A July, 2002, "Open Letter to President Bush"

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Members of our house church congregation sent the following to the Daily News Record 14 years ago, prior to the U.S. launching a six-week "shock and awe" bombing campaign in Iraq that began March 20, 2003, and marked the start of an unending state of war in the region.

Dear President Bush,

We are deeply concerned about your reported plans to carry out a bombing campaign against Iraq. While we certainly cannot support Saddam Hussein's policies, neither can we condone the use of destructive bombing raids.

Your unilateral use of the blunt instrument of war in violation of international law would further hinder peace efforts in the region and would result in terrible suffering and loss of human life. In addition it would give our Muslim neighbors even more reason to reject the faith that you, Mr. President, and many others of us profess, a faith that commands us to do good to our enemies rather than to bomb or starve them into submission

As adherents of that faith we oppose all war, but are especially appalled by the acceptance of ever more terrifying means of destruction in modern warfare.

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After the first aerial bombings of the Spanish town of Guernica, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt said that "the United States consistently taking the lead in urging that this inhumane practice be prohibited".

We pray that you, Mr. President, would do the same.

Members of Family of Hope House Church