Sample City Council Peace Resolutions


Resolution Opposing U.S. Military Involvement in Iran(passed by Oakland City Council, November 6, 2007)

WHEREAS, Questionable United States accusations about Iran's nuclear program and its involvement in the violence in Iraq have led to direct threats from top U.S. Administration officials to attack Iran; and

Whereas, The Bush Administration and many of its Congressional allies, in a strategy eerily reminiscent of the lead-up to the Iraq War and Occupation, has engaged in a systematic campaign to demonize Iran and the Iranian people using unreliable sources, exaggerated threat assessments and the selective use of information; and

WHEREAS, A U.S. strike on Iran would be deadly for tens or hundreds of thousands of Iranian men, women and children and would violate the United Nations Charter prohibition against preemptive military attack; and

WHEREAS, According to the estimates of many respectable Western intelligence agencies, Iran is years away from having a usable nuclear weapon, if indeed it is seeking to manufacture one at all; and

WHEREAS, Iran has NOT threatened to attack the United States and has not been convincingly shown to be likely to initiate such an attack; and

WHEREAS, Iran is a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty and Iran's nuclear power program, including enriching uranium, is currently legal under the NPT; and

WHEREAS, A United States attack on Iran would unite all Iranians, and the widening of the United States war in the Middle East is almost certain to drive all segments of Iranian society—even those who are friendly to the United States--towards increased hostility and even hatred toward the United States, its military and its citizens, once again turning potential friends into enemies, sending a signal worldwide that the United States prefers violence to the peaceful resolution of disputes, and inviting retaliation against our troops in Iraq and elsewhere; and

WHEREAS, Comprehensive direct diplomatic talks between the United States and Iran would likely result in improved relations, and reduced tensions, between our nations; and

WHEREAS, Continued threats of violence and other aggressive actions exacerbate tensions with Iran and could obstruct efforts to cooperate with Iran over ending violence in Iraq, delaying the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq; and

WHEREAS, as the Iraq War has already cost the lives of more than 3,000 American soldiers, the serious maiming of over 26,000 American soldiers, and the death and maiming of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi civilians, as well as the cost of more $400,000,000,000 of American tax dollars, embarking on yet another military campaign against a much stronger adversary can do nothing but further exacerbate international tensions, endanger the lives and livelihoods of millions of people both here and abroad, and do little or nothing to address the most serious problems facing the American people and humanity, generally; now

Therefore, Be It Resolved, that the Oakland City Council does hereby express its support for the strong leadership of members of

Congress to limit the war authority of the Bush Administration with respect to continuing and/or expanding the war in Iraq or taking, or supporting, or encouraging any military action against Iran, which includes support for Congressmember Sam Farr's HR 33, Congressmember Barbara Lee's HR 770 with respect to Iran and HR 413, HR 508, and HR 4232 [check final bill numbers] with respect to expanding U.S. troops in Iraq, and any other Congressional actions calling for the immediate and/or most rapid possible withdrawal of American military forces from Iraq, Iran, and the surrounding countries; and

Be It Further Resolved, that the Oakland City Council does hereby request that our California U.S. Senators Boxer and Feinstein provide leadership in the U.S. Senate in support of Congress re-establishing its Constitutional authority over U.S. foreign policy and war policy and funding; and

Be It Further Resolved, that the Oakland City Council directs

City Clerk Latonda Simmons to send copies of this Resolution to the President of the United States, our Congressional representatives, our California legislative representatives, the League of California Cities, and all local media outlets; and to arrange that a copy of this resolution be placed on the Oakland City website.


Resolution Opposing U.S. Military Involvement in Iran(passed by Sebastopol City Council, Aug 22, 2007)

Text of resolution to be available soon 

Resolution Opposing U.S. Military Involvement in Iraq and Iran(passed by Santa Cruz City Council, 5 to 2, Feb 27, 2007)

Whereas, current U.S. foreign policy in the middle-east is clearly counterproductive with respect to the interests of the American people and the peoples of the middle-east; and

Whereas, the initial invasion of Iraq was based on deliberately falsified information about non-existent “weapons of mass destruction” and alleged ties between Sadam Hussein and Al Quaeda in Iraq presented by the Bush Administration to the U.S. Congress, the United Nations, and the American people; and

Whereas, continued presence of the U.S. military in Iraq as an occupying army ­ a situation which has already gone on longer than the U.S. involvement in World War II -- cannot possibly lead to peace and/or a stable and sovereign Iraq under the control of the people of Iraq; and

Whereas, the increase or “surge” in American soldiers proposed by the Bush Administration cannot lead to a successful outcome of the war in Iraq; and

Whereas, polls conducted by the most reputable and accurate U.S. polling organizations have shown that the vast majority of Iraqis want the United States military to leave their country and that a significant majority of the Iraqis, whom our soldiers are ostensibly there to protect, also now support killing American troops; and

Whereas, the Bush Administration is now circulating information of dubious authenticity about the involvement of the government of Iran in importing weapons and explosive devises into Iraq ­ a claim about which the U.S. commander on the ground in Iraq has cast serious doubt; and

