Iraq: Last Chance for Congress to Ban Bases
We are training Iraqi troops so they can defend their nation. We're helping Iraq's unity government grow in strength and serve its people. We will not leave until this work is done.
– President George Bush, September 11, 2006
Publicly, President Bush insists that the U.S. is in Iraq to reduce the violence, strengthen democracy, and unify the nation. After that, the U.S. will leave. But we have seen in news reports from Iraq over the last few days that the political, economic, and security policies of the U.S. government in Iraq are neither reducing the violence nor unifying the country.
Now the administration is telling Congress that the U.S. should not rule out having permanent military bases in Iraq. This is the worst possible signal policymakers could send right now to people in Iraq and the United States, as the monthly death toll rises to levels not seen since the initial U.S. invasion. Iraqis tell us this talk of permanent military bases confirms the fears of many people in their country that the U.S. plans to stay indefinitely, helps recruit new people to join the anti-U.S. insurgency, and contributes to the slide toward civil war.
For years, the administration has denied reports that the U.S. is planning a permanent military presence in Iraq. Policymakers have insisted that the U.S. will remain in Iraq only as long as necessary and, as several officials have said, “not a day longer.” FCNL put forward the Iraq STEP (Sensible Transition to an Enduring Peace) proposal in part to persuade Congress to go on the record opposing a permanent U.S. military presence in Iraq. And Congress agreed.
Thanks in large part to the efforts of the people in the FCNL network, both the House and the Senate have passed provisions declaring the U.S. will not maintain permanent military bases in Iraq. But FCNL lobbyists learned this week that the administration – for the second time this year-- has successfully worked behind closed doors to persuade Congress to delete that language from legislation already passed in the Senate.
Congress has one final opportunity in this session to pass legislation barring the Pentagon from spending money to establish permanent military bases in Iraq. Majorities in both the House and the Senate have voted to approve this language in amendments to the military appropriations bill. Negotiators from the House and the Senate will be meeting in the next two weeks to finalize this legislation in a conference report.
Take Action Now
Write, or email your representative today. Urge her or him to sign the Dear Colleague letter that Representatives Barbara Lee (CA) and Tom Allen (ME) are circulating this week in support of the “no permanent bases” provision in the military appropriations bill. You can write a letter using the FCNL website.
Contacting Legislators
Contact your members of Congress through FCNL's web site.
Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121
Sen. ________
U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510
Rep. ________
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
Contacting the Administration
Contact the President through FCNL's web site.
White House Comment Desk:
202 456-1111
Fax: 202-456-2461
White House web site
President George W. Bush
The White House
Washington, DC 20500
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