A Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq

"A Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq" is a 36-page plan created by a group of United States Democratic congressional candidates, retired military officers and national security professionals that outlines policy measures (consisting of bills currently before the United States Congress) that the candidates have pledged to support in the 2008 elections.

The plan's stated proposals with respect to Iraq are: drawing down U.S. military involvement in Iraq, development of a permanent nation-building capability in the United States State Department, a large infusion of foreign aid into Iraq, a transfer of responsibility to the international community through dialogue, addressing refugee issues, creation of an independent war crimes commission, and funding of education to improve the status of women.

With respect to American domestic politics, the proposals are to ban Presidential signing statements, require treatment in accordance with the Geneva Conventions and habeas corpus rights for all prisoners, allow potential surveillance targets to sue the government pre-emptively for injunctive relief, prohibit rendition, increase benefits for veterans, reduce defense contracting, and address energy issues. [ [http://www.responsibleplan.com/o/2757/images/responsible_plan.pdf The Plan] ]

Background

On March 20 2003, the United States invaded Iraq leading a multinational coalition that included British troops as well as smaller contingents from Australia, Denmark, Poland, and other nations. [cite web
url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/2862343.stm
title=US Names Coalition of the Willing
author=Schifferes, Steve
work=BBC News
date=2003-03-18
accessdate=2008-07-04]

Since the beginning of the war there has been great debate about how it should end. The plan cites a number of facts and events as the foundation for its existence, including the following:

*In November 2006, voters elected a new Democratic Party majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives in the 110th Congress, largely with the expectation that they would work to reduce or end American military involvement in Iraq. [cite web
url=http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/02/us/politics/02poll.html
title=With Election Driven by Iraq, Voters Want New Approach
author=Nagourney, Adam
coauthors=Thee, Megan
work=The New York Times
date=2006-11-02
accessdate=2008-07-04]
*In December 2006 the Iraq Study Group (ISG), a ten-person bipartisan panel appointed on March 15 2006 by Congress, released their final report. Also known as the Baker-Hamilton Commission, the ISG was charged with assessing the situation in Iraq and the US-led Iraq War and making policy recommendations. While President George W. Bush praised the ISG's efforts, he rejected many of its recommendations. [cite web
url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2006-12/08/content_753761.htm
title=Bush rejects key proposals on Iraq
work=China Daily
date=2006-12-08
accessdate=2008-07-04]
*In March 2007, General David Petraeus, Commanding General of the Multi-National Force in Iraq, claimed that there was "no military solution" in Iraq, and that political negotiations were crucial to forging any lasting peace. [cite web
url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6429519.stm
title=General says Iraq talks critical
quote=There is no military solution to a problem like that in Iraq, to the insurgency of Iraq
work=BBC News
date=2007-03-08
accessdate=2008-07-06]
*By March 2008, the number of U.S. military personnel killed in Iraq had reached 4,000, [cite web
url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7310924.stm
title=US military Iraq toll hits 4,000
work=BBC News
date=2008-03-24
accessdate=2008-07-04] with many thousands more wounded, and an estimated hundreds of thousands of Iraqi casualties. [cite web
url=http://icasualties.org/oif/
title=Iraq Coalition Casualty Count
accessdate=2008-07-05]
*Also by March 2008, the financial cost of the Iraq War to the United States had surpassed the half trillion dollar mark. [cite web
url=http://nationalpriorities.org/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=182
title=The War in Iraq Costs
work=National Priorities Project
accessdate=2008-07-05]

