A Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq

On March 20, 2003, the United States invaded Iraq leading a multinational coalition that included British troops as well as smaller contingents from Australia, Denmark, Poland, and other nations.{{cite web

|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/2862343.stm

|title=US Names Coalition of the Willing

|author=Schifferes, Steve

|work=BBC News

|date=2003-03-18

|accessdate=2008-07-04}}

Since the beginning of the war there had been great debate about how it should end. The plan cited a number of facts and events as the foundation for its existence, including the following:

• In November 2006, voters elected a new Democratic Party majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives in the 110th Congress, largely with the expectation that they would work to reduce or end American military involvement in Iraq.{{cite web

|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/02/us/politics/02poll.html

|title=With Election Driven by Iraq, Voters Want New Approach

|author=Nagourney, Adam|author2=Thee, Megan

|work=The New York Times

|date=2006-11-02

|accessdate=2008-07-04| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20081209032322/http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/02/us/politics/02poll.html| archivedate=December 9, 2008| url-status= live}}

• In December 2006 the Iraq Study Group (ISG), a ten-person bipartisan panel appointed on March 15, 2006 by Congress, released their final report. Also known as the Baker-Hamilton Commission, the ISG was charged with assessing the situation in Iraq and the US-led Iraq War and making policy recommendations. While President George W. Bush praised the ISG's efforts, he rejected many of its recommendations.{{cite web

|url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2006-12/08/content_753761.htm

|title=Bush rejects key proposals on Iraq

|work=China Daily

|date=2006-12-08

|accessdate=2008-07-04| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20080602213148/http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2006-12/08/content_753761.htm| archivedate= 2 June 2008 | url-status= live}}

• In March 2007, General David Petraeus, Commanding General of the Multi-National Force in Iraq, claimed that there was "no military solution" in Iraq, and that political negotiations were crucial to forging any lasting peace.{{cite web

|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6429519.stm

|title=General says Iraq talks critical

|quote=There is no military solution to a problem like that in Iraq, to the insurgency of Iraq

|work=BBC News

|date=2007-03-08

|accessdate=2008-07-06}}

• By March 2008, the number of U.S. military personnel killed in Iraq had reached 4,000,{{cite web

|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7310924.stm

|title=US military Iraq toll hits 4,000

|work=BBC News

|date=2008-03-24

|accessdate=2008-07-04}} with many thousands more wounded, and an estimated hundreds of thousands of Iraqi casualties.{{cite web

|url=http://icasualties.org/oif/

|title=Iraq Coalition Casualty Count

|accessdate=2008-07-05

|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080625111034/http://icasualties.org/oif/

|archivedate=2008-06-25

|url-status=dead

}}

• Also by March 2008, the financial cost of the Iraq War to the United States had surpassed the half trillion dollar mark.{{cite web

|url = http://nationalpriorities.org/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=182

|title = The War in Iraq Costs

|work = National Priorities Project

|accessdate = 2008-07-05

|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20051012210605/http://nationalpriorities.org/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=182

|archivedate = 2005-10-12

|url-status = dead

}}

On August 27, 2007, President Bush made a fundraising visit to Bellevue, Washington in support of {{ushr|Washington|8|}} Republican Representative Dave Reichert.{{cite web

|url=http://komonews.com/news/local/bush-makes-quick-fundraising-stop-in-bellevue

|title=Bush makes quick fundraising stop in Bellevue

|work=KOMO 4 News

|date=2007-08-27

|accessdate=2016-07-22}} In response, Reichert's main opponent, Democratic candidate Darcy Burner, organized a "virtual town hall" meeting to discuss the situation in Iraq.{{cite web

|url=http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/seattlepolitics/archives/120620.asp

|title=Burner to stage "virtual" town hall to counter Bush visit

|author=Grygiel, Chris

|work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer

|date=2007-08-24

|accessdate=2008-07-04}} The town hall meeting was streamed live online and included testimonials from Ambassador Joe Wilson and retired Major General Paul Eaton, former Security Transition Commