Update [2005-6-16 10:4:13 by susanhu]: It’s Keith Olbermann’s top story tonight, 5pm & 9pm PT: “A resolution backed by North Carolina Republican Rep. Walter Jones and Hawaii Democratic Rep. Neil Abercrombie, calls for the Bush administration to develop a plan by the end of this year to pull out all American troops from Iraq and to begin the withdrawal by Oct. 1, 2006.” (MSNBC)
Breaking: Coalition, working with congressmen, begins push for Iraq pullout
The groups stand behind a resolution introduced today by a bi-partisan group of members led by Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC) and Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-HI. It calls for the Bush Administration to announce a plan for the withdrawal of all U.S. forces from Iraq by the end of the year and to initiate the plan as soon as possible.
Win Without War, the national coalition, includes groups such as MoveOn.org, the National Council of Churches, True Majority, Sojourners, Working Assets and the National Organization of Women. They plan a grassroots campaign to pressure Members of Congress to sign onto the resolution. … More below:
Exerpts from the press release provided by Raw Story:
“We are pleased that there are members of Congress from both political parties who are willing to speak for the strong majority of Americans who believe it is past time to start bringing our troops home from Iraq,” said Former Congressman Tom Andrews (D-ME), National Director of Win Without War. “The administration’s policy in Iraq is failing. There is no light at the end of the tunnel, only the lights from oncoming trains in the form of daily suicide bombings and ambushes. It is time to start bringing our men and women in uniform home.”
According to a Gallup poll released last week, three-quarters of Americans support a withdrawal of some or all troops starting immediately.
“The administration says the 140,000 American men and women in uniform will leave only when Iraqi security forces can do the job of battling the insurgency. But this is not an ‘exit strategy.’ U.S. military forces are a continuing incitement to nationalist insurgency and regional anti-Americanism. We are locked in a battle against an insurgency that can be continually replenished and will fight to the end to get the United States out of its country. For every insurgent killed, three take his place,” Andrews said.
U.S. Generals are now quoted as saying that training Iraqi security forces could take two years or more. Others privately say this is optimistic. Iraqi security troops, although growing in number, are not gaining in effectiveness.
“Iraq’s future will be determined by how the political struggle among its factions plays out. The U.S. military occupation only complicates, and defers resolution of that struggle,” said Susan Shaer, Co-Chair of Win Without War and Executive Director of Women’s Action for New Directions. “Meanwhile, over 1,700 American soldiers have been killed in Iraq. Many tens of thousands of Iraqis have also died,” she said. “It is a truism that there are no longer any good options in Iraq. The question is how long will U.S. policy makers pursue a failing policy at an unacceptable cost, human and financial. It is time the Congress demand a plan for a phased withdrawal of U.S. forces,” Andrews said.
