FCNL is firm in our opposition to the dangerous, illegal, and immoral war that the Trump administration has launched on Iran. This clear-eyed opposition to war has marked our work since our founding over eighty years ago.
As a Quaker organization, we act as part of a long tradition of letting our lives and actions speak for peace and against war.
Our principle is, and our practices have always been, to seek peace, and ensue it, and to follow after righteousness and the knowledge of God, seeking the good and welfare, and doing that which tends to the peace of all. All bloody principles and practices we do utterly deny, with all outward wars, and strife, and fightings with outward weapons, for any end, or under any pretence whatsoever, and this is our testimony to the whole world
- Declaration to Charles II, 1660
FCNL has always been opposed to violence and will never give up seeking “a world free of war and the threat of war.” Below is a journey through some of what we’ve said over the past eighty years.
Opposition to Vietnam War (1969)
FCNL was a strong part of the anti-Vietnam War movement. As former Executive Secretary Joe Volk reflected on his involvement in the 1969 mobilization to end the war in Vietnam:
“Back in 1969, I did not know the Friends Committee on National Legislation. I did not know how FCNL staff and governors had labored with other peace advocates to bring me and thousands of others to D.C. on November 15. Yet somehow the FCNL community knew that I and others needed and sought opportunities to exercise our conscience in the public square. They helped me to find an opening. FCNL connected with me even when I didn’t know it.”
Bombing of Kosovo (1999)
“The Milosevic government’s actions violate human rights, international law, and normal standards of decency. These actions are not justified by the U.S.-NATO bombing, but all of these terrible outcomes were predictable consequences of the U.S.-NATO military assault on Serbia. In short, the U.S.-NATO bombings are a tactical success militarily, but they are a strategic blunder. The bombing has “degraded” the war-making capacity of Serbia, but it has also opened the way for Milosevic to accelerate and intensify his campaign of terror. Tragically, Kosovar Albanians and Serbian citizens are paying the price for this fight of the two elephants, Milosevic and Clinton.”
Legislative Action Message from FCNL, April 1, 1999
Statement following 9/11 attacks (2001)
“[M]any in the administration and Congress have declared that a state of war now exists. We are concerned that these public statements may be stirring the popular will and expectation for war. We wonder: War against whom? Cooler heads must prevail in the U.S. government during this time of crisis. War will only compound the tremendous assault on humanity that has already occurred. War is not the answer. The people who committed these acts struck with hatred. They saw the people in the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the aircraft as faceless enemies. They denied the humanity of their victims. The U.S. must not commit the same sin by compounding the hatred, violence, and injustice of these attacks with its own acts of terror and war against another people, most of whom are innocent of these crimes.”
War in Afghanistan (2001)
“We oppose war. War is the ultimate rejection of God’s creation. We have living experience of the transforming power of nonviolent response to evil. We support alternative actions that our government, with the international community, can take to respond to the attacks and to prevent further violence. We believe that the sources of the violence that hurts us all can be exposed and transformed through creative, courageous, and unexpected acts that restore justice, heal human relationships, and untangle the deep roots of this conflict.”
Statement from FCNL Executive Committee
War on Iraq (2002)
“As the U.S. government prepares to expand its military action against Iraq into a preemptive war for regime change, we call on our policymakers and the world community to employ peaceful strategies to address the problems of terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, and abusive regimes.”
War is the ultimate rejection of God’s creation, FCNL Executive Committee
Invasion of Ukraine (2022)
“Quakers are a people who follow after peace, love and unity. Our peace testimony is our witness to the Truth as we experience it… We continue to uphold the right to refuse to kill. We stand with conscientious objectors on all sides of this conflict, with the people in Russia who stand up against their leaders’ belligerent actions, and the people in Ukraine employing creative forms of nonviolent civil resistance…. And we continue to support peacebuilding measures. We call on the governments of Ukraine, Russia, neighboring countries, the United States, NATO, and the European Union, to explore all avenues—whether public or private—for a renewed conversation to address the human security needs of all the peoples and countries in the region, to help provide the basis for long term peace.”
Quaker Statement on the Peace Testimony, signed by FCNL and 7 other Quaker organizations.
Attack on Venezuela (2026)
“President Trump has chosen war, not peace,” said FCNL’s general secretary Bridget Moix. “This illegal attack and takeover of Venezuela is a shocking expansion of the administration’s militarized approach to the world and will likely spark more violence in return.”
Quaker Lobby Condemns Kidnapping of Venezuela President and Violation of Venezuela’s Sovereignty
Iran War (2026)
“We urge the administration to pursue immediate deescalation and a swift return to negotiations. This war of choice is unnecessary, illegal, and immoral. With faith that peace is possible, FCNL will continue working tirelessly with Congress and peace advocates across the country to pass the Iran War Powers Resolution, end U.S. involvement in this war, and build a future grounded in international cooperation, justice, accountability, and lasting peace.”
Quaker Lobby Condemns Attacks on Iran
Whatever violence the future holds, we know that Spirit will continue to lead us in the way of love, peace, and justice.
Join us in the struggle. Listen to the cry for peace.
