H-0548.1 _______________________________________________
HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 4000
_______________________________________________
State of Washington 52nd Legislature 1991 Regular Session
By Representatives Ebersole, Nelson, Belcher, Wineberry, Valle, Cole, Prentice, Rust, Wang, Phillips, Ogden, Franklin, O'Brien, Anderson, R. King, Fraser, H. Sommers, Riley, Spanel, Morris, Pruitt, Jones, Brekke and Leonard.
Read first time January 15, 1991. Referred to Committee on State Government.
TO THE HONORABLE GEORGE BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED:
We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:
WHEREAS, On August 2, 1990, Iraq's military invaded, and to the present has occupied, Kuwait; and
WHEREAS, United States troops were initially sent by President Bush to the Persian Gulf to defend Saudi Arabia from invasion; and
WHEREAS, The economic embargo against Iraq, which is already having an observable impact, was instituted with the understanding that it would require as much as a year to have its intended effect; and
WHEREAS, Peaceful diplomatic initiatives are being attempted by the United Nations, members of the Arab League, and the United States; and
WHEREAS, Presently, the United States, Iraq, and many other countries are poised for a deadly confrontation as a result of the United Nations Security Council's Resolution authorizing military force after January 15, 1991; and
WHEREAS, War is an irreversible and devastating action that according to estimates will result in United States casualties of ten to fifty thousand Americans, in addition to the death and injury of countless civilian men, women, and children and soldiers from other countries; and
WHEREAS, The cost of this war, which will run in the billions of dollars, and skyrocketing petroleum prices will have a devastating effect on our weakening national and state economies, hindering our ability to address increasing poverty, homelessness, and unemployment, and to meet our responsibility for education, medical care, transportation, and affordable housing; and
WHEREAS, Citizens of Washington State are not convinced that all diplomatic and nonmilitary avenues have been exhausted to resolve the crises in the Persian Gulf and do not wish to see the lives of our service men and women sacrificed when a national emergency does not exist;
NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully call on President George Bush and his administration to rely on peaceful diplomatic efforts and allow an additional year for economic sanctions to work and initiate no offensive military action during this time period; and
NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully call on our Washington State Congressional delegation to withhold consent to any offensive military action and advocate for peaceful diplomatic and nonmilitary efforts.
BE IT RESOLVED, That the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, call on the Citizens of the State of Washington to contact the President of the United States, and their Representatives to the Congress of the United States, to voice their concerns about the use of military force in the Persian Gulf.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable George Bush, President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.