The Kalamazoo County Democratic Party’s Executive Committee passed a resolution calling for the withdrawal of the United States troops currently stationed in Iraq and a redirection of funds currently being spent on the Iraq War towards domestic needs last week. The resolution, passed unanimously, is going to be presented this week to the Calhoun County Democratic Party where organizers state that it has a “good chance” of passing. Organizers of the effort hope to take the resolution to various state Democratic Party committees as a means of expanding on the Cities for Peace campaigns currently being waged recently around the country to get cities to pass resolutions opposing the Iraq War. The Kalamazoo City Commission also recently passed a similar resolution calling for the return of US troops from Iraq.

The resolution is a strongly worded case against the ongoing war in Iraq and the misplacing of the United States’ priorities in a war that the resolution states was based on false arguments in violation of Articles 2 and 51 of the United Nations charter. The resolution touches on the loss more than 2,500 US troops in Iraq, the 17,470 United States troops wounded, the soldiers suffering from various mental conditions as a result of their service, and the “30,000 to 100,000 Iraqis” that lost their lives “due to the action of Coalition forces.” It also addresses the environmental aspects of the war, touching on the wholesale destruction of Fallujah and the use of depleted uranium weapons. The question of “progress” in Iraq is also question, with the resolution describing how the supply of electricity and water in Iraq is less than what it was under Saddam Hussein and that sixty-seven percent of Iraqis feel “less secure” due to the ongoing occupation. As a remedy to the situation, the resolution calls for a shift from security to “peacemaking” activities such as the providing of non-military aide and peacekeeping forces for Iraq, and to address the negative effects of the war on those living in the United States, a shift of funds from military expenditures to support the ongoing war to domestic issues such as national health care, affordable housing, job development, and education.

Beyond taking a stand against the war, the resolution also outlines steps to be taken as a way of using the resolution as a tool to facilitate further antiwar organizing. The resolution takes a specific stand in support of two Iraq withdrawal plans currently being circulated in the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate stating that it Kalamazoo County Democratic Party endorses the legislation proposed by Representatives John Murtha and Jim McGovern and by Senator John Kerry. The resolution also calls for copies of the resolution to be sent to President George W. Bush, Michigan’s 6th Congressional District delegation, Michigan Senators Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow, state representatives for Kalamazoo county, and Democratic Party candidates for seats in Kalamazoo. Most interestingly, the resolution contains language instructing the Kalamazoo County party to send a copy of the resolution to the Michigan state Democratic Party for inclusion as a plank in the 2006 party platform. Such a request is interesting in light of the national Democratic Party’s difficulties in coming to a consensus on the Iraq War and could play an interesting role in expanding the debate over Iraq within the Democratic Party, and along with efforts such as organizing efforts such as Voters for Peace, could force the Democratic Party to adopt a position in support of a withdrawal from Iraq.

Organizers can be contacted at flolebus[ at ]aol.com and the text of the resolution is featured below:

Kalamazoo County Democratic Party Executive Committee
RESOLUTION CALLING FOR THE RETURN OF US TROOPS FROM IRAQ AND THE REDIRECTION OF WAR FUNDS FOR DOMESTIC NEEDS

Whereas, the case for the war in Iraq was based on the existence of weapons of mass destruction, and a supposed link between Iraq and the September 11 terrorist attacks, and both these arguments have proven to be false; and
Whereas, the preemptive military action against Iraq has violated Article 2 of the UN charter [article 2 prohibits”the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.” The security council had not authorized nor directed the use of force to maintain or restore peace and security in Iraq.] and Article 51 Of the UN charter [ Article 51 recognizes the inherent right of self defense against actual or imminent armed attack. All claims to this have proven false]. The US is signatory to the UN Charter and is legally bound to it as a treaty, and,
Whereas, over 2,500 US troops have died, over 17,470 US troops will carry the disabling effects of their physical wounds for the rest of their lives, and thousands more are suffering mental anguish and post-traumatic stress disorder, putting an untold burden on them and their families, and society, and remaining in Iraq will only compound the tragedy of the numerous lives already lost; and,
Whereas, it is estimated that between 30,000 to 100,000 Iraqis have lost their lives, most due to the actions of Coalition forces. This represents a huge loss of creativity, parenting, production, community building, etc. in Iraq, and,
Whereas, the deployment of MI national guard forces in Iraq has left the state of Michigan more vulnerable to the consequences of natural disasters , which the Michigan National Guard forces are trained to handle, and,
Whereas, the environmental effects to Iraq have been catastrophic, the destruction of Baghdad, and Falluja, and the use of uranium hardened bomb shells being prime examples, and,
Whereas, war brings with it aberrations of the spirit. The torture practices at Abu Ghraib prison, the slaughter of women and children such as at Haditha (which is now being investigated), the destruction of Falluja are the rule rather than the exception, and Iraqis have little say over U.S. troops and operations and,

Whereas, rather than fighting terrorism, the invasion has increased the resentment and anger that many feel against the United States, helping to increase terrorism, noting that Al-Qaeda made its first appearance in Iraq only after the invasion; and

Whereas, our brave and courageous soldiers have been placed in untenable positions of determining who is and who isn’t the enemy, of doing police keeping and providing security without the advantages of being trained in such duties, and,

Whereas, Iraq now needs a peacekeeping and security service not a military effort, and,
Whereas, the national cost of the war is over 285 billion to date, of which the cost to the citizens of Kalamazoo County has been 275 million, (extrapolated from figures provided by the National Priorities Project), monies which could have been spent on national health care, affordable housing, job development, education, etc. and,
Whereas, in recent polls, over 60% of the American public believe going to war in Iraq was a mistake and 82% of the Iraqis are “strongly opposed” to the presence of coalition forces,, and 45 % of Iraqis believe attacks against British and American troops are justified, and
Whereas, the supply of electricity and water utilities and a comfortable level of security is less now than it was under Sadham Hussein. Sixty-seven percent of Iraqis feel less secure because of the occupation, and, now therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED, that the Kalamazoo County Democratic Party 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 Kalamazoo County Democratic Party endorses such legislation as introduced in the House of Representatives by Rep John Murtha and Rep. Jim McGovern, and Sen. John Kerry in the US Senate, and,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the United States government provide the people of Iraq with all necessary non-military material aid and support for an international peacekeeping force as shall be necessary for the security of Iraq’s citizens and for the rebuilding of Iraq; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the US abandon the building of permanent military bases in Iraq, and,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the financial resources used to prosecute the war be redirected to address the urgent needs of our military veterans and of towns and cities, counties and states and the most vulnerable portions of our population, including but not limited to the areas of health, housing, education, and homeland security; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution shall be sent to George W. Bush, President of the United States, and the members of the Michigan Congressional delegation, including our 6th Congressional District Representative Fred Upton, and Senators Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin, and to State Rep. Alexander Lipsey, Rep. Jacob Hoogendyk, Rep. Lorence Wenke and Sen. Tom George, and Democratic Party candidates Robert Jones, Julie Rogers, and Phyllis Smith and,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution be sent to the appropriate person in the Michigan State Democratic Party Organization for inclusion as a plank in the 2006 Michigan Democratic Party platform.

Approved unanimously by the Kalamazoo County Democratic Party Executive Committee on June 15, 2006.