Reply #115: Congress Has No Choice But to Act on Iraq

[IndianaGreen]

"Iraq must withdraw from Kuwait completely, immediately, and without conditions."

President George Herbert Walker Bush

Just as Iraq's invasion of Kuwait was a criminal and illegal invasion for the oil, so was America's invasion of Iraq. The same standard applied to Iraq in regards to Kuwait must also be applied to the US. America must withdraw from Iraq completely, immediately, and without conditions.

Our duty as citizens is to bring this war to an end, completely (no military footprint left behind), immediately (within 6-months tops), and without conditions (there will never be a "good time" to withdraw, so to save Americans lives it is best to leave as rapidly as possible).

Or duty as voters is to keep pressure on the Congress to end the war, and to stop adding names to a future Iraq War monument.

Congress Has No Choice But to Act on Iraq

By Reps. Lynn Woolsey, Barbara Lee and Maxine Waters
Roll Call

Thursday 15 February 2007

As leaders of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and Out of Iraq Caucus, we are proud that the House has begun to take up the moral dilemma of our times - our continued military occupation of Iraq. Congress finally will have the opportunity to express its disapproval of President Bush's escalation plan, a flawed strategy piled on a 4-year-old failed policy.

By deepening our engagement, escalation will further stoke the fires of civil war in Iraq while increasing the cost to Americans in lives, limbs and treasure.

The political battle lines are clear: On one side we have a bipartisan Congressional majority, roughly two-thirds of the American people, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Iraq Study Group and former military leaders such as Colin Powell. On the other: an unpopular, lame-duck president; too many Congressional Republicans; and the editors of The Weekly Standard - all of whom are willing to accept more American casualties in the name of a policy that is making us less secure and damages our standing in the world.

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Our own comprehensive bill, the Bring Our Troops Home and Sovereignty of Iraq Restoration Act, would complete a fully funded military withdrawal from Iraq within six months while ensuring that our troops and contractors leave safely and accelerate the training of Iraqi security forces.

In addition, our bill would remove the specter of an endless occupation by preventing the establishment of permanent military bases and reiterate our commitment, at the invitation of the Iraqi government, to working with the international community to assist Iraq in its reconstruction and reconciliation efforts. We also would stand ready, if asked by the Iraqis, to participate in an international stabilization force. Our bill also ensures health benefits for all of our military personnel.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/021507A.shtml