Many religious organizations have spoken out in support of ratification of the Chemical
Weapons Convention. Statements from these organizations include:
"In the interest of civilized people everywhere, these abhorrent weapons should be
eliminated entirely. The treaty will enter into force in April 1997. But its effectiveness will be severely
limited if the United States is not a party to it. In any case, the U.S. has pledged to destroy
its own chemical weapons stockpiles. By becoming a party to the treaty, we will be encouraging
other countries to do the same. An effective Chemical Weapons Convention will lessen the
chance that these weapons of mass destruction will be used in the future."
"The Chemical Weapons Convention is a valuable instrument for combating the spread of
weapons of terror. ... The United States chemical industry strongly supports the Convention.
The Pentagon strongly supports the agreement as well. It is most certainly in both the
national and international interest to achieve the global elimination of a class of weapons
that have proved more dangerous to innocent civilians than to military forces."
| Letter to the Senate signed by more than a dozen
Religious Organizations |
| Religious Organizations supporting the Chemical Weapons
Convention include: |
|---|
| American Jewish Committee
U.S. Catholic Conference
Anti-Defamation League
Presbyterian Church (USA)
B'nai B'rith
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
United Methodist Board of Church and Society
United Church of Christ, Office for Church in Society |
National Council of Churches
Union of American Hebrew Congregations
NETWORK: A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby
National Jewish Community Relations Advisory Council
American Jewish Congress
The Episcopal Church |
"We believe that U.S. ratification of this Convention will significantly strengthen
America's hand in effectively countering the threat of chemical weapons in the future. ...
Indeed, is the U.S. Senate acts quickly and the U.S. becomes one of the original sponsors,
it will strengthen our nation's hand even more, and thus our legal and moral authority
to act. We respectfully urge your support."
| |
