Philadelphia, PA Sample Resolution 1
On September 15, 2005, the City Council of Philadelphia approved a resolution urging the "United States government to commence an orderly and rapid withdrawal of United States military personnel from Iraq as expeditiously as possible" by a vote of 16-1.
Resolution Welcoming the “Bring Them Home Now Tour to Philadelphia”
WHEREAS, the Philadelphia City Council supports the brave men and women deployed in Iraq, honors and the memory of those who have lost their lives in the war and the families who have lost their loved ones; and
WHEREAS, working families in the United States have paid a heavy price for the U.S. involvement in Iraq with the deaths of more than 1,900 U.S. troops, the wounding and disabling of more than 14,000 U.S. military personnel, and the deaths of nearly 25,000 Iraqi civilians; and
WHEREAS, more than $200 billion has been appropriated by Congress to fund military operations and reconstruction in Iraq, and American working families are bearing the costs of this war, not only monetarily and physically, but because needed resources are not available, for education, healthcare, and other social services; and
WHEREAS, prior to the initiation of combat operations in Iraq, the City Council of the City of Philadelphia, on behalf of the people of Philadelphia, passed a resolution with 11 co-sponsors on December 19, 2002, urging a peaceful resolution to the Iraqi conflict and exhaustion of all diplomatic avenues in order to avert a war in Iraq; and
WHEREAS, the funds spent by Philadelphia taxpayers on the war and occupation in Iraq could have provided Head Start for one year for 93,181 Philadelphia children; or medical insurance for one year for 421,271 Philadelphia children; or 12,192 public school teachers for one year in Philadelphia; or 6,334 additional housing units in Philadelphia, according to the National Priorities Project; and
WHEREAS, Cindy Sheehan, whose son, Army Specialist Casey Sheehan was killed in Iraq in April 2004, has been waiting to speak to President Bush outside his ranch in Crawford, Texas and has been joined by other mothers whose children have been killed in Iraq is now on the Bring Our Troops Home bus tour throughout the U.S. in advance of the September 24, 2005 non-violent mobilization in Washington, D.C. to end the war; and
WHEREAS, the Bring Our Troops Home tour will be in Philadelphia from September 15 through September 17, 2005 to reach out to military families, veterans, and concerned citizens and urge an end to the violence in Iraq “before one more mother’s child is lost,” in the words of Cindy Sheehan, and the Tour is sponsored by Gold Star Families For Peace (families who have lost loved ones in Iraq), Military Families Speak Out, Iraq Veterans Against The War and Veterans for Peace; and
WHEREAS, many labor unions throughout the country, including the Philadelphia Central Labor Council on June 9, 2005 have called for the rapid return of U.S. troops from Iraq; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Philadelphia, on behalf of the people of Philadelphia, welcomes the Bring Them Home Now Tour to Philadelphia, and urges the United States government to commence an orderly and rapid withdrawal of United States military personnel from Iraq as expeditiously as possible, and to provide the people of Iraq with the necessary aid to secure their citizens to rebuild Iraq;
BE IT RESOLVED FURTHER, that an engrossed copy of this Resolution be presented, on behalf of the Bring Them Home Now Tour, to Celeste Zappala, a Philadelphia resident and member of Gold Star Families for Peace, who lost her son, Army Sgt. Sherwood Baker, in the Iraq war, as evidence of the sincere sentiments of this legislative body.
Chicago, IL Sample Resolution 2
On September 14, 2005, Chicago approved a resolution calling for an "immediate and orderly withdrawal" from Iraq by a vote of 29-9.
RESOLUTION URGING CESSATION OF COMBAT OPERATIONS
IN IRAQ AND THE RETURN OF U.S. TROOPS
WHEREAS, The Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 was passed by the U.S. Congress on October 11, 2002, and that Public Law 107-243 cited Iraq’s possession of weapons of mass destruction as a primary reason for the use of United States Armed Forces against Iraq; and
WHEREAS, On January 12, 2005, President Bush officially declared an end to the search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq; and
WHEREAS, The United States initiated combat operations in Iraq on March 19, 2003; and
WHEREAS, Hundreds of thousands of members of the United States Armed Forces have served with honor and distinction in Iraq; and
WHEREAS, More than 1,700 members of the United States Armed Forces have been killed and more than 12,000 members of the Armed Forces have been wounded in substantially accomplishing the stated purpose of the United States of giving the people of Iraq a reasonable opportunity to decide their own future; and
WHEREAS, The United States military occupation of Iraq has placed significant strains on the capacity of the United States Armed Forces, both active duty and reserve and the National Guard.
