Twenty-eight faith leaders from Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim and Sikh traditions today sent an Interfaith Letter on Drone Warfare to President Barak Obama.
The signers note the importance of governmental transparency and commend the Administration’s announced, yet unfulfilled pledge to make public a “playbook” on its drone warfare program. The singers also challenge the morality and effectiveness of the US drone warfare program, which has killed thousands of innocent people. “God weeps and our hearts ache at such unnecessary loss of human life,” they comment.
The letter urges the Administration to halt its drone warfare program. The signers argue that drone warfare fuels recruitment for extremist groups and makes Americans less safe. The letter suggests cooperation with international partners on diplomacy, development, promotion of human rights, intelligence sharing, and international policing are creative alternative to drone warfare that can better address the root causes of conflict and extremism. The signers urge the President to leave a more peaceful and democratic legacy as the country prepares to transition to a new Administration in 2017.
A recent report from the Stimson Center gave previous efforts to reform the US drones warfare program a failing grade.[i] The June 6 Interfaith Letter follows the recent resignation of US Army Chaplain Chris Antal.[ii] Antal, a Unitarian Universalist minister, resigned due to similar objections to the US drone warfare program.
About Interfaith Network on Drone Warfare
The Interfaith Network on Drone Warfare is a project of the Princeton-based Peace Action Education Fund, and works in cooperation with the DC-based Interfaith Working Group on Drone Warfare. The Interfaith Network was formed following an Interfaith Conference on Drone Warfare held January 23-25, 2015, attended by some 150 diverse faith leaders from across the country at Princeton Theological Seminary. Details of the Interfaith Conference, including the statement adopted by the attendees, can be found at peacecoalition.org/dronesconference.
[i] http://www.stimson.org/images/uploads/grading-progress-on-us-Drone-Policy.pdf
[ii] http://www.military.com/daily-news/2016/05/12/us-army-chaplain-submits-resignation-over-drone-warfare.html
Nathan Hosler , Interfaith Working Group on Drone Warfare
Director, Office of Public Witness, Church of the Brethren
337 N. Carolina Ave, SE
Washington DC 20003
717-333-1649
Jesse Winter, Interfaith Working Group on Drone Warfare
Peacebuilding and Policy Associate, Office of Public Witness, Church of the Brethren
337 N. Carolina Ave, SE
Washington DC 20003
443-974-2404
The Rev. Robert Moore
Executive Director, Coalition for Peace Action & Peace Action Education Fund
Administrative & Educational Coordinator, Interfaith Drone Network
40 Witherspoon Street
Princeton, NJ 08540
609-924-5022
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