Offenses

Chargeable Offenses

Crime
George W. Bush, in his role as President of the United States of America and Commander in Chief, and Dick Cheney in his role as Vice-President, led the United States into an illegal war against the sovereign nation of Iraq. In article 23 of our Doctrinal Standards and General Rules (2000 Discipline, p.65) the U.S. government is described as "a sovereign and independent nation, and ought not to be subject to any foreign jurisdiction." We hold that Iraq is also a "sovereign and independent nation" and is granted the same rights as the United States, no matter what anyone's opinion is of its former head of state. Attacking a sovereign nation except in cases of legitimate self-defense is a violation of international law. This war, and subsequent occupation, dishonored the sovereignty of the people of Iraq as world citizens and as fellow children of God, in violation of Article 23. In Article 15, on page 71 of the Discipline, we claim to believe that "...God is owner of all things and that individual holding of property is lawful and is a sacred trust under God. Private property is to be used for the manifestation of Christian love and liberty, and to support the Church's mission in the world..." With no credible army to defend themselves and no clear evidence that they possessed weapons of mass destruction, Iraq posed NO threat to our immediate national security. Our destruction of their property, murder of thousands, torture of many, and usurpation of their oil fields are unnecessary and deplorable violations of article 15 and our sacred trust under God to honor liberty, freedom, the sacred worth of human life and our mission in the world.

While all U.S. citizens bear a degree of responsibility for our invasion of Iraq, it was George W. Bush and Dick Cheney who initiated, promoted, and led this illegal war. It is they who bear the fullest responsibility for this crime.