Germination

On August 27 2007, President Bush made a fundraising visit to Bellevue, Washington in support of ushr|Washington|8| Republican Representative Dave Reichert. [cite web
url=http://www.komonews.com/news/local/9402351.html
title=Bush makes quick fundraising stop in Bellevue
work=KOMO 4 News
date=2007-08-27
accessdate=2008-07-04] In response, Reichert's main opponent, Democratic candidate Darcy Burner, organized a "virtual town hall" meeting to discuss the situation in Iraq. [cite web
url=http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/seattlepolitics/archives/120620.asp
title=Burner to stage "virtual" town hall to counter Bush visit
author=Grygiel, Chris
work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer
date=2007-08-24
accessdate=2008-07-04] The town hall meeting was streamed live online and included testimonials from Ambassador Joe Wilson and retired Major General Paul Eaton, former Security Transition Commanding General in Iraq, and the participation of Jon Soltz, chairman of VoteVets.org, and retired Navy Captain Larry Seaquist, among others.cite web
url=http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/8/29/123814/423
title=People-powered politics is changing things
author=Burner, Darcy
work=Daily Kos
date=2007-08-29
accessdate=2008-07-04] In a statement following the event, Darcy Burner wrote:

Quote
On Monday morning before the town hall, I asked retired Major General Paul Eaton, who was in charge of rebuilding the Iraqi Army and security forces in Iraq from 2003-2004, if he would chair a group to create a responsible exit plan for Iraq, and he agreed.

Let me repeat: we will be creating a plan to end the war and bring our troops home. It's long past time.

Unveiling

On March 17 2008 at the Take Back America conference [ [http://ourfuture.org/take-back-america-2008 Take Back America conference] ] in Washington, D.C., Darcy Burner (WA-08) was joined by five other congressional candidates Donna Edwards (ushr|Maryland|4|MD-04), Chellie Pingree (ushr|Maine|1|ME-01), Tom Perriello (ushr|Virginia|5|VA-05), Sam Bennett (ushr|Pennsylvania|15|PA-15) and Jared Polis (ushr|Colorado|2|CO-02) for the unveiling [cite video
date2=2008-03-17
year2=2008
month2=March
url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VYXcAdrswc
title=Darcy Burner's speaks at Take America Back Conference
location=Washington, DC
accessdate=2008-07-05] of "A Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq", a 36-page document that was the culmination of the six-month effort.cite web
url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/closing-the-message-gap-o_b_94074.html
title=A Responsible Plan to End the War
author=Huffington, Arianna
work=HuffingtonPost
date=2008-03-30
accessdate=2008-07-04]

Endorsers

In addition to the six candidates at the March 2008 unveiling and Eaton, [cite video
year2=2008
month2=March
url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2uCFzIwXmM
title=General Eaton for Take Back America Conference
accessdate=2008-07-05] the plan was also initially endorsed by candidates Eric Massa (ushr|New York|29|NY-29), George Fearing (ushr|Washington|4|WA-04), Larry Byrnes (ushr|Florida|14|FL-14), and Steve Harrison (ushr|New York|13|NY-13), as well as Dr. Lawrence Korb, former Assistant Secretary of Defense in the Reagan Administration, Capt. Larry Seaquist, former commander of the USS "Iowa" and former Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Policy Planning, and Brigadier General John Johns, specialist in counterinsurgency and nation-building. [cite video
year2=2008
month2=March
url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OchMcu4ON0
title=Brig. Gen. John Johns for Take Back America Conference
accessdate=2008-07-05] Two days after the initial unveiling, Rand Beers, a counterterrorism expert who served on the National Security Council under Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton added his endorsement.cite web
url=http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/3/19/174218/849
title=Five Years Later, A Responsible Plan to End the War
publisher=Daily Kos
date=2008-03-19
accessdate=2008-07-05] Within one week, the plan had received the endorsement of an additional 24 Democratic challengers, and as of July 2008 it had 58 House and Senate candidate endorsements, and over 50,000 individual endorsers. [cite web
url=http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=5501
title=Responsible Plan and Mission Accomplished Day
publisher=OpenLeft
date=2008-05-01
accessdate=2008-07-05]

Contents

Outline

The two main strategic questions the plan seeks to answer are:

* How to bring American military engagement in Iraq to a responsible end?
* How to prevent a repeat of mistakes that have been made?

The plan attempts to present a combined military, diplomatic, and economic strategy to end the war in Iraq. It cites various ISG recommendations and lists a number of existing, but stalled bills in Congress that address multiple areas of focus.

