Senate Resolution 15 - Introduced
PAG LIN
1 1 SENATE RESOLUTION NO.
1 2 BY KIBBIE, APPEL, BEALL, BLACK, BOLKCOM, CONNOLLY,
1 3 COURTNEY, DANIELSON, DEARDEN, DOTZLER, DVORSKY,
1 4 FRAISE, GRONSTAL, HANCOCK, HATCH, HECKROTH, HORN,
1 5 KREIMAN, McCOY, OLIVE, QUIRMBACH, RAGAN, RIELLY,
1 6 SCHMITZ, SCHOENJAHN, SENG, STEWART, and WOOD
1 7 A Resolution opposing the commitment of additional American
1 8 troops to the war in Iraq.
1 9 WHEREAS, the United States strategy and presence on
1 10 the ground in Iraq can only be sustained with the
1 11 support of the American people and bipartisan support
1 12 from Congress; and
1 13 WHEREAS, over 137,000 American military personnel
1 14 are currently serving in Iraq, like thousands of
1 15 others since March 2003, with the bravery and
1 16 professionalism consistent with the finest traditions
1 17 of the United States armed forces, and are deserving
1 18 of the support of all Americans, which strong support
1 19 they have; and
1 20 WHEREAS, more than 2,000 United States military
1 21 personnel have already lost their lives in Iraq, and
1 22 more than 22,500 have been wounded in Iraq; and
1 23 WHEREAS, the deployments of American forces, and
1 24 those that will follow, will have lasting impacts on
1 25 the future recruiting, retention, and readiness of our
1 26 nation's all volunteer force; and
1 27 WHEREAS, in the National Defense Authorization Act
1 28 for Fiscal Year 2006, the Congress stated that
1 29 "calendar year 2006 should be a period of significant
1 30 transition to full sovereignty, with Iraqi security
2 1 forces taking the lead for the security of a free and
2 2 sovereign Iraq"; and
2 3 WHEREAS, a failed state in Iraq would present a
2 4 threat to regional and world peace, and the long=term
2 5 security interests of the United States are best
2 6 served by an Iraq that can sustain, govern, and defend
2 7 itself, and serve as an ally in the war against
2 8 extremists; and
2 9 WHEREAS, Iraq is experiencing a deteriorating and
2 10 ever=widening problem of sectarian and intra=sectarian
2 11 violence based upon political distrust and cultural
2 12 differences between some Sunni and Shia Muslims; and
2 13 WHEREAS, Iraqis must reach political settlements in
2 14 order to achieve reconciliation, and the failure of
2 15 the Iraqis to reach such settlements to support a
2 16 truly unified government greatly contributes to the
2 17 increasing violence in Iraq; and
2 18 WHEREAS, the responsibility for Iraq's internal
2 19 security and halting sectarian violence must rest
2 20 primarily with the Government of Iraq and Iraqi
2 21 Security Forces; and
2 22 WHEREAS, on January 10, 2007, President George W.
2 23 Bush announced his plan to deepen the United States
2 24 military involvement in Iraq by deploying
2 25 approximately 21,000 additional United States combat
2 26 forces to Iraq; and
2 27 WHEREAS, an open=ended commitment of United States
2 28 forces in Iraq is unsustainable and a deterrent to the
2 29 Iraqis making the political compromises and providing
2 30 the personnel and resources that are needed for
3 1 violence to end and for stability and security to be
3 2 achieved in Iraq; and
3 3 WHEREAS, there have been repeated promises by the
3 4 Government of Iraq to assume a greater share of
3 5 security responsibilities, disband militias, consider
3 6 amendments to the Iraq Constitution, enact laws to
3 7 reconcile sectarian differences, and improve the
3 8 quality of life for the Iraqi people, but those
3 9 promises have not been kept; and
3 10 WHEREAS, a successful strategy in Iraq is dependent
3 11 upon the Iraqi leaders fulfilling their promises; and
3 12 WHEREAS, current and former military and foreign
3 13 policy leaders and members of Congress in a bipartisan
3 14 manner have expressed opposition to increasing
3 15 American military presence in Iraq; NOW THEREFORE,
3 16 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE, That the Iowa Senate
3 17 urges that members of the United States Congress and
3 18 the administration not escalate the United States
3 19 military force presence in Iraq and instead encourage
3 20 Iraqi leaders to foster reconciliation and strengthen
3 21 the unity government to improve that nation's
3 22 security; and
3 23 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of
3 24 this Resolution shall be sent to George W. Bush,
3 25 President of the United States, to Iowa's
3 26 congressional delegation, and to the members of the
3 27 United States Congress.
3 28 LSB 2559XS 82
3 29 jr:rj/je/5
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