In January 2003, Senator Welch joined members of the Vermont Legislature urging President Bush not to begin a war with Iraq, citing the lack of "a sufficient case proving that Iraq poses an immediate threat to our nation."

January 29, 2003

President George W. Bush
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington DC 20500

We the undersigned members of the Vermont General Assembly strongly urge the United States to secure a United Nations Security Council resolution declaring that all available diplomatic efforts have failed and that the use of force is warranted before entering into armed conflict against Iraq.

We have serious concerns about the legal, constitutional, ethical and foreign policy implications of the administration,s preemptive attack policy.

We do not believe that the Bush Administration has made a sufficient case proving that Iraq poses an immediate threat to our nation that justifies risking the lives of the brave men and women who serve in our armed forces or innocent Iraqi civilians who will inevitably suffer during a war.

Cost estimates for a war in Iraq have ranged as high as two hundred billion dollars depending on the breadth of our commitment and the duration of an armed conflict. This is not a wise commitment of our precious economic resources. At the same time our economy is struggling and many businesses and families are finding it increasingly difficult to meet the demands of every day life.

On January 17, an estimated 3,000 Vermonters gathered in Montpelier for one of the largest peace rallies in the state,s history. The same day perhaps 200,000 individuals, including many Vermonters, converged on the nation,s capital to urge the United States to seek peaceful alternatives to the Iraqi crisis.

We urge the President to allow the UN inspectors time to complete their work and to avoid military action against Iraq without additional action on the part of the UN Security Council.