Below is the letter that we sent to British Petroleum (BP):
John Browne, Group Chief Executive July 11, 2006
British Petroleum
1 St. James Square
London, SW1Y4PD
United Kingdom
Dear Mr. Browne:
As you may know, the invasion and occupation of Iraq by the United States and other Coalition forces are violations of international law.
Over 100,000, and possibly far more, Iraqis have been killed in the invasion and occupation. (In 2004, a peer-reviewed study published by the authoritative Lancet Medical Journal found that about 100,000 or more Iraqis had died due to the war.) Additionally, the U.S. has committed numerous war crimes, such as the destruction of cities, use of uranium munitions, use of white phosphorous as a chemical weapon and torture. The devastation of Iraqi civil society is beyond calculation.
U.S. troops killed on the ground in Iraq number 2,550, as of this date, with at least 18,777 wounded. Total troop fatalities for Coalition forces are 2,770. There are no accurate figures on the deaths of Iraqi troops under Coalition control, but they number in the thousands. There are no estimates of the numbers of people who have become emotionally disabled as a result of being victims or perpetrators of wholesale brutalization and killing.
British Petroleum sold about $2.2 billion in petroleum products and services to the United States military in fiscal years 2004 and 2005. In addition, the Iraq War has been a major factor in the dramatic rise in crude oil prices that has brought British Petroleum huge, unearned profits.
In view of the illegality of what is happening in Iraq and the enormity of the suffering being caused by this illegal conduct, we ask that British Petroleum stop selling petroleum products and services to the U.S. military until all U.S. military and mercenary forces leave Iraq.
Please note that there are also grave concerns about U.S. violations of international law with respect to U.S. conduct at Guantanamo, in Afghanistan and toward Iran.
Sincerely,
Nick Mottern, Director, Consumers for Peace
Charles Jenks, Traprock Peace Center
David Swanson, Co-founder, AfterDowningStreet.org
Tim Carpenter, Executive Director, Progressive Democrats of America
Don Debar, WBAI producer
Gayle Dunkelberger, Katonah, New York
Rev. Diane Baker, Dallas, Texas
Jim Goodnow, Dallas, Texas