Bring the Troops Home Now Resolution Toolkit

Sample Resolution
Sample Petitions
Talking Points on Iraq War: Quick Facts
Resources
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Bring Troops Home Now Resolution Toolkit

Sample Resolution

A resolution expressing the [your city/town’s name here] city council’s support for the U.S. troops currently serving in Iraq, as well as those that have previously served, and those who have been killed or wounded during such service, and their families; and expressing the council’s preference that misdirected funds to continue the war in Iraq be redirected to domestic priorities, including pressing needs in the city of ____.

WHEREAS, more than 150,000 United States military personnel, including many from the city, are bravely and honorably serving in Iraq and deserve the support of all the city citizens and Americans; and

WHEREAS, the people of this city will always honor the sacrifices of the American soldiers who have died or been wounded in combat in Iraq, including the more than 4,000 United States military personnel who have died in Iraq and the more than 29,000 who have been wounded; and

WHEREAS, the proposed war budget of year 2008 is 27.2% of the total proposed security budget; and

WHEREAS, our state’s cost of war is $____, and our city’s cost of the war is $____, while community development block grants are being cut by $____ (____%) in our state; and

WHEREAS, the CITY Council of the city hereby expresses its deep opposition to the current budget of increasing military and war spending in Iraq, in part due to the impact on the available federal resources required to provide for the urgent needs of the most vulnerable portions of the American population, including the need to provide for the health, education, and homeland security
of the City and of other major urban areas within the United States; and

WHEREAS, in excess of $526 billion has been appropriated by Congress to fund military operations and reconstruction in Iraq while in contrast, the City’s total amount of HUD grants has decreased significantly since 2002, the year before the commencement of the war in Iraq; and

WHEREAS, this decrease in federal grant money severely lessens the ability of the City to rebuild its urban core, promote home ownership opportunities in the city, and provide critical housing services for the poor, the disabled, and for people with HIV-AIDS and other medical needs; and

WHEREAS, according to analysis by the Task Force on a Unified Security Budget for the United States, published by the Institute for Policy Studies, $55.91 billion of the total military spending could be cut allowing for development of domestic nonmilitary goals and redirect funds for immediate domestic goals in this city; and

WHEREAS, polls show that greater than 60% of Americans oppose sending additional American troops to Iraq, which indicates that the majority of Americans share this Council’s concerns with increasing funding levels in Iraq at this time.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ____:

SECTION 1. That ____ City Council supports the U.S. troops currently serving in Iraq, as well as those that have previously served, and those that have been killed or wounded during such service, and their families.

SECTION 2. That ____ City Council expresses its opposition to President Bush’s increased war and military funding.

SECTION 3. That the city, its elected leaders and its citizens have a responsibility to highlight the implications of sending available federal resources, which are urgently needed by the most vulnerable portions of the American population in the city and other major urban areas within the United States.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the city shall forward copies to President ____, United States Senator(s) ____, House Representative(s) ____, and members of the state U.S. Congressional delegation.

ADOPTED by the Common Council of the city, state this ____ day of [month], [year].

So and So,
____
President, City Council

[Resolution ____ will now be forwarded to the Mayor for signature.]

Sample Petitions

Sample 1. Petition for the Chicago City Council to Pass a Resolution for Full U.S. Withdrawal from Iraq:

We, the undersigned, request that the Chicago City Council pass a resolution calling
for: (1) Immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops; (2) No permanent U.S. military
installations in Iraq; (3) An end to U.S. control of the Iraqi economy.

Our reasons are:

The justifications for the invasion were false and violated the public trust.
Iraq presented no threat to the U.S. at the time of the invasion and the U.S. war violates international law.
The U.S. government has spent more than $500 billion on the war in Iraq while the U.S. deficit climbs.
The war’s funding has greatly influenced the economic downturn and oncoming recession.
Astronomical military spending steals from city citizens through cuts in social programs as well as job loss from economic downturn.
As of 6/08, the cost of the war to the city was $____.

This money could have funded:

83,601 4-year scholarships at public universities.
Health insurance for 1,032,648 Chicago children.
228,414 Head Start students for one year.
29,886 public school teachers for one year.
15,572 housing units in city.

Name ____________________________________
Address __________________________________
City/State_________________________________
Telephone (optional) ________________________
E-Mail (optional)____________________________

Sample Petition 2. Vermont Network on Iraq War Resolutions

We the undersigned legal voters of the Town of ____ request the Select board to place the following article on the warning for the Annual Town Meeting to be held on ____:

Article __. Shall the voters of the Town of ____ vote to approve the resolution concerning the war in Iraq and the deployment of members of the Vermont National Guard in that war, as attached to the petition and incorporated herein by reference, and then send a copy of the resolution to Vermont’s state and federal office-holders?

Printed Name, Signature, Address
_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

Talking Points on Iraq War: Quick Facts

As of March 3, 2008

U.S. military killed in Iraq: 3,973
Number of U.S. troops wounded in combat since the war began: 29,203
Iraqi Security Force deaths: 7,924
Iraqi civilians killed: Estimates range from 81,632 to 1,120,000
Internally displaced refugees in Iraq: 3.4 million
Iraqi refugees living abroad: 2.2 to 2.4 million
Iraqi refugees admitted to the U.S.: 3,222
Number of U.S. soldiers in Iraq: 155,000
Number of “Coalition of the Willing” soldiers in Iraq:
February 2008: 9,895
September 2006: 18,000
November 2004: 25,595
Army soldiers in Iraq who have served two or more tours: 74%
Number of Private Military Contractors in Iraq: 180,000
Number of Private Military Contractors criminally prosecuted by the U.S. government for violence or abuse in Iraq: 1
Number of contract workers killed: 917

According to the U.S. National Intelligence Council, the Iraq war has created “A training and recruitment ground (for terrorists), and an opportunity for terrorists to enhance their technical skills.”

According to the International Institute for Strategic Studies, the affect on al Qaeda from the Iraq War has been “Accelerated recruitment.”

The bill so far: $526 billion
Cost per day: $275 million
Cost per household: $4,100
The estimated long-term bill: $3 trillion

What $526 billion could have paid for in the U.S. in one year:

Children with health care: 223 million
Scholarships for university students: 86 million
Head Start places for children: 72 million

The cost of 22 days in Iraq could safeguard our nation’s ports from attack for 10 years.
The cost of 18 hours in Iraq could secure U.S. chemical plants for five years.

Iraqi Unemployment level: 25% to 40%
*U.S. unemployment during the Great Depression: 25%
70% of the Iraqi population is without access to clean water.
80% is without sanitation.
90% of Iraq’s 180 hospitals lack basic medical and surgical supplies.
79% of Iraqis oppose the presence of Coalition Forces.
78% of Iraqis believe things are going badly in Iraq overall.
64% of Americans oppose the war in Iraq.

According to Defense Secretary Robert Gates, the “Declaration of Principles” has set “A mutually agreed arrangement whereby we have a long and enduring presence.”