Objectives

The plan breaks down the areas of focus into several categories:

* Ending U.S. military action in Iraq.
("per ISG recommendations 22, 40, 41 and 42")
* Increasing the use of U.S. diplomatic power and refocusing anti-terrorism measures.
("per ISG recommendations 1 and 2")
* Addressing Iraqi economic reconstruction and regional humanitarian concerns.
* Restoring governmental transparency and accountability, and constitutional rights.
* Restoring the U.S. military and supporting veterans.
* Restoring independence to the media.
* Creating a new, U.S.-centered energy policy.
("per ISG recommendation 23")

Iraq Study Group recommendations

In support of the stated objectives, the plan references seven recommendations from the final report of the Iraq Study Group.

Quote
RECOMMENDATION 1: The United States, working with the Iraqi government, should launch the comprehensive New Diplomatic Offensive to deal with the problems of Iraq and of the region.

RECOMMENDATION 2: The goals of the diplomatic offensive as it relates to regional players should be to:
# Support the unity and territorial integrity of Iraq.
# Stop destabilizing interventions and actions by Iraq's neighbors.
# Secure Iraq's borders, including the use of joint patrols with neighboring countries.
# Prevent the expansion of the instability and conflict beyond Iraq's borders.
# Promote economic assistance, commerce, trade, political support, and, if possible, military assistance for the Iraqi government from non-neighboring Muslim nations.
# Energize countries to support national political reconciliation in Iraq.
# Validate Iraq's legitimacy by resuming diplomatic relations, where appropriate, and reestablishing embassies in Baghdad.
# Assist Iraq in establishing active working embassies in key capitals in the region (for example, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia).
# Help Iraq reach a mutually acceptable agreement on Kirkuk.
# Assist the Iraqi government in achieving certain security, political, and economic milestones, including better performance on issues such as national reconciliation, equitable distribution of oil revenues, and the dismantling of militias.

RECOMMENDATION 22: The President should state that the United States does not seek permanent military bases in Iraq. If the Iraqi government were to request a temporary base or bases, then the U.S. government could consider that request as it would in the case ofany other government.

RECOMMENDATION 23: The President should restate that the United States does not seek to control Iraq's oil.

RECOMMENDATION 40: The United States should not make an open-ended commitment to keep large numbers of American troops deployed in Iraq.

RECOMMENDATION 41: The United States must make it clear to the Iraqi government that the United States could carry out its plans, including planned redeployments, even if Iraq does not implement its planned changes. America’s other security needs and thefuture of our military cannot be made hostage to the actions or inactions of the Iraqi government.

RECOMMENDATION 42: We should seek to complete the training and equipping mission by the first quarter of 2008, as stated by General George Casey on October 24, 2006.

Legislation

The plan categorizes fifteen bills that have been introduced in both the House or Senate during the 110th Congress that address the various objectives of the plan. As of October 2008, most of these have been referred to subcommittees, only three have been voted on in the House, and none have yet been enacted into law.

Views about the plan

The plan has received national press and attention since its unveiling. Ilan Goldenberg, Policy Director at the National Security Network, writing in "The New Republic", has called it "thoughtful", "a good first step" and "welcome progress". [cite web
url=http://www.tnr.com/politics/story.html?id=146ed1c2-2e45-4811-b8c6-a058159770c9
title=Leaving an Occupied Country Is Hard To Do
author=Goldenberg, Ilan
work=The New Republic
date=2008-04-02
accessdate=2008-07-05] Arianna Huffington at "Huffington Post" referred to it as "A Contract to Restore America".