WHEREAS, The armed forces of Iraq number more than 76,000 troops as of June 8, 2005, and are growing in number and capability daily; and
WHEREAS, The forces of the Iraqi Interior Ministry number more than 92,000 personnel as of June 8, 2005, and are growing in number and capability daily; and
WHEREAS, More than $200 billion has been appropriated by Congress to fund military operations and reconstruction in Iraq, and Chicago residents’ share now exceeds $2.1 billion; and
WHEREAS, The funds spent by Chicago taxpayers on the war and occupation in Iraq could have provided Head Start for one year for 238,056 children; or medical insurance for one year for 1,076,242 children; or 31,147 public school teachers for one year; or 16,183 additional housing units, according to the National Priorities Project; and
WHEREAS, The war and continued occupation have resulted in the devastation of Iraq’s physical and social infrastructure and led to widespread and continuous resistance to U.S. occupation that threatens the lives of Iraqi civilians and the men and women who compose the ranks of U.S. and other occupying forces; and
WHEREAS, The presence of United States forces in Iraq and the alleged torture of prisoners at Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and other facilities have inflamed anti-American passions in the Muslim world and increased the terrorist threat to United States citizens, both at home and abroad; and
WHEREAS, Polls show that less than half of the American people support the war; and
WHEREAS, Illinois Congresspersons Rush, Lipinski, Emanuel, Davis, Schakowsky, Jackson, Gutierrez, and Costello joined more than 100 other Congresspersons in voting for a House resolution on an Iraq exit strategy; and
WHEREAS, On January 2003, the Chicago City Council passed a resolution 47-1 opposing the war in Iraq prior to its commencing in March 2003; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED, That the City Council of the City of Chicago, on behalf of the citizens of Chicago, urges the United States government to immediately commence an orderly and rapid withdrawal of United States military personnel from Iraq; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the City Council of Chicago, recognizing that the stability of Iraq is crucial to the security of the citizens of Chicago and to all Americans, urges the United States government to provide the people of Iraq with all necessary non-military material aid as shall be necessary for the security of Iraq’s citizens and for the rebuilding of Iraq; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the financial resources used to prosecute the war be redirected to address the urgent needs of America’s great urban centers and the most vulnerable portions of our population, including health, education, and homeland security; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution shall be sent to George W. Bush, President of the United States, and the members of the Illinois Congressional delegation.
Boulder, CO Sample Resolution 3
On January 21, 2003, Boulder passed the following resolution opposing the US-led invasion in Iraq.
A Resolution Against War in Iraq
Whereas, Saddam Hussein, the leader of Iraq, has proven himself to be a despotic ruler by using poison gas against his own people; assassinating his political enemies; waging an unjust war on the people of Kuwait; and, during that war, launching missiles at the people of Israel, a noncombatant nation; and
Whereas, Iraq has a history of acquiring and attempting to develop weapons of mass destruction, including biological, chemical, and nuclear munitions; and
Whereas, Iraq has regularly resisted compliance with the legitimate directives of the United Nations; however
Whereas, a unilateral war with Iraq will have enormous moral, economic, and political costs to the United States, including the possibility of further inflaming anti-U.S. feelings in the Middle East and the broader Islamic world and increasing support for groups dedicated to terrorism; and
Whereas, a preemptive strike by the United States will violate our commitments under the United Nations charter and go against established international law; and
Whereas, war against Iraq will place the lives of U.S. citizens and military personnel in jeopardy, and will inflict injury and loss of life upon innocent Iraqi people; and
Whereas, such a war will also result in widespread environmental and ecological destruction in the region; and
Whereas, our involvement in Iraq seems largely related to our nation's continuing heavy dependence on foreign oil and our excessive consumption of fossil fuels; and
Whereas, our national wealth, which is needed to solve domestic problems, should not be squandered on such a war.
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the City Council of the City of Boulder, Colorado, that:
The City Council of the City of Boulder, Colorado, opposes a U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, but supports instead a genuinely multilateral diplomatic approach to the Iraq situation, sanctioned and directed by the United Nations.
The Mayor is directed to communicate to President George W. Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Secretary of State Colin Powell, national security advisor Condoleezza Rice, Senators Wayne Allard and Ben Nighthorse Campbell, Representative Mark Udall and the United States Congress.
|
