Whereas we envision that national security is best achieved by building economic and social justice in the United States, Africa and throughout the world;

Whereas the large increase in the current military budget of $334 billion is necessitating cuts in the education budget and will increasingly drain resources from essential human services and social programs at home;

Whereas a war against Iraq would likely cost between $100 and $200 billion and would further erode budgets necessary to maintain the quality of life;

Whereas a war against Iraq would undermine higher education initiatives, likely necessitate larger tuition increases, and would decrease access to need-based fellowships and student assistance;

Whereas a war against Iraq would likely result in the call-up and interruption of academic programs of students currently in the National Guard;

Whereas the war against terrorism has already eroded civil liberties without any evidence of increased security through the passage of the USA Patriot Act the Homeland Security Act and the implementation of various Executive orders;

Whereas the climate of free and vigorous debate necessary to the academic mission is under attack and has already been chilled in many institutions throughout the country;

Whereas the current climate has relegitimized ethnic profiling, racism and discrimination based on national origin and physical appearance;

Whereas there is no evidence of ties between he Government of Iraq and Al Qaeda;

Whereas there is no evidence of an imminent threat to the United States from Iraq;

Whereas the United States military has increased its presence in Africa and set up a Joint Task Force for the Horn of Africa based in Djibouti, already numbering at least 3,200 Special Force soldiers;

Whereas Africans are likely to become both victims of increased violence and major economic casualties of a war with Iraq (as with the 1991 Gulf War when 13 African countries lost 1% of their GNP);

Whereas President Bush’s new preemptive strike doctrine is a threat to independent-minded countries everywhere, including in Africa;

Therefore, be it resolved that the Association of Concerned Africa Scholars (ACAS):

Opposes a military attack on Iraq and calls on the Bush Administration to cooperate fully in a multilateral, long-term approach to solving the problems in the Middle East under the auspices of the United Nations;

Urges all members of the academic community to increase vigilance and act against all attacks on civil liberties an academic freedom;

Encourages all members of the academic community to educate themselves on the history and issues behind the conflict with Iraq and its likely impact on African countries and peoples;

Encourages all members of the academic community to educate themselves on the history, causes and issues behind terrorism throughout the world;

And requests ASA to adopt this resolution and distribute it widely to President Bush, members of Congress and the media.

Adopted by ACAS on 6 December 2002