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Government Relations

Advocacy Actions

UPDATE March 8, 2008

Opposition to "unilateral, preemptive, or unprovoked use of force" against Iran

Approved by the Board of Directors
Monterey Bay Chapter of the United Nations Association of the USA
January 17, 2008

"Hopeful that the recent National Intelligence Estimate will reduce the likelihood of any US military attack against Iran, the 750-member Monterey Bay Chapter of the United Nations Association of the USA reaffirms its opposition to "unilateral, preemptive, or unprovoked use of force" against Iran. (from Resolution #14 adopted at the March 2007 UNA-USA National Convention.)

Such an attack would be a flagrant violation of the United Nations Charter; have catastrophic impacts on America's global leadership; and further enrage the Muslim world, seriously endangering US personnel and interests as well as peace and stability in the Middle East and beyond. Its impacts on international energy markets and the American and global economy could prove disastrous.

Dealing successfully with the problems posed by Iran will require a clear focus on the issue that concerns the entire international community -- nuclear nonproliferation -- in order to sustain a global coalition. Active engagement, multilateral pressures, and United Nations credibility will be far more likely to resolve the problems than unilateral military action. A US military attack would also serve to undermine the credibility of the United Nations framework for peace and security, on which the world relies."

January 27, 2008 - update

November 8, 2007

UNA-USA reaffirms its opposition to "unilateral, preemptive, or unprovoked use of force" against Iran

Communique to UNA-USA Advocacy Committee

from Larry Levine, Chair, UNA-USA Council of Chapters and Divisions

The following is a motion to the UNA-USA Advocacy Committee, which we hope the Committee will approve and bring to the December UNA-USA Board meeting for approval by the UNA-USA Board of Directors:

The United Nations Association of the United States of America reaffirms its opposition to "unilateral, preemptive, or unprovoked use of force" against Iran. (From Resolution #14 adopted at the March 2007 UNA-USA National Convention.)
Such an attack would be a flagrant violation of the United Nations Charter; have catastrophic impacts on America's global leadership; and further enrage the Muslim world, seriously endangering US personnel and interests as well as peace and stability in the Middle East and beyond. Its impacts on international energy markets and the American and global economy could prove disastrous.

Dealing successfully with the problems posed by Iran will require a clear focus on the issue that concerns the entire international community -- nuclear nonproliferation -- in order to sustain a global coalition. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is seeking to maintain and perhaps increase monitoring and inspections of the Iran nuclear activities. The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is actively pursuing efforts to persuade Iran to comply with resolutions designed to assure that the Iran program is peaceful. Active engagement, multilateral pressures, direct diplomatic contact and United Nations credibility will be far more likely to resolve the problems.

All parties should support the work of the UNSC and the IAEA which in the end proved correct on Iraq. As in Iraq a US military attack would also serve to undermine the credibility of the United Nations framework for peace and security, on which the world relies. As in Iraq such an attack might achieve some objectives but have far reaching unpredictable consequences for the region and the world that would present far more serious threats to world peace.

We strongly support all efforts to open the broadest possible dialogue between the United States and Iran with each side free to bring up for discussion any subjects it wishes to raise.

Not part of the language of the motion, these are the reasons we think it is important and appropriate that UNA-USA take this policy position at this time:

1. There has been extensive speculation in the media, among public policy commentators and among elected federal officials, that the US administration is preparing to launch an attack on nuclear development sites around Iran, before it leaves office in January 2009. This is the time to take a position.

2. A preventive military attack by the United States on Iranian nuclear development facilities would be a violation of the United Nations Charter, would likely generate retaliation against US personnel and interests around in various parts of the world, would inflame regional conflict in the Middle East, and would jeopardize US relations with the UN, and the effectiveness of the United Nations in general.

3. At the March 2007 UNA-USA Convention, representatives of all UNA-USA constituencies at the Convention adopted Resolution # S.14 on Defending the Nuclear Nonproliferation Regime, which included this language: "...urges the US to provide assurance of peaceful intent in its negotiations with relevant parties and renounce unilateral, preemptive, or unprovoked use of force against other nations, including Iran;"

4. Earlier this year, UNA-USA President/CEO William Luers stated in a public speech, taped for local television: “A military attack on Iran would be catastrophic. We would not recover for decades…. Nothing rational would cause this to happen, but I worry about an act of desperation by this administration.”

