Fifty clergy and human rights leaders are demanding that Congress oppose the pact being negotiated in secret by the Bush and al-Maliki administrations to bind the hands of the next Administration with a continued war and occupation in Iraq.
The White House and Pentagon commanders are threatening "consequences" if Iraq refuses to sign the so-called "status of forces" agreement before Dec. 31, the deadline ending the current United Nations authorization of the occupation.
The pact, which is being negotiated behind closed doors, reportedly sets non-binding goals for American troops to be withdrawn from Iraqi cities by next June, and for combat forces to be withdrawn by the end of 2011. These proposals, which would be subject to revision, fall short of the 16-month timetable set by front-running presidential candidate, Sen. Barack Obama. There is no requirement that human rights standards be provided for 50,000 Iraqi detainees, nor are there any protections against sectarian policing and prison procedures under the Baghdad regime.
The White House says it will ignore the obligation of the U.S. Congress to approve commitments and combat operations abroad.
The letter was sent to Congressional leaders Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, and to Rep. William Delahunt, who is leading efforts to force Congressional review of the proposal, and to all members of the Congress. The letter is below:
October 22, 2008
Dear Speaker Pelosi,
We the undersigned strongly object to the agreement being negotiated between the White House and the Iraqi government which is designed to unnecessarily perpetuate the war and occupation without the consent of the US Congress and American public opinion.
- The draft agreement proposes an American troop withdrawal by the end of 2011, unless the Baghdad government requests they stay longer. This is six months beyond the proposal of one candidate for president, Senator Barack Obama, and leaves the deployment of American troops dependent on future Iraqi government decisions.
- Similarly, the draft proposes an interim American withdrawal to bases outside Iraqi cities by June 2009, unless the Iraqi government requests they stay. There is no proposal to remove all American bases by a time certain.
- There is no requirement that human rights standards be applied for 50,000 Iraqi detainees, nor any protections against sectarian policing and prison procedures. Private security contractors and American military personnel would be subject to Iraqi law only for flagrant offences outside the bounds of their mission.
While the Iraqi executive and parliament must debate this measure, the White House has said it will ignore the obligation of the U.S. Congress to approve commitments and combat operations abroad.
This is a secret pact intended to continue an unpopular war and occupation beyond the Bush presidency. It is one more attempt to enlarge the secret privileges and war-making authority of the present executive branch of the national security state before the administration leaves office.
The American people have repudiated this war at the ballot box and in public opinion polls for several years. In 2008, the public is poised to elect a new president and Congress pledged to a timetable for withdrawal. Instead, this pact defies the will of the people and ties the hands of the next Administration.
We urge the Congress to raise its voice against this mischief, refuse to accept its authority, and support diplomatic negotiations towards a rapid and complete end of the American occupation in 2009. The present pact should be scrapped, and one of two options should be followed: [1] send the question to the United Nations Security Council when the US authorization ends on December 31, or [2] negotiate a three-month bridging agreement with the approval of Congress, until a new president and Congress take office in January.We note with thanks the legislators who have introduced measures relating to the agreement, including Representative Delahunt, Senators Webb and Clinton, and Members of Congress Delauro and Lee. Now is the time for more to speak out on the need for congressional approval of any proposed pact.
TOM HAYDEN, author ARIEL DORFMAN, author
MICHAEL RATTNER, Center for Constitutional Rights
REV. GEORGE HUNSINGER, Princeton Theological Seminary
RABBI ALLEN FREEHLING
RABBI STEVEN B. JACOBS, Progressive Faith Foundation
STANLEY SHEINBAUM
REV. GEORGE REGAS
PAULA WEINSTEIN
DIANNA COHEN AND JACKSON BROWN
JEAN STEIN
ANNE MILLER
SUSAN LEES
[partial list]
