Bridge City Friends Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), standing in the 350 year tradition of Friends’ opposition to war, calls for the United States to begin the orderly termination of the U.S. military occupation of Iraq immediately.

We are saddened by the building of permanent U.S. bases in Iraq and anguished by the violent deaths and injuries of tens of thousands of Iraqis and another generation of U.S. soldiers.

In concert with the international community and Iraqis themselves, we accept the moral and legal obligation of the United States to help repair Iraq’s war damage. Since we are called to live in that love and power that takes away the occasion of all war, we acknowledge our own obligation to remove the seeds of war embedded in our daily lives and call for our nation to turn toward nonviolent resolution of conflicts.

We hold in our hearts and prayers the people of Iraq, troops of the United States and other nations, humanitarian workers in Iraq, loved ones of all in harm’s way, leaders of Iraq and the United States, and all others affected by this war.

Approved by Bridge City Friends Meeting on this 14th day of the 5th month, 2006, gathered in monthly session at Portland French School in Portland, Oregon.