BANGOR – Several religious, service and activist organizations in Maine announced Wednesday they are forming the Maine Win Without War Coalition in response to the United States’ possibly going to war with Iraq. The coalition will ask town councils throughout the state to adopt resolutions in support of the United Nations weapons inspection process and oppose a preemptive U.S. strike without U.N. authorization. The first such resolution will be considered by the Portland City Council at its regular Feb. 3 meeting.

Among the groups composing the coalition are: The Maine Council of Churches, the National Organization for Women-Maine, Physicians for Social Responsibility-Maine, the United Nations Association-Maine, the NAACP-Portland chapter, Maine Public Health Assoc., and the Peace and Justice Center of Eastern Maine. For information, call 326-9574.