5. Mohammed ElBaradei, Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, a key UN agency in the nuclear field, has said that a military attack on Iran designed to destroy the country's nuclear development would be "a disaster". As he stated on CNN as recently as November 4, 2007: "I very much have concern about confrontation, building confrontation... because that would lead absolutely to a disaster. I see no military solution. The only durable solution is through negotiations and inspections. … My fear if that we continue to escalate from both sides from both sides that we would end up into a precipice, we would end up into an abyss."

6. In its discussion of the new Strategic Plan in September 2007, the UNA-USA Board of Directors made clear that policy and advocacy are core purposes and activities of our organization.

7. Grassroots UNA-USA leaders around the country expect UNA-USA to take public positions on issues like this one, that threaten world peace, the role of the UN Charter, and US-UN relations. In June 2006, the Council of Chapters and Divisions Steering Committee unanimously proposed that UNA-USA take a position in opposition to a US military attack on Iran. Whether or not a UNA-USA policy position would actually influence the debate and the policy in Washington, action on this motion will be an important indication to our UNA constituencies concerning whether UNA-USA is really an advocacy organization, sometimes willing to take public positions on UN-related issues that might even be controversial.

8. In its behind-the-scenes US-Iran Dialogue program, UNA-USA has worked for several years to open communications, understanding and diplomacy between leaders in the US and Iran. Why would we not be ready to clearly say that more dialogue is a better approach than a military attack?

UN Funding Update

from UNA-USA MEMBERSHIP E-NEWS -- Washington Edition
June 1, 2007

Last Friday, the President signed the much-debated emergency war spending bill, providing $120 billion in additional FY2007 funding, including $283 million to pay US obligations to UN peacekeeping. This action comes as the UN General Assembly's budget committee has been examining the UN's financial situation, with many member states expressing concern at the large amount of unpaid dues, most of which are owed by the United States.

For more details, see our latest Washington Report article by clicking here.

In addition, for more information on the current US funding shortfall for UN peacekeeping, visit www.priceofpeace.org .

UNA-USA Averyt Advocacy Alert - 3-31-07

2nd PICK UP THE PHONE COMMUNICATION - ONGOING CAMPAIGN

PLEASE IDENTIFY YOURSELF BY NAME, ORGANIZATION AND
POSITION IN YOUR ORGANIZATION

After we listen/comment, we make our calls to our legislators.

Please use Margot’s tollfree 1 866-569-FOOD (3663), instead of the
two tollfree numbers that I sent to you.

Margo gets a count on use of the number, so she knows how many calls have gone in

"Please take a moment to help feed
and educate children around the world!"

We are working with the Friends of the World Food Program, a UNA-USA Council of Organizations member, to help them build support for the McGovern-Dole Global School Feeding Program, which helps promote the United Nations Millennium Development Goals by fighting hunger and improving education, especially among girls, in the world's poorest countries. If you have not received our action alert on this issue, please note “How We Can Help” at the bottom of this page.

Legislation has just been introduced in both the House of Representatives (H.R. 1616) and the Senate (S. 946) to increase funding for this important program.
Go to www.thomas.gov to read the legislation.

Established in 2001,the program provides school meals to students in the world’s poorest countries, and is positive help in people-to-people achievement of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, including fighting hunger and promoting education, especially among girls. In many cases the free meal was the extra incentive that helped the parents to decide to keep their children in school. For many parents the children’s school time is a loss of important income for them. The fact that their children are fed in school takes the strain off the parents; this is an important issue for people that earn as little as $1 a day.

In the last six years, it has reached about 3 million hungry children per year, in 40 countries. In addition to fighting hunger and promoting education, the McGovern-Dole Global School Feeding Program has opened doors for other important community initiatives such as deworming treatment, clean water and sanitation programs, and HIV/AIDS education. For more information, see the Friends of the World Food Program's campaign webpage and fact sheet.

How Can We Help?
What: Call your 2 Senators and 1 Congressmember and ask them to support legislation to expand funding for the McGovern-Dole Global School Feeding Program.
When: Make your calls after April 2.
How: Dial 1-866-569-FOOD, which connects you directly to the Capitol Hill switchboard, toll-free. Please use this number instead of your usual tollfree numbers; It gives to Margot Hoerrner, executive of the program, a count of calls made.

For detailed information on placing your calls, refer to the resource sheet provided by the Friends of the World Food Program.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Margot Hoerrner of the Friends of the World Food Program at mhoerrner@friendsofwfp.org or 202.530.1694. Margo thanks you for your support!