The plan has also been written about in "The Atlantic", [cite web
url=http://matthewyglesias.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/03/zbig_speak_you_listen.php
title=Zbig Speak, You Listen
author=Yglesias, Matthew
work=The Atlantic.com
date=2008-03-29
accessdate=2008-07-05] "Politico", [cite web
url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0408/9325.html
title=Dems regroup on Iraq plans
author=Grim, Ryan
work=Politico
date=2008-04-02
accessdate=2008-07-05] "The Washington Post", [cite web
url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/27/AR2008032702963.html
title=42 Democrats Vow a Drawdown in Iraq If They Win Seats
author=Kane, Paul
work=The Washington Post
date=2008-03-28
accessdate=2008-07-05] "The Nation", [cite web
url=http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080414/hayes
title=End the War: Try Again
author=Hayes, Christopher
work=The Nation
date=2008-03-27
accessdate=2008-07-05] "Democracy Arsenal", [cite web
url=http://www.democracyarsenal.org/2008/03/a-responsible-p.html
title=A Responsible Plan for Iraq that Wonks Didn’t Write
author=Whelan, Moira
work=Democracy Arsenal
date=2008-03-18
accessdate=2008-07-05] "Truthout", [cite web
url=http://www.truthout.org/article/matt-renner-and-maya-schenwar-clintons-iraq-plan-makeover
title=Clinton's Iraq Plan Makeover?
author=Schenwar, Maya
work=Truthout
date=2008-03-25
accessdate=2008-07-05] and msnbc.com. [cite web
url=http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/03/27/829000.aspx
title=Dem Challengers' Iraq Plan
author=Pritzlaff, Lindsey
work=msnbc.com
date=2008-03-27
accessdate=2008-07-05]

The plan has also been mentioned on ABC's "This Week with George Stephanopoulos". Katrina vanden Heuvel, publisher of the "The Nation" magazine, called the plan "responsible", saying "there are no military solutions". But Political commentator Cokie Roberts stated that withdrawal from Iraq, one of the goals of the plan, would be "an irresponsible thing to do", claiming "Americans would prefer to win".cite video
date2=2008-04-06
year2=2008
month2=April
people=vanden Heuvel, Katrina; Roberts, Cokie; Stephanopoulos, George
publisher=ABC
url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnc-Lhq9iC8
title=Responsible Plan on ABC's This Week
medium=Television production
location=Washington, D.C.
accessdate=2008-07-05] [cite news
url=http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2008/04/07/roberts/index.html
title=Cokie Roberts speaks out on the war on behalf of the American people
last=Greenwald
first=Glenn
date=2008-04-07
publisher=Salon.com
accessdate=2008-07-11]

While the plan has received considerable support from the liberal blogosphere and grassroots organizations, such as OpenLeft, [cite web
url=http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=4916
title=The Responsible Plan In Action
publisher=Open Left
date=2008-04-01
accessdate=2008-07-05] Daily Kos and Swing State Project, [cite web
url=http://www.swingstateproject.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=1589
title=Take Back America and A Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq
publisher=Swing State Project
date=2008-03-20
accessdate=2008-07-05] it has been panned and received criticism from Republicans in Congress and other conservative commentators. Dave Reichert (Republican WA-08) – who defeated Darcy Burner in the 2006 election and is up for re-election against her in 2008 – has said through his spokesman that he "believes military leaders on the ground – not candidates for political office – should make decisions about when and how to end the war".cite news
url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2004289270_burner18m.html
title=Burner's plan on Iraq signals war likely key issue in race
last=Heffter
first=Emily
date=2008-03-18
publisher=The Seattle Times
accessdate=2008-07-11] Reichert's spokesman also suggested that "it would be irresponsible to withdraw troops and then send U.S. money 'into a black hole.'"

There are indications that within the Democratic Party the plan has had some influence in the debate. The plan has been cited on the House floor [cite video
year2=2008
month2=May
url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mb6VM2KcgpU
title=Inslee on supplemental war spending bill
medium=Television production
location=Washington, D.C.
accessdate=2008-07-05] and "helped focus" actions in the House according to Speaker Nancy Pelosi speaking about the plan and Burner's efforts in a June 2008 interview. [cite web
url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2004476909_postmanblog14m.html
title=House speaker sees bright future for Democrats
author=Postman, David
work=The Seattle Times
date=2008-06-14
accessdate=2008-07-05]

References

External links

* [http://www.responsibleplan.com/ A Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq]
* [http://www.responsibleplan.com/o/2757/images/responsible_plan.pdf A Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq] full text (PDF)
* [http://www.usip.org/isg/iraq_study_group_report/report/1206/iraq_study_group_report.pdf The Iraq Study Group Report] full text (PDF)