank him for his letter to Secretary Albright and urge him to do more. Also please call, write or email your Senators and member of Congress. To find their address:
http://congress.org/search.html.Urge them to take action to help lift the sanctions and ease the suffering of the innocent Iraqi people.