A New Realism in Iraq
Our military has performed admirably, but it has done all it can do in Iraq. It is time for us to leave - carefully, strategically and soon. Iraq's crisis today is political, not military. It will have a political, not a military solution.
We need a New Realism in our foreign policy. This means understanding the importance of strong alliances. It means respecting international law and human rights. It means basing decisions upon facts, not upon ideology. It means focusing on real dangers, like Al Qaeda and global warming, and replacing unilateralist illusions with solid, strong diplomacy.
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's 7 Point New Realism Plan for Iraq:
De-Authorize the Iraq War: President Bush has demonstrated neither competence, honesty, nor a sense of reality in his conduct of this war. Congress should assert its constitutional authority and pass a resolution de-authorizing the war under the War Powers Act and Article One of the United States Constitution.
Remove Our Troops in 2007: Congress should set a military withdrawal date by the end of 2007 and appropriate funds accordingly for the re-deployment of troops.
No Residual Forces Left Behind: We must remove ALL of our troops. There should be no residual U.S. forces left in Iraq. Most Iraqis, and most others in the region, believe that we are there for the Iraqi's oil. This perception is exploited by Al Qaeda, other insurgents, and anti-American Shia groups. By announcing that we intend to remove ALL troops, we would deprive our enemies of this propaganda tool.
Promote Iraqi Reconciliation: 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.
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. The US should support such a force, but it should be composed of non-US, primarily Muslim troops.
Global Cooperation in Reconstruction: 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.
Redeploy to Address Real Threats: We must redeploy some of our troops to Afghanistan to stop the resurgence of the Taliban and to fight the real terrorists who attacked this country on 9-11. While all American troops in Iraq must be removed, we need to maintain a military presence in the region, including in Kuwait and in the Persian Gulf. We must have the regional capacity to use air power, special forces and other means to strike Al Queda anywhere. We do not need American troops in Iraq to perform this essential task.
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.
We need a New Realism in Iraq -- sign on to support Governor Richardson's 7 Point New Realism Plan for Iraq now:
