yesterday, democratic representative john murtha introduced a resolution calling for withdrawal from iraq. here's the text:
Whereas Congress and the American People have not been shown clear, measurable progress toward establishment of stable and improving security in Iraq or of a stable and improving economy in Iraq, both of which are essential to "promote the emergence of a democratic government";
Whereas additional stabilization in Iraq by U, S. military forces cannot be achieved without the deployment of hundreds of thousands of additional U S. troops, which in turn cannot be achieved without a military draft;
Whereas more than $277 billion has been appropriated by the United States Congress to prosecute U.S. military action in Iraq and Afghanistan;
Whereas, as of the drafting of this resolution, 2,079 U.S. troops have been killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom;
Whereas U.S. forces have become the target of the insurgency,
Whereas, according to recent polls, over 80% of the Iraqi people want U.S. forces out of Iraq;
Whereas polls also indicate that 45% of the Iraqi people feel that the attacks on U.S. forces are justified;
Whereas, due to the foregoing, Congress finds it evident that continuing U.S. military action in Iraq is not in the best interests of the United States of America, the people of Iraq, or the Persian Gulf Region, which were cited in Public Law 107-243 as justification for undertaking such action;
Therefore be it Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That:
Section 1. The deployment of United States forces in Iraq, by direction of Congress, is hereby terminated and the forces involved are to be redeployed at the earliest practicable date.
Section 2. A quick-reaction U.S. force and an over-the-horizon presence of U.S Marines shall be deployed in the region.
Section 3 The United States of America shall pursue security and stability in Iraq through diplomacy.
this is the language of the bill republicans put forth and want a vote on:
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the deployment of United States forces in Iraq be terminated immediately.
Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that the deployment of United States forces in Iraq be terminated immediately.
notice any differences? why do republicans play political games with our troops lives?
personally, it was a terrible idea to invade iraq. preemptive wars of aggression against countries that offer no real threat to us, are, well, dumb.
that being said, i take a lot of flak for my opinion on how to handle this whole mess. im of the opinion that we should stay in iraq. we made the bed, now we sleep in it.
heres my proposition:
1) apologize to the world for our blundering ineptness and bullheadedness
2) request aid from the un for rebuilding the country
3) fire rumsfeld; beg shinseki to come back and manage our forces
4) reinstitute the draft
5) put as many boots on the ground as required, and match that number with civilians to actually rebuild, as opposed to looting our treasury
6) commit half of our troop levels to training iraqi military and police, dedicate the other half to building and maintaining peace
i considered adding "dont torture" but i figure that goes without saying. any thoughts?
