The first bipartisan resolution calling on the president to begin planning for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq was introduced on Thursday, June 16. This legislation, sponsored by Republican Representatives Walter Jones (NC) and Ron Paul (TX) and Democrats Neil Abercrombie (HI), Dennis Kucinich (OH), Barbara Lee (CA), Martin Meehan (MA), and Lynn Woolsey (CA), calls on the president to announce before the end of this year a timetable for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq.
Read a copy of this legislation at http://www.house.gov/abercrombie/Iraq%20War%20Res.pdf
This initiative underlines again the importance of the FCNL policy statement which stresses that the U.S. cannot abandon Iraq, but the troops must leave. Members of Congress from both political parties are telling FCNL lobbyists they are growing increasingly frustrated by the rising death toll in Iraq and the mounting evidence that U.S. troops could remain in Iraq for many years to come.
The Washington Post story headlined “Building Iraq's Army: Mission Improbable” quoted U.S. soldiers saying the U.S. will be in Iraq for many years to come and a Philadelphia Inquirer story quoted U.S. Generals saying “Military Action Won’t End the Insurgency” have been widely circulated here in Washington (see links to these articles at the end of this report).
There is also growing concern among some in Congress at reports that the U.S. might be considering a permanent military presence in Iraq. “If the U.S. is ultimately leaving Iraq, why is the military building “permanent” bases?”, asks FCNL in a new map that provides details of some of the military bases in Iraq, http://www.fcnl.org/iraq/bases.htm
Meanwhile, USA Today reports that nearly 60 percent of the people questioned in a recent Gallup poll said they supported a partial or complete U.S. withdrawal from Iraq.
At this time, FCNL lobbyists continue to believe that one possible way to build unity in Congress around U.S. policy toward Iraq would be for your elected representatives to support a declaration that “It is the policy of the United States to withdraw all U.S. military troops and bases from Iraq.” No deadlines, no timetables, just a simple statement of policy.
Learn more about the Iraq STEP campaign and how your local meeting, church, or other organization can support this resolution at www.fcnl.org/iraq
You can read the Washington Post story “Building Iraq's Army: Mission Improbable” at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/09/AR2005060902245_pf.html
You can read the Philadelphia Inquirer story “Military Action Won’t End the Insurgency” at http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0613-01.htm
