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1 Sep, 2013

Arab-American Group Rejects U.S. Military Action Against Syria

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Washington, DC | www.adc.org | August 30, 2012 — The following is the full text of a statement issued by the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) about the potential U.S. attack on Syria.

Open statement

The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee calls on the Obama Administration to exercise restraint, and not use military action against Syria. As a civil and human rights organization, ADC condemns the use of chemical weapons by any entity, and agrees that such acts must not be tolerated and must be dealt with accordingly.

ADC recognizes the authority and the responsibility of the United Nations Security Council to deal with this violation of international law. ADC calls all nations, including the United States, to encourage the Security Council to address this illegal and immoral act. Pulling the United States into another needless, purposeless and costly war is not in the best interest of the country or the region.

As the conflict in Syria continues, and the death toll rises, ADC continues its call for a peaceful negotiated resolution, which will allow for a transition to a unified, secular and democratic Syria. This transition must be achieved by respecting the principle of self-determination, and must be free of foreign intervention.

ADC supports those working for a peaceful transition of the Arab World to a secular and democratic system, respecting the human rights, freedom of religion and dignity for all.

The popular uprisings in a number of Arab countries signify a historic quest for peoples living in these countries to secure protections for their civil rights and civil liberties and to establish true democracy and the rule of law in their political and legal infrastructures. ADC believes in the futility of the resort to violence to achieve these objectives and condemns all efforts leading to sectarian or ethnic incitement and civil strife in any Arab country. This shift in Arab domestic politics will inevitably impact U.S. foreign policy in the relationship between these countries and the U.S.

ADC recognizes the current conflict in Syria has given rise to a serious humanitarian crisis which has led to hundreds of thousands of refugees. ADC calls on all peoples to ensure that those in immediate need are provided with adequate resources and aid. ADC will continue to work to ensure Syrian Nationals are given the opportunity to come to the United States and seek refugee from the crisis, and those currently in the United States are provided with Temporary Protective Status (TPS). ADC will continue to address the humanitarian needs of all peoples and work with partner NGO’s and government agencies to address the crisis.

End statement