A victory in the US Congress!

Hurrah! The Friends Committee on National Legislation, a small but very effective organization that lobbies the US Congress on issues of concern to Friends (Quakers), tells us that on Tuesday, the full US Senate,

    declared the United States should not establish permanent military bases in Iraq and added a clear statement that the U.S. does not wish to control Iraq’s oil resources. The Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) congratulated Sen. Joseph Biden (DE) on winning approval for the measure, which specifically prohibits the use of any new funds to establish permanent U.S. military bases in Iraq. The House passed a similar ban in March.

Joe Volk, the Executive Secretary of FCNL is quoted there as saying,

    “This is an important milestone in the development of U.S. policy toward Iraq. For the first time since the U.S. launched the invasion of Iraq in 2003, both chambers of Congress have now said the U.S. must change course in Iraq… The Senate vote today sends a clear signal to the people of Iraq, to the international community, and to the people of this country that the United States does not intend to permanently occupy Iraq. This Congressional action also is a strong signal that the Bush administration has to change policy in Iraq now.”

FCNL has the largest team of pro-peace lobbyists of any group that works to educate and persuade the members of the US Congress. It has been quietly working with members of both Houses– and both parties– for more than a year now, urging them to take this first declarative step.
Sadly, though, I have to tell you that FCNL is facing a harsh funding crunch. They have two great staff members– Mary Trotachaud and Rick McDowell– who have both spent a significant length of time doing humanitarian and peacebuilding work in Iraq, including before and since the US invasion. Rick and Mary have unique expertise when it comes to providing solid analysis of what’s going on in Iraq today– and they can speak with unique authority about the country when they go and talk to Members and their staffs.
But if FCNL’s funding crunch continues, they might have to let Mary and Rick go. That would be tragic.
You can find out more about FCNL if you go here. And you can find out how to make a donation to their work– either their lobbying work or their (tax-deductible) Education Fund– if you go here.
Please consider being as generous as you can. We can go on all the peace marches we want. (And I went to my usual Thursday pro-peace vigil here in Charlottesville, Virginia, just this afternoon: we got a great response!) But to really keep up the steady work of persuading our members of Congress that there is a broad and very serious pro-peace movement out here in the citizenry and that they’d better listen to us— well, FCNL is a great national network to be a part of… and it’s a network with its pointedly persuasive end located right there, on Capitol Hill.
Great work, the FCNL team, and all your network of contacts there in the halls of Congress! Even, I should say (though I disagreed with him yesterday on a slightly different issue) thanks for your leadership in winning this declaration, Senator Biden!

22 thoughts on “A victory in the US Congress!”

  3. it was sheer lunacy to think a muslim country would let us launch attacks on other soveriegn muslim nations from their soil.

  4. “it was sheer lunacy to think a muslim country would let us launch attacks on other soveriegn muslim nations from their soil.”
    Oh really? Sooooooo, you are saying that Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, and Bahrain – to name just the first few that come to mind – are NOT Muslim countries?

  5. shirin- you’re right. I was wrapped up in the context of this particular muslim country, Iraq. that said, we got 9/11 in no small part because of our prescence on suadi soil so mr bin ladin i guess wasn’t letting us have troops there.

  6. lester,
    because of our prescence on suadi soil so mr bin ladin i guess wasn’t letting us have troops there
    Lester, your troops there for what can you guess? And doing what?
    First your troops sit there to protect those regimes that are most hated regimes in the region, secondly who pay for those troops can you guess? And all the logistic and services for them?
    The reality is your troops to take the control of the wealth of region not less.

  7. salah- well my point was that while we are “allowed” to have presence by the regimes the people generally seem hostile to it to the point where they, via al queda, basically disallowed us from being there, even though we still are there. if that makes any sense. But I think Iraq will not be the kind of place that lets the US hang out which is good because according to this bill it’s not a goal. Plus, it’s a bad political move on the face of it. and the bases look like israeli settlements!

  9. lester,
    Lester,
    Forgot al qued and all this stories as a scary movies to the west playing on and on were Bin Laden he is CIA kid.
    The main point, did really the people in those countries have been asked or consulted about this matter? Did they consulted or even informed how much money wasted on these troops just setting there in time doing nothing?
    The frustrations of the Muslims especially they are sick of your double standard when it’s come to human rights, freedom, till Iraq invasion was the symbol of the USA and most of the people around the ward looking to it with surprise and respect.
    But we are in ME we see the humiliation by stupid fat regimes and they are not deserved to be leaders, take Kuwaitis the women till now not allowed to vote, tell me if you familiar with Islamic law, from where these guys got this? There is never ever been in Islamic law any thing prevent the women to be a part of our Islamic society and a player in it.
    I might get to far from the topic apologies for that, but please Lester read this very informative words about the women under Islamic law:

    “Prophet Mohammed (ص ) who established the first known constitution in the world — I’m referring to the constitution he wrote for the city of Medina –and that his life and the principles outlined in his constitution, such as the championing of the welfare of women, children and the poor, living as an equal among his people, dissolving disputes between the warring clans in Arabia, giving any man or woman in parliament the right to vote and guaranteeing respect for all religions, ironically parallel those principles that we hold most precious in our own Constitution. I’m wondering how might your recently formed Iraq Study Group under the U.S. Institute for Peace explore these striking similarities to forge a new relationship with Iraqis and educate Americans about the democratic principles inherent in Islam?”

