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May
14, 2003
President
George W. Bush
The
White House
By
fax: 202-456-2461
1600
Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Washington,
D.C. 20500
Dear
President Bush,
The
authorization to U.S. military personnel in Iraq to shoot
looters reported in the press today must be rescinded
immediately. Neither the laws of war, nor peace, or any legal
definition of “American Justice”, authorize soldiers, or
police to shoot looters. Any soldier who shoots a looter has
committed armed assault if injury results and murder if death
results. You must not put this Iraqi blood on the hands and
conscience of young American soldiers.
During
the racial turbulence of the 1960's, there was “Much loose
talk of shooting looters.” As Attorney General I said “this
talk must stop!” “If America has a conscience we had best
awake from this wild talk of shooting looters and face
reality.” “Far from being effective, shooting looters
divides, angers, embitters, drives to violence... Is this
American justice?”
Deadly
force, including firearms, can be employed only as a last resort
when necessary to stop a direct and immediate threat to life.
This
new authorization to shoot looters compounds the excessive use
of force employed against the people of Iraq by the shock and
awe aggression already committed. It means the U.S. does not
respect the lives of the people of Iraq and will use its armed
might to kill them as it chooses.
Only
your immediate action can prevent more deaths and greater hatred
toward our country.
Sincerely,
Ramsey
Clark
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