Group to urge peace during Super Bowl

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 24 (UPI) -- Peace activists don't plan to let the nation forget about the looming threat of war with Iraq, even on Super Bowl Sunday.

The anti-war group MoveOn.org said Friday it had rented an airplane that will tow a banner reading, "Let the Inspections Work" over the city of San Diego this weekend as a means of urging the United States to hold off on military action in Iraq until U.N. arms inspectors find proof Saddam Hussein is developing weapons of mass destruction.

"President Bush should let the inspectors finish their job," MoveOn.org spokesman Eli Pariser said. "As long as the United Nations team is still hard at work there is no reason to send in our troops and unleash forces that could escalate into the overthrow of friendly governments or chemical and biological warfare or even nuclear warfare."

In addition to the aerial advertising in San Diego, MoveOn.org said in a press release it planned to air its anti-war message through television advertising during the weekend.

MoveOn.org paid $1,500 for the banner, which will be among the many planes that will be towing ads over the city on Saturday and Sunday.

The message will likely go unseen by the capacity crowd at the Super Bowl. As a security measure, the Federal Aviation Administration has banned aircraft from coming within 7 miles of Qualcomm Stadium during the game.