HOME | OUT OF IRAQ RESOLUTION | LETTER TO SENATOR MURRAY
Out of Iraq Resolution
WHEREAS a Le Moyne College/Zogby poll 1, scientifically conducted in February, 2006, found that 72% of American troops serving in Iraq agree that the US should exit that country within one year or less; and
WHEREAS a Gallup poll 2 conducted in July, 2006, found that 55% of Americans want to see the departure of US troops from Iraq within one year or less; and
WHEREAS a scientifically rigorous poll of Iraqi citizens, conducted in September, 2006, by the University of Maryland’s Program on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA), 3 found that 71% of Iraqis want their government to ask for US-led forces to leave Iraq within one year or less; and
WHEREAS the stated intent of US policy is the encouragement of democracy in Iraq and other nations, and a vote by a nation’s people is the foundation of democratic self-rule;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Whatcom County Democratic Party (WCDCC) advocates a democratic vote by the people of Iraq as the means for deciding continuation of the presence and role of US troops in Iraq, and we encourage the Iraqi people to be resolute in insisting that their government hold such a vote; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the WCDCC believes the US House of Representatives, the US Senate, and the US Administration should immediately advocate holding a democratic vote by the Iraqi people to express their wishes regarding continued US military presence in Iraq; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, until such a vote can be taken, the WCDCC supports the position of the majority of the Iraqi people as expressed and measured in the PIPA poll, and urges passage of HR 4232 4 which would prohibit funding continued deployment of US troops in Iraq, except to “provide for the safe and orderly withdrawal” and other limited purposes; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the WCDCC urges US Rep. Rick Larsen, US Sen. Patty Murray, and US Sen. Maria Cantwell to support the wishes of the majority of Iraqi people by making early and orderly departure of the US military from Iraq an urgent priority in their work; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that WCDCC officers shall send copies of this resolution to Rep. Larsen and Senators Murray and Cantwell urging them to act in support of it, and to the City and County Councils in Whatcom County urging them to pass similar resolutions.
References:
1. Le Moyne College /Zogby Poll: http://www.zogby.com/NEWS/ReadNews.dbm?ID=1075
2. Gallup Poll: http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002950052
3. PIPA Poll: http://pipa.org/
4. H.R. 4232: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c109:H.R.4232.IH