Permanent Occupation

[political_invader]

By Rep. Barbara Lee
Sept 29,2005

If you are inclined to believe the president, we will be in Iraq, in his words “as long as necessary, and not a day longer.” Members of the Bush administration, including the president, have been at pains to dispel any notion that they have plans for a permanent military presence in Iraq.

On April 13, 2004, President Bush said, “As a proud and independent people, Iraqis do not support an indefinite occupation and neither does America.”

On February 17, 2005, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, testifying before the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate, said, ”We have no intention, at the present time, of putting permanent bases in Iraq.”

The circumstances on the ground, however, tell another story. On March 23, 2004, the Chicago Tribune reported on the construction of 14 “enduring bases” in Iraq. The May 22, 2005, Washington Post described the military’s plan to consolidate military personnel in Iraq into four massive “contingency operating bases.” According to the Congressional Research Service, Emergency Supplemental funds appropriated for military construction in Iraq for fiscal years 2001–2005 total more than $805 million, with the vast majority, more than $597 million, coming in the 2005 fiscal year.

rest of article:

http://www.inthesetimes.com/site/main/article/2323/

H. Con. Res. 197,
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=hc109-197


I am requesting DUers to join me in Blasting this out in support of this BILL. call and write your reps.

this link will help you with how to contact your rep
http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW.shtml

[davidinalameda]

1. my rep is already a co-sponsor

I'll send him a thank you email

[political_invader]

2. Thanks

this is a must pass.

[understandinglife]

4. Mine, as well. Will call and thank him tomorrow morning.

Peace.

[SalmonChantedEvening]

3. KICK for a fellow truthseeker!

:kick:

[alfredo]

5. bush wants a government, no matter how weak so they can sign a

Status of Forces Agreement. They may have already, though I am not sure about an intern government signing a SOFA.

With a SOFA bush can claim we are there at the request of the government. From those four, or fourteen bases, bush can launch wars against Iraq's neighbors.