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Council supports troops in Iraq

Vote is 9-0; peace activist doubts motive

April 16, 2003

By Neal Falgoust Caller-Times

A month after refusing to consider a resolution from a group of peace activists who opposed the war in Iraq, City Council members on Tuesday expressed support for President Bush, the troops and their military action in Iraq.

Passage of the resolution, on a 9-0 vote, raised suspicion with one of the peace activists, who wondered whether the intent of the resolution was to support the troops or support the war.

If the council intends to support the war, it would have contradicted previous statements that it would not get involved in foreign policy decisions, she said.

Council members said they intended to show their support of the troops and not make a statement about the war. They said they see no contradiction between the resolution and their position that local officials not get involved in national policies.

Susan Peeples, a member of the South Texas Alliance for Peace, said that she supports any statement supporting the troops, but would not go so far as to support the president's decision to wage the war.

"Of course we support the troops," she said. But no council member ever expressed an interest in passing a resolution to support the troops, a resolution Peeples would have supported, she said.

"How will we ever have peace if we don't find common ground?" she said.

Before the war began, council members refused to consider a resolution presented by the peace alliance.

At the time, the council said it would leave matters of foreign policy to President Bush and his military advisers.

Since then, they have come under criticism from conservative radio talk show hosts for not passing a resolution supporting the troops.

The resolution passed Tuesday said that the city would "continue its longstanding support for the military units located within the Coastal Bend and the families of members of the Armed Forces living in our area."

"We should have done this a couple weeks ago," said Councilman Mark Scott, who brought the resolution forward. "The reason I did it _is that we are a military community."

Contact Neal Falgoust at 886-4334 or falgoustn@caller.com

Resolution text

Be it resolved by the City Council of the city of Corpus Christi, Texas:

Section 1: The city of Corpus Christi supports and expresses pride in our President and the Armed Forces of the United States, including all the parents, sons, daughters, spouses and other Americans serving our nation at this time of conflict with the regime of Saddam Hussein and their efforts to bring democracy to the people of Iraq.

Section 2: The city of Corpus Christi will continue its longstanding support for the military units located within the Coastal Bend and the families of members of the Armed Forces living in our area.

Sections 3: The city of Corpus Christi will facilitate the shipment of necessary equipment and supplies through the Port of Corpus Christi.

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Write your government officials!:

President George W. Bush
email: president@whitehouse.gov
White House Opinion Line:
(202) 456-1111
Washington Office:
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, US 20500
Phone: (202) 456-1414
Fax: (202) 456-2461

Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson
Washington Office:
284 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510-4304
Phone: (202) 224-2934
Fax: (202) 224-5220
Main District Office:
10440 N. Central Expressway, #1160
Dallas, TX 75231
Phone: (214) 361-3500
Fax: (214) 361-3502

Senator John Cornyn
Washington Office:
517 Hart Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: (202) 224-2934
Fax: (202) 228-2856
Main District Office:
2323 Bryan St., Ste. 2150
Dallas, TX 75201
Phone: (214) 767-3000

U.S. Representative Solomon P. Ortiz
Washington Office:
2470 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-4327
Phone: (202) 225-7742
Fax: (202) 226-1134
Main District Office:
3649 Leopard, #510
Corpus Christi, TX 78408
Phone: (361) 883-5868
Fax: (361) 884-9201

Governor Rick Perry
Citizen's Opinion Hotline: 1-800-252-9600
PO Box 12428
Austin, TX 78711-2428
Phone: (512) 463-2000
Fax: (512) 463-1849
Washington Office:
122 C St., NW, Ste. 200
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: (202) 638-3927
Fax: (202) 628-1943

State Senator Juan Hinojosa
PO Box 12068
Austin, TX 78711-2068
Phone: (512) 463-0120
Fax: (512) 463-0229
Main District Office:
612 Nolana Ste, 410B
McAllen, TX 78504
Phone: (956) 972-1841
Fax: (956) 686-8462

State Rep. Jaime Capelo
E1.424 Capitol Building
Austin, TX 78768-2910
Phone: (512) 463-0462
Fax: (512) 463-9545
Main District Office:
501 S. Tancahua
Corpus Christi, TX 78401
Phone: (361) 882-2277
Fax: (361) 882-2881

City of Corpus Christi:

Mayor Neal, Loyd
email: dianag@ci.corpus-christi.tx.us
Phone: (361) 880-3100
Fax: (361) 880-3103

Kelly, Bill (District 1)
email: maryj@cctexas.com
Phone: (361) 289-1383
Fax: (361) 289-0712

Colmenero, Javier D. (District 2)
email: jcolmenr@davlin.net
Phone: (361) 880-3105
Fax: (361) 880-3113

Noyola, Jesse (District 3)
email: jnoyola@davlin.net
Phone: (361) 880-3105
Fax: (361) 880-3113

Scott, Mark (District 4)
email: mscott@sanjacintotitle.com
Phone: (361) 880-3105
Fax: (361) 880-3113

Kinnison, Rex (District 5)
email: rkcpatx@aol.com
Phone: (361) 880-3105
Office: (361) 884-6396
Fax: (361) 880-3113

Cooper, Melody (At Large)
email: joe@melodycooperlaw.com
(361) 887-8014 (wk)
(361) 850-7383 (hm)

Chesney, Brent (At Large)
email: bchesney@firstam.com
Phone: (361) 880-3105
Fax: (361) 880-3113

Garrett, Henry (At Large)
email: chiefhcg@aol.com
(361) 949-8406
cell: (361) 850-3113
fax: (361) 949-0162

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