Representatives from the American Friends Service Committee and Global Policy Forum, a member of the advisory committee for Human Rights Watch/Middle East, and a member of the U.S. House of Representatives shared their expertise and opinions on U.S. policy toward Iraq as part of a“teach-in” at Haverford College on Saturday and Sunday, November 9 and 10, in Roberts Hall.
November 9, 1 – 4 p.m., Roberts Hall, Marshall Auditorium: James Paul, the executive director of Global Policy Forum and secretary of the non-governmental organization working group on the Security Council; Peter Lems, program associate for Iraq at the American Friends Service Committee; and Ann Mosely Lesch, a political scientist at Villanova University offerred their viewpoints regarding the current situation in Iraq vis-Ã -vis U.S. sanctions and the threat of U.S. military action against Iraq, followed by questions from the audience and an informal reception.
November 10, 8 – 9 p.m., Roberts Hall, Marshall Auditorium: Barbara Lee, the U.S. Congresswoman from California who sponsored the“Lee Alternative to War Amendment,” discussed her reasons for opposing a pre-emptive unilateral first strike against Iraq.
Global Policy Forum was founded in 1993 by a group of citizens from several countries to monitor global policy-making at the U.N. Based in New York, the forum works in partnership with many non-governmental organizations around the world, addressing issues that have involved the U.N. Security Council, the U.N. financial crisis, and social and economic policy at the global level.
Peter Lems, whose role at the American Friends Service Committee is to help educate the public about issues related to Iraq and U.S. foreign policy, has led a number of delegations to the Middle East. Twice he has escorted groups to Iraq to investigate the effects of U.S. sanctions there, and in March 2001, he participated in an AFSC delegation to Israel, Palestine and Jordan.
Ann Mosely Lesch is a professor of political science at Villanova whose research includes the Palestine and Arab-Israeli conflict, Egyptian and Sudanese politics and conflict resolution. A former president of the Sudan Studies Association and the Middle East Studies Association of North America, Lesch has written a number of books and dozens of articles on the governments and politics of the Middle East and North Africa, including Battle for Peace in Sudan: An Analysis of the Abuja Conferences, 1992-1993, which she co-authored in 2000 with Steven Wyndu for University Press of America. She has been awarded research fellowships from the U.S. Institute of Peace, the Rockefeller Foundation's Bellagio Center and as a visiting professor at Cairo University. She continues to co-chair the steering committee of the Palestinian American Research Center.
Congresswoman Barbara Lee has represented the ninth district of California since 1998. She is currently the vice chair of the Progressive Caucus, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus task force on global HIV/AIDS and a member of the CBC's minority business task force. She also serves as the Democratic Regional Whip for Northern California, American Samoa, Guam, and Hawaii.
A member of the International Relations Committee's subcommittee on Africa and Europe, Lee recently introduced legislation to increase the worldwide affordability of AIDS drugs. In September she sponsored an amendment to the Bush administration's resolution allowing a pre-emptive strike against Iraq. Lee urged the U.S. to“re-engage the diplomatic process through United Nations inspections and enhanced containment efforts…” The amendment failed by a vote of 355-72.
Listen to mp3's of the weekend's speakers here. The files are available as streaming audio or may be downloaded.
