Dave Opposes Iraqi War

By Waldo Jaquith

Dave Matthews, joining a group calling themselves Artists United to Win Without War, have sent a brief letter to President Bush expressing their opposition to war. They state that they "support rigorous UN weapons inspections to assure Iraq’s effective disarmament," but that war "will increase human suffering, arouse animosity toward our country, increase the likelihood of terrorist attacks, damage the economy, and undermine our moral standing in the world." The 112 signatories include musicians like Michael Stipe and Jackson Browne, actors like Matt Damon and Olympia Dukakis, and a variety of other notables, like historian Howard Zinn and former U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Edward Peck.

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War talk in Washington is alarming and unnecessary.

We are patriotic Americans who share the belief that Saddam Hussein cannot be allowed to possess weapons of mass destruction. We support rigorous UN weapons inspections to assure Iraq’s effective disarmament.

However, a preemptive military invasion of Iraq will harm American national interests. Such a war will increase human suffering, arouse animosity toward our country, increase the likelihood of terrorist attacks, damage the economy, and undermine our moral standing in the world. It will make us less, not more, secure.

We reject the doctrine — a reversal of long-held American tradition that our country, alone, has the right to launch first-strike attacks.

The valid U.S. and UN objective of disarming Saddam Hussein can be achieved through legal diplomatic means. There is no need for war. Let us instead devote our resources to improving the security and well-being of people here at home and around the world.

(Signed)

Gillian Anderson

Edward Asner

René Auberjonois

Amy Aquino

Jordan Baker

David Bale

Kim Basinger

Ed Begley, Jr.

Theo Bikel

Barbara Bosson

Jackson Browne

Peter Buck (REM)

Diahann Carroll

Eugene J. Carroll, Jr. (Rear Adm. U.S. Navy (Ret.)

Kathleen Chalfant

Don Cheadle

Jill Clayburgh

David Clennon

Jack Coleman

Peter Coyote

Peter Crombie

Lindsay Crouse

Suzanne Cryer

Matt Damon

Dana Daurey

Ambassador Jonathan Dean (U.S. Rep. to NATO-Warsaw Pact)

Vincent D’Onofrio

David Duchovny

Olympia Dukakis

Charles S. Dutton

Hector Elizondo

Cary Elwes

Shelley Fabares

Mike Farrell

Mia Farrow

Laurence Fishburne

Sean Patrick Flanery

Bonnie Franklin

John Fugelsang

Janeane Garofalo

Larry Gelbart

Melissa Gilbert

Danny Glover

Elliott Gould

Samaria Graham

Robert Greenwald

Robert Guillaume

Paul Haggis

Robert David Hall

Ethan Hawke

Marg Helgenberger

Ken Howard

Helen Hunt

Anjelica Huston

LaTanya Richardson Jackson

Samuel L. Jackson

Jane Kaczmarek

Melina Kanakaredes

Casey Kasem

Mimi Kennedy

Kevin Kilner

Jessica Lange

Téa Leoni

Donald Logue

Wendie Malick

Camryn Manheim

Marsha Mason

Richard Masur

Dave Mathews

Kent McCord

Mary McDonnell

Robert Duncan McNeill

Mike Mills (REM)

Janel Moloney

Esai Morales

Ed O’Neill

Chris Noth

Peter Onorati

Alexandra Paul

Ambassador Edward Peck (former U.S. Ambassador to Iraq)

Seth Peterson

CCH Pounder

David Rabe

Alan Rachins

Bonnie Raitt

Carl Reiner

Tim Robbins

Eric Roberts

Steve Robinson, Sgt., U.S. Army (Ret.) (National. Gulf War Resource Center)

Mitch Ryan

Susan Sarandon

Tony Shalhoub

Jack Shanahan, Vice Adm. U.S.N. (Ret.)

William Schallert

Martin Sheen

Armin Shimerman

Gloria Steinem

Marcia Strassman

Michael Stipe (REM)

Susan Sullivan

Loretta Swit

Studs Terkel

Lily Tomlin

Blair Underwood

Dennis Weaver

Bradley Whitford

James Whitmore

James Whitmore, Jr.

Alfre Woodard

Noah Wyle

Peter Yarrow

Howard Zinn