San Francisco, CA Anti-War Initiative

San Francisco, CA, US

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Type: Ballot Initiative

Status: Adopted on 11/2/04

Vote: Passed with 2/3 of the vote

Text:

It is the Policy of the people of the City and County of San Francisco that:

The Federal government should take immediate steps to end the U.S. occupation of Iraq and bring our troops safely home now.

George W. Bush disgracefully lied to the American people to make the case for war in Iraq. His message was one of deceit and fear mongering, linking Saddam Hussein to al Qaeda and weapons of mass destruction. There was never a legitimate case for a pre-emptive war. Overruling global public opinion and objections from allies, Bush relentlessly led us into a war that has (as of 6-28-04) cost more than 850 American lives and left more than 5,100 wounded.

The U.S. invasion and occupation cost the lives of roughly 10,000 Iraqi civilians in addition to maiming and wounding countless more. It has led to incredible environmental degradation as well as the destruction of homes, schools, sanitation and water treatment plants, and hospitals. Hunger, homelessness and suffering are widespread.

The war and occupation has perpetuated the denial of many labor and human rights. It has sharply increased violence against women and girls. A law issued by Saddam Hussein prohibiting unions where most Iraqis work has continued to be enforced. Systemic and illegal abuse of detainees has been found in the Abu Ghraib prison facility and in other detention centers. During the past two years, there have been consistent allegations of brutality and cruelty by US agents against detainees in violation of international law.

At home, we have witnessed the erosion of civil liberties under the USA PATRIOT ACT, while racism, religious intolerance, and discrimination against immigrants is on the rise. With Congress appropriating over $150 billion dollars, the war and occupation in Iraq has benefited corporate military contractors while widening economic inequality at home. It has diverted resources away from vital public services and community programs. The war and occupation of Iraq has cost California over $19.5 billion dollars. San Francisco's share of that burden is estimated at over $520 million dollars. With these resources, San Francisco could fund for the next 10 years: health coverage for 1,000 uninsured youth, meals for 5,000 seniors, pre-school for 500 low-income children, 100 new school teachers, and supportive housing for the City's estimated 3,000 chronically homeless individuals. Rather than squander more of our precious public resources and sacrifice many more American and Iraqi lives on the occupation, monies should be used to restore life-affirming efforts -- public health, welfare, education, jobs, arts and the environment in our country and around the world. The war and occupation in Iraq has fueled, not lowered, the risk of terrorism here and around the world. We are less safe today than we were when the Bush administration put the nation on this failed course.

We need peace.

The Federal government should take immediate steps to end the U.S. occupation of Iraq and bring our troops safely home now.