The House Republicans should follow the example of the Senate GOP and get the Boehmer resolution reformed to reflect the national security seriousness of the GOP.
110th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. RES. __________________________
Expressing the sense of the Senate that the Commander of Multinational Forces-Iraq and all United States personnel under his command should receive from Congress the full support necessary to carry out the United States mission in Iraq
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
Mc. McCain (for himself, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Graham, Mr. Cornyn, Mrs. Hutchison, Mr. Domenici, Mr. Thune, Mr. Hatch, and Mr. Roberts) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on __________________.
RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the Senate that the Commander of Multinational Forces-Iraq and all United States personnel under his command should receive from Congress the full support necessary to carry out the United States mission in Iraq.
Whereas more than 137,000 members of the Armed Forces of the United States are currently serving in Iraq, like thousands of others since March 2003, with the bravery and professionalism consistent with the finest traditions of the Armed Forces of the United States, and deserve the support of all Americans.
Whereas past mistakes in United States strategy, aggression by various groups that reject peace, and other difficulties have contributed to a dire security situation in Iraq characterized by insurgent activity and sectarian violence;
Whereas a failed state in Iraq would present a threat to regional and world peace, and the long-term security interests of the United States are best served by an Iraq that can sustain, govern, and defend itself;
Whereas no amount of additional United States forces in Iraq can effect this outcome in Iraq unless the people and Government of Iraq take difficult political steps toward reconciliation;
Whereas the establishment of a basic level of security in Baghdad and throughout Iraq is an essential pre-condition for reconciliation and political and economic progress in Iraq;
Whereas these steps must include the fulfillment of military, political, and economic commitments that the Government of Iraq has made to the United States and to the people of Iraq;
Whereas Iraqi political leaders must show visible progress toward meeting specific benchmarks, including –
(1) deploying a significant number of new Iraqi security forces to partner with United States units in securing Baghdad;
(2) assuming responsibility for security in all provinces in Iraq in a timely manner;
(3) disarming individual militias as circumstances warrant and ensuring that security forces are accountable to the central government and loyal to the constitution of Iraq;
(4) ensuring equitable distribution of the resources of the Government of Iraq without regard to the sect or ethnicity of recipients;
(5) enacting and implementing legislation to ensure that the oil resources of Iraq benefit Sunni Arabs, Shia Arabs, Kurds, and other Iraqi citizens in an equitable manner;
(6) building an effective, independent judiciary that will uphold the rule of law and ensure equal protection under the law for all citizens of Iraq;
(7) pursuing all those who engage in violence or threaten the security of the Iraqi population regardless of sect or political affiliation;
(8) enacting and implementing legislation that reforms the de-Ba’athification process in Iraq;
(9) conducting provincial elections in Iraq;
(10) ensuring a fair process for amending the constitution of Iraq; and
(11) expending promised funds to provide basic services and employment opportunities for all Iraqis, including a $10,000,000,000 fund for reconstruction, and ensuring that these funds reach both Sunni and Shia areas, including Sunni neighborhoods in Baghdad and largely Sunni Anbar Province;
Whereas the United States Ambassador to Iraq and the Commander of Multinational Forces-Iraq should report each month to the Senate on the progress being made by Iraqis toward achieving the benchmarks specified in the preceding clause and on their own progress in achieving their missions in Iraq;
Whereas leaders in the Administration of President George W. Bush and Congress have made it clear to the Iraqi leadership that the commitment of the United States in Iraq is not open-ended and that, if the Government of Iraq does not follow through on its promises, it will lose the support of its own people and the people of the United States;
Whereas the moderate countries of the Middle East, and other countries around the world, have an interest in a successful conclusion to the war in Iraq and should increase their constructive assistance toward the achievement of this end;
Whereas over the past year, leaders in the Administration of President George W. Bush and Congress, as well as recognized experts outside government, acknowledged that the situation in Iraq was deteriorating and required a change in strategy; and
Whereas Lieutenant General David Petraeus has been unanimously confirmed by the Senate as the new Coalition commander in Iraq and given the mission of implementing a new strategy for Iraq designed to bring security to Iraq and pave the way for political and economic progress in Iraq: Now, therefore be it
1 Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that –
2 (1) Congress should ensure that General David
3 Petraeus, the Commander of Multinational Forces-
4 Iraq, and all United States personnel under his com-
5 mand, have the resources they consider necessary to
6 carry out their mission on behalf of the United
7 States in Iraq, and
8 (2) the Government of Iraq must make visible,
9 concrete progress toward meeting the political, eco-
10 nomic, and military benchmarks enumerated in the
11 preamble to this Resolution.