House Resolution 17 PAG LIN 1 1 HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. ____ 1 2 BY FALLON, SHOULTZ, JOCHUM, MYERS, CONNORS, THOMAS, 1 3 D. TAYLOR, GREIMANN, BERRY, WENDT, D. OLSON, 1 4 OSTERHAUS, BUKTA, FOEGE, MASCHER, FORD, MURPHY, 1 5 PETERSEN, HEDDENS, LENSING, and FREVERT 1 6 A Resolution regarding preemptive, unilateral military 1 7 action against Iraq. 1 8 WHEREAS, there is an urgent need for genuine, 1 9 multilateral action to eliminate weapons of mass 1 10 destruction worldwide; and 1 11 WHEREAS, a preemptive, unilateral strike by the 1 12 United States against a sovereign nation without a 1 13 direct threat to the national security of the United 1 14 States violates a basic principle of American foreign 1 15 policy enunciated in George Washington's farewell 1 16 address and historically adhered to by our nation; and 1 17 WHEREAS, other governments in the international 1 18 community oppose preemptive, unilateral action against 1 19 Iraq and support the full pursuit of diplomatic 1 20 resolutions and weapons inspections before any further 1 21 military action is taken against Iraq; and 1 22 WHEREAS, a preemptive, unilateral military strike 1 23 by the United States against Iraq will undermine 1 24 efforts to bring to justice those who helped carry out 1 25 the attacks of September 11, 2001, and hinder efforts 1 26 to reduce acts of international terror; and 1 27 WHEREAS, a preemptive attack against Iraq will set 1 28 a dangerous precedent which other countries may 1 29 follow; and 1 30 WHEREAS, a United States military attack on Iraq 2 1 threatens the stability of the Middle East region; and 2 2 WHEREAS, conflict in the area may result in the 2 3 widespread destruction of the environment and the 2 4 civilian infrastructure of Iraq; and 2 5 WHEREAS, war in Iraq will likely be a humanitarian 2 6 disaster, jeopardizing the lives of American soldiers, 2 7 potentially exposing American soldiers to biological 2 8 and chemical forms of warfare almost too horrible to 2 9 imagine, and resulting in the killing of many innocent 2 10 Iraqi civilians who have already suffered enormously 2 11 under Saddam Hussein's rule and sanctions of the 2 12 United Nations; and 2 13 WHEREAS, military action will likely result in a 2 14 long=term United States military presence in Iraq with 2 15 no guarantee that the next regime in Iraq will achieve 2 16 a better record on democracy, human rights, and 2 17 disarmament issues, or in maintaining peaceful 2 18 relations with its neighbors; and 2 19 WHEREAS, it has been estimated that a war with Iraq 2 20 would likely cost between $100 billion and $1 trillion 2 21 and the American occupation of Iraq would cost another 2 22 $15 to $20 billion per year; and 2 23 WHEREAS, unlike the 1991 war with Iraq, a 2 24 preemptive, unilateral strike against Iraq will result 2 25 in the United States bearing most of the financial 2 26 cost of the war; and 2 27 WHEREAS, the costs of a war with Iraq will cause 2 28 further federal budget deficits, further weakening of 2 29 an already sluggish economy, and further undermining 2 30 of the long=term prospects for solvency of the Social 3 1 Security and Medicare systems, and will ensure 3 2 reductions in federal aid to the State of Iowa; and 3 3 WHEREAS, such reductions in state aid at the 3 4 federal level would hinder the likelihood of 3 5 increasing reimbursement rates for Medicare and 3 6 Medicaid and make financial assistance to seniors for 3 7 prescription drugs even less likely; and 3 8 WHEREAS, the State of Iowa is already suffering 3 9 from a financial crisis, which has severely impacted 3 10 many of the programs that assist working people and 3 11 families; NOW THEREFORE, 3 12 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 3 13 That the Iowa House of Representatives supports the 3 14 efforts of American troops to protect and defend the 3 15 nation against those who seek to harm it, but, out of 3 16 concern for the safety of those who would risk their 3 17 lives, respectfully urges and requests the President 3 18 of the United States not to initiate a preemptive, 3 19 unilateral military strike against Iraq; and 3 20 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Iowa House of 3 21 Representatives respectfully urges that if the United 3 22 States does take military action against the sovereign 3 23 nation of Iraq that it only be done with the official 3 24 approval of the United Nations Security Council as 3 25 required under international law; and 3 26 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That suitable copies of 3 27 this resolution, duly authenticated by the Chief Clerk 3 28 of the Iowa House of Representatives, be transmitted 3 29 to the Honorable George W. Bush, President of the 3 30 United States, to each member of the Iowa 4 1 congressional delegation, and to the Governor of the 4 2 State of Iowa. 4 3 LSB 2484HH 80 4 4 lh/pj/5.2