Whereas, the Administration's questionable information about Iran follows exactly the same pattern as their lies that led to the ill-considered and ill-fated invasion and occupation of Iraq; and

Whereas, the U.S. release of information about the alleged involvement of Iran in providing weapons in Iraq is clearly intended to justify an attack on Iran

Whereas, such an attack and widening of the U.S. war in the middle-east is almost certain to drive forces in Iran who are friendly to the United States into increased hatred and hostility toward the United States and its citizens, once again making potential friends into virulent enemies ­ as the Bush Administration has done consistently in their misguided approach to foreign policy; and

Whereas, the Bush Administration's approach to the war in Iraq have cost the lives of over 3,000 American soldiers, the serious maiming of over 26,000 American soldiers, and the death and maiming of countless hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqi civilians as well as the waste of over $400,000,000,000 of American tax dollars that might have been put to much better use in serving the education, health care, job training, housing, human services, and other domestic needs of the residents of Santa Cruz and throughout the United States; and

Whereas, the vast majority of the American public, both through the electoral process in November 2006 and as demonstrated in public opinion polls, now have expressed a clear desire for the complete and rapid withdrawal of American military forces from Iraq; and

Whereas, significant numbers of local Santa Cruz citizens have asked the Santa Cruz City Council to represent their opposition to the continued U.S. military occupation of Iraq, the expansion of the war in Iraq, and its spread to neighboring countries; and

Whereas, the California State Legislature is now also considering actions to express its opposition to the current approach of the Bush Administration's policies in the middle-east; and

Whereas, the Santa Cruz City Council has been asked by our local citizens to play a role in amplifying their support for strong Congressional action to oppose the current policies of the Bush Administration in the middle-east and to support the actions already taken by our Congressmember Sam Farr and others to that end:

Therefore, Be It Resolved, that the Santa Cruz City Council does hereby express its support for the strong leadership being taken by our Congressional Representative Sam Farr and other members of Congress to limit the war authority of the Bush Administration with respect to continuing and/or expanding the war in Iraq or taking, or supporting, or encouraging any military action against Iran, which includes support for Congressmember Sam Farr's HR 33, Congressmember Barbara Lee's HR 770 with respect to Iran and HR 413, HR 508, and HR 4232 [check final bill numbers] with respect to expanding U.S. troops in Iraq, and any other Congressional actions calling for the immediate and/or most rapid possible withdrawal of American military forces from Iraq, Iran, and the surrounding countries; and

Be It Further Resolved, that the Santa Cruz City Council does hereby request that our California U.S. Senators Boxer and Feinstein join our Congressmember Sam Farr by providing leadership in the U.S. Senate in support of Congress re-establishing its Constitutional authority over U.S. foreign policy and war policy and funding; and

Be It Further Resolved, that the Santa Cruz City Council does hereby request that our California State Legislators, Assemblymember John Laird and State Senator Joe Simitian, provide leadership in the California legislature in support of State Senator Carole Migden's Senate Joint Resolution (SJR 1) calling for a rapid withdrawal of the U.S. military occupation of Iraq; and

Be It Further Resolved, that the Santa Cruz City Council directs Mayor Emily Reilly to send copies of this Resolution to the President of the United States, our Congressional representatives, our California legislative representatives, the League of California Cities, and all local media outlets; and to arrange that a copy of this resolution be placed on the Santa Cruz City website.

Call for Peace With Iran-draft proposal 1

WHEREAS, Unsubstantiated U.S. accusations about Iran's nuclear program and its involvement in the violence in Iraq have led to threats from U.S. officials to attack Iran;

Whereas, The Bush Administration, following the same strategy that led to the disastrous invasion and occupation of Iraq, has engaged in a campaign to demonize Iran using biased sources, exaggerated threat assessments and cherry picking of information;

WHEREAS, A U.S. strike on Iran, especially with the nuclear "bunker-buster" bombs being contemplated, would be deadly for tens or hundreds of thousands of Iranians, and would violate the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the UN Charter;

WHEREAS, According to the estimates of Western intelligence agencies, Iran is years away from having a usable nuclear weapon, if indeed it is seeking one;

WHEREAS, Iran has not invaded or attacked any country for hundreds of years and has not threatened to attack the U.S;

WHEREAS, Iran is a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty and Iran's nuclear power program, including enriching uranium, is legal under the NPT;

WHEREAS, A U.S. attack on Iran would unite Iranians-even internal critics--behind their government, turn the Iranian people against the United States, and invite retaliation against our troops in Iraq and elsewhere in the Middle East;

WHEREAS, Comprehensive direct diplomatic talks between the US and Iran, with no pre-conditions, would likely result in improved relations between our nations;

WHEREAS, Exacerbating tensions with Iran could obstruct efforts to cooperate with Iran over ending violence in Iraq and delay the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq;

THEREFORE, THE CITY OF X CALLS ON OUR REPRESENTATIVES IN CONGRESS TO:

  • Prohibit the use of funds to carry out any military action against Iran without explicit Congressional authorization,
  • Ensure that our relations with Iran are consistent with international law;

  • Encourage talks, without pre-conditions, between the US and Iran on nuclear issues and ending the violence in Iraq.