President George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington DC 20500

Dear President Bush:

We, the Leadership of the Religious of the Sacred Heart of the United States Province, are deeply saddened that our country has made a preemptive strike against the people of Iraq.

We grieve the senseless loss of life of Iraqi citizens and of our own young men and women in military service.

We are ashamed that our country has ignored the pleas of our world neighbors:

• To let the UN inspections work
• To find a diplomatic solution to this conflict
• To exercise the restraint appropriate to a great nation

We believe that this act of aggression violates our national soul and betrays our cherished foundational values. By this unprovoked attack, we deprive the citizens of Iraq of their rights to self-determination, and to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

We share the sentiments expressed by President Jimmy Carter when he accepted the Nobel Peace Prize:

War may sometimes be a necessary evil. But no matter how necessary, it is always an evil, never a good. We will not learn how to live together in peace by killing each other’s children. …We can choose to work together for peace. We can, … and we must.

We beg you as a person of faith immediately to cease all US aggression against the people of Iraq.

Sincerely,