Bill Richardson's 7 Point Plan for Iraq:1.
Troops Out in 2007: We should get our troops out of Iraq this year. Our continued presence there only enables the Iraqi factions to delay making the hard political choices they need to make to end the civil war.
2.
No Residual Forces Left Behind: We must remove ALL of our troops.
There should be no residual US forces left in Iraq. Most Iraqis, and most others in the region, believe that we are there for their oil, and this perception is exploited by both Al Qaeda and anti-American Shia groups. By announcing that we intend to remove all troops, we would deprive them of this propaganda tool.
3.
Congressional De-Authorization of War: Congress has the constitutional authority to force President Bush to change course in Iraq, and they should use it. We should not have to wait until 2009 to get back on the right track. But if these steps have not been taken by then, I promise to take them my first day in office.Congress has the constitutional authority to force President Bush to change course in Iraq, and they should use it. We should not have to wait until 2009 to get back on the right track. But if these steps have not been taken by then, I promise to take them my first day in office.: President Bush has demonstrated neither competence nor honesty nor a sense of reality in his conduct of this war. Congress is right to assert its constitutional authority, including the power of the purse and the power to authorize war, to force the President to change course.
If President Bush vetoes Congressional funding tied to disengagement, it is the President, not Congress, who is failing to fund the troops.
Congress should respond by passing another bill which funds the troops but requires redeployment. I support the Feingold-Reid bill to force the President to end the war.4.
Promote Iraqi Reconciliation Conference: We should promote an Iraqi Reconciliation Conference to bring the factions together to seek compromises and to begin confidence-building measures, including the end of militia violence. Our redeployment will give us more leverage than we have now, caught in the crossfire, to get the Iraqis to reconcile.
5.
Work With All Neighbors and Allies: We should convene a regional conference to secure the cooperation of all of Iraq's neighbors - including Syria and Iran -- in promoting peace and stability. Among the key objectives of such a conference should be guarantees of non-interference, as well as the creation of a multilateral force of UN peacekeepers, should the Iraqis request one.
6.
Global Cooperation in Recontruction: We should convene a donor conference to fund Iraq's reconstruction. The United States needs to show the world that we intend to return to our tradition of being a trusted leader, not a unilateralist loner. The process of disengagement is an opportunity for us to show that we have turned the corner, and that we intend to rebuild our alliances, respect international law, and work with the international community.
7.
Redeploy to Address Real Threats: We must redeploy some of our troops to stop the resurgence of the Taliban and to fight the real terrorists who attacked this country on 9-11. We also must bring our National Guard home where they are needed for homeland security, and we must focus our energy and resources on real threats, such as nuclear proliferation, Al Qaeda, public health, and global warming.
http://www.richardsonforpresident.com/page/petition/iraq
"Congress has the constitutional authority to force President Bush to change course in Iraq, and they should use it. We should not have to wait until 2009 to get back on the right track. But if these steps have not been taken by then, I promise to take them my first day in office."
- Bill Richardson
I think it may be the time for a leader with the courage & clarity of Gov. Richardson.
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