The time for mulling and gnashing our teeth is over. We have a plan and it’s called H.J. Res. 18. Let’s do what this site does best and get this thing passed in the House of Representatives. Info and strategy below the jump . . .
FAQ
- What does the Resolution say?
To redeploy U.S. forces from Iraq.
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 $471 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, 3,026 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 91 percent of Sunni Iraqis and 74 percent of Shiite Iraqis want the U.S. forces out of Iraq;
Whereas polls also indicate that 61 percent of the Iraqi people feel that the attacks on U.S. forces are justified; and
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: Now, 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.
Sec. 2. A quick-reaction U.S. force and an over-the-horizon presence of U.S. Marines shall be deployed in the region.
Sec. 3. The United States of America shall pursue security and stability in Iraq through diplomacy.
- Who currently supports it?
Mr. MURTHA (for himself, Mr. WU, Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania, Ms. WATERS, Mr. DOYLE, Mr. CAPUANO, Mr. MORAN of Virginia, Ms. KAPTUR, Ms. LEE, Mr. DOGGETT, Mr. HOLT, Mr. OLVER, Ms. MCCOLLUM of Minnesota, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California, Ms. CORRINE BROWN of Florida, Mr. AL GREEN of Texas, Mr. NADLER, Mr. FARR, Mr. THOMPSON of California, Mr. FILNER, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. ALLEN, Mr. MICHAUD, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. WEINER, Mr. PATRICK MURPHY of Pennsylvania, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Ms. SLAUGHTER, Mr. CLAY, Ms. WATSON, Mr. ROTHMAN, Mr. HINCHEY, Mr. MOLLOHAN, Mr. HONDA, Mrs. MALONEY of New York, Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas, Ms. MATSUI, Mr. VISCLOSKY, Mr. KUCINICH, Mr. PAYNE, Mrs. CAPPS, Mr. BECERRA, Ms. BALDWIN, Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California, Mrs. JONES of Ohio, Mr. MEEKS of New York, Mr. MEEHAN, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Mr. RUSH, Mr. UDALL of New Mexico, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. CLYBURN, Mr. RYAN of Ohio, Mr. MEEK of Florida, Mrs. CHRISTENSEN, Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts, Mr. LARSON of Connecticut, Mr. GUTIERREZ, Mr. CUMMINGS, Mr. BACA, Ms. SOLIS, Mr. PASCRELL, Mr. STARK, Mr. DELAHUNT, Mr. FATTAH, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts, Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin, Mr. PALLONE, Ms. ESHOO, Ms. VELAZQUEZ, Mr. JACKSON of Illinois, Mr. KANJORSKI, Mr. WYNN, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. WELCH of Vermont, Ms. NORTON, Mr. RAHALL, Mr. GRIJALVA, Mr. LOEBSACK, Ms. KILPATRICK of Michigan, Ms. CARSON, Mr. BISHOP of New York, Ms. HIRONO, Mr. PASTOR, and Mr. YARMUTH)
- Who currently does not support it?
Anyone not on the list above.
- What do you want me to do?
a. Organize this information. We need an HTML table with the name of every Democratic Congressperson on it, their state, and their contact information. By column, we need to keep track whether they are a co-sponsor of the bill, have voiced support, voiced opposition, or have been silent on the issue.
b. Build a website, or a Kos link out, around the bill. We need a website where we can track information.
c. Call your Congressperson and tell them that you support H.J. Res. 18. – personally, I don’t think we’re at this point yet, until we get organized, but I think we can get there soon.
I apologize for not having the ability and time to do this myself. The point of this diary is to put the idea out there and let the community run with it.