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Proposed Fort Collins City Council
Resolution for Withdrawal of U.S. Forces from Iraq
RESOLUTION
Urging the Cessation of War and Combat Operations in Iraq and the
Return of American Troops; and
WHEREAS, the Fort Collins, Colorado City Council
supports the more than one million brave men and women deployed in Iraq
and Afghanistan since 2001, honors the memory of those who have lost
their lives in the war, and supports the families who have lost their
loved ones; and
WHEREAS, the reasons given for the commencement of this
war have proven false in all regards; 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; and
WHEREAS, as of January 2007, at least another 21,000
additional American sons and daughters, mothers and fathers have been
ordered into battle with subsequent requests for even more troops
WHEREAS, many members of the Armed Forces are entering
into their third and fourth deployments to Iraq; and as recently as
April of this year 13,000 National Guard have been called for duty in
Iraq; and
WHEREAS, the National Guard exists primarily to assist
in situations of domestic strife and natural disasters and that ability
is increasingly jeopardized by the guard’s involvement in Iraq; and
WHEREAS, the war in Iraq, now in its fifth year has
caused a) the deaths of more than 3,300 American soldiers and an
estimated 655,000 Iraqis b) the physical and psychological wounding and
disabling of more than 24,000 American soldiers and of hundreds of
thousands of Iraqis and c) over one million Iraqi have become refugees
having to flee their homeland and d) the destruction of the homes,
communities, and livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis as well
as the often irreparable disruption of families here at home because of
the sacrifice American military personnel have been called to
make; and
WHEREAS, more than $456 billion dollars has been
appropriated by Congress to fund military operations and reconstruction
in Iraq when the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), prior to
commencement of military action in Iraq, estimated the costs of the
conflict at $21 to $33 billion; and
WHEREAS, The funds spent by Fort Collins’ taxpayers on
the war and occupation in Iraq equal more than $164 million and could
have provided enough money to have added 10% to the City of Fort
Collins Operating Expenditures for each of the last four years,
potentially adding significant percentages to police, transportation,
and recreation budgets or for 21,000 children to utilize Head
Start for one year; or more than 98,000 children to have a year's worth
of health insurance; or provide 8,000 four-year college scholarships at
public universities, or hire an additional 2,800 public school
teachers, or build more than 1,400 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, hundreds of similar resolutions have been
enacted and registered throughout the country; and
WHEREAS, it is the duty of the City Council to act on
behalf and in the best interest of the citizens of Fort Collins, CO; and
WHEREAS, the City Council is empowered to make such
resolutions as may be necessary to protect the public interest and for
the preservation of health, welfare, peace, and order; and
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF FORT COLLINS, CO
that the City of Fort Collins. CO urges the United States government to
- commence planning an orderly, rapid, and
comprehensive withdrawal of United States military personnel from Iraq;
and
- restrict use of monies already appropriated or any
new appropriations solely to fund the orderly withdrawal of United
States Military personnel and the care and compensation of those
wounded or killed and families thereof; and
- support our troops by ensuring that returning
veterans receive compensation and care, including full mental and
physical health, education, disability, and rehabilitation benefits; and
- provide the people of Iraq with appropriate non
military aid as shall be necessary for the security of Iraq's citizens
and for the rebuilding of Iraq; and
- 5. establish a plan for the ongoing transition of
responsibility for internal security activities to the military forces
of the Iraqi Government; and
- 6. pursue security and stability in Iraq through
diplomacy with other countries in the region to include Iraq’s closest
neighbors Iran and Syria;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution is
forwarded immediately to United States President George W. Bush,
Senator Ken Salazar, Senator Wayne Allard, Representative Marilyn
Musgrave, Governor William Ritter, Colorado State Senator Bob Bacon,
Colorado State Representative John M. Kefalas and Colorado State
Representative Randy Fischer.
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