  11. “The main point, did really the people in those countries have been asked or consulted about this matter? Did they consulted or even informed how much money wasted on these troops just setting there in time doing nothing?”
    Salah, I’m sure you know the troops are just there to help promote democracy and freedom. It certainly has nothing to do with oil & gas. Oil and gas has nothing to do with US foreign policy. Nothing at all. Dick Cheney, for example, just happens to love vacationing in Kazakhstan. It must be the heart-healthy climate and cuisine.
    http://news.ft.com/cms/s/6f8d26ce-db92-11da-98a8-0000779e2340.html

  13. The Guardian, London, May 6th 2006
    British Foreign Secretary Straw replaced by Margaret Beckett – a warmonger?
    Ewen MacAskill, diplomatic editor
    (Excerpts)
    Mr Straw has said repeatedly that it is “inconceivable” that there will be a military strike on Iran and last month dismissed as “nuts” a report that George Bush was keeping on the table the option of using tactical nuclear weapons against Tehran’s nuclear plants.
    But Mr Blair, who sees Iran as the world’s biggest threat, does not agree with his former foreign secretary. The prime minister argues that, at the very least, nothing should be ruled out in order to keep Iran guessing. Downing Street phoned the Foreign Office several times to suggest Mr Straw stop going on the BBC Today programme and ruling it out so categorically.
    His fate was sealed when the White House called Mr Blair and asked why the foreign secretary kept saying these things. In any case, Mr Straw had boxed himself in on Iran to the extent that he would have had to resign if a military strike became a reality.
    …Mrs Beckett will fly to New York on Monday for a meeting with Condoleezza Rice, the US secretary of state, with whom Mr Straw had established a close rapport, and counterparts from France, Germany, Russia and China to discuss a new UN security council resolution on Iran.
    From http://politics.guardian.co.uk/labour/story/0,,1768929,00.html

  14. Well, this vote in the Senate is very nice indeed, I am sure.
    By the way, have they stopped construction on the “enduring” (read permanent) bases they are building in Iraq? You know, the ones they are making into small midwestern American cities?
    No? Well, have they modified the plans for the small highly fortified city that will be the US “embassy” (read command and control center) in Baghdad?
    No? Well, have they at least put a stop to the plans to put control of Iraq’s oil into the hands of American interests?
    No? Well, then so bloody what?

  15. My friend Father Joe Falkiner OP of Pietermaritzburg wrote the following to me a couple of days ago:
    “I wonder if (you know) of the International Forum of Theology and Liberation that will take place in Nairobi for about 4 days immediately preceding the World Social Forum in January next year. This Forum of Theology and Liberation brings together the top people in liberation theology from all over the world.
    “One of the organisers is Sergio Torres.”

  16. John C, I think when you were writing above that the US troop presence in Iraq (and elsewhere) “certainly has nothing to do with oil & gas” that was deeply ironic, right? If so, honestly it is helpful to people who might have to struggle in reading English as much as you or I would have to struggle reading a non-native language, to put in a little (irony alert) marker somewhere close by…
    Shirin, I know the US government has not yet been forced to change its actions in Iraq. But having Congress change its rhetoric (and indeed, reassert its right to have standing in determining the content of war-related policies) is an important first step.
    Yes, only a first step, I agree. But certainly a step in the right direction!

  17. Sorry, Helena. You are correct. I figured the link would be enough to tip off pretty much anyone.

  18. “Angola, sub-Saharan Africa’s second largest oil producer after Nigeria, is currently in the middle of a reconstruction boom fuelled by high oil prices. But medical experts say that the government tries to rehabilitate infrastructure it also helps the disease to spread faster.”
    It’s all about oil, looks oil which is God gift to some nations brings also tragics.

  19. Helena,
    Yes it looks like a step in the right direction. However, I am sure you will understand my cynicism after all we have seen and experienced. Perhaps I am wrong, and I fervently hope that I am, but I refuse to be in any way encouraged by what seems like to be either yet another empty gesture motivated by political self interest, or more likely the latest move in the shell game Washington politicians are so skill at.

  20. Lester, John C.

    The Bedouin-design tent specially adapted to keep out the London rain – was originally built in Saudi Arabia and reassembled at its permanent London site.
    The tent, architect designed, waterproof and woven from the finest goat hair in Saudi Arabia,
    This tent, paid for by an anonymous benefactor

    Guess who paid for this and why he requested to be “an anonymous benefactor” for this marvellous idea and brilliant work which bring the peace to the world?
    How much money spent on this “architect designed, waterproof and woven from the finest goat hair in Saudi Arabia, “ Those money how many people can be fed in Dafur, or in Palestine or in Africa…?
    Is this “Bedouin Tent originally built in Saudi Arabia”, will fix the problem when Al-Saud who supported Al-Wahabi for more 100years and now wasting the money because they feeling the guilt they did and doing, fix it by more crime to there peoples by wasting thier people money.

  21. Thanks for the link, Salah. That article drips with so much irony, it could have been written by Terry Jones (of Monty Python fame). Prince Charles, unnamed Saudi princes, Bono, Clinton, all in a big, fake “bedouin” tent, walking around on rugs made by child laborers in imperial war zones around the world, talking about interfaith tolerance at an IRA bomb site, while England and the US prepare for war with Iran . . . it’s just too rich. Where was Jesse Jackson??

  22. I don’t believe the US Senate resolution really means anything. I give much more weight to what Gen. Anthony Zinni (Ret.), former head of CentCom said yesterday in the Army Times:
    “It isn’t World War I anymore; we don’t come home anymore,” he said. Zinni said he doesn’t rule out a drawdown of U.S. forces in Iraq at some point — he insists that shouldn’t happen now anyway — but the idea that the situation in Iraq will change enough to allow all U.S. troops to ultimately go home is simply wrong. “We’re not withdrawing,” he said
    It’s clear from this that the US military has absolutely every intention of maintaining a very long term presence in Iraq. Nothing in his words suggests that this is in any way contingent on the will of the Iraqis. What complete arrogance.
    Here is the link:http://www.armytimes.com/story.php?f=1-292925-1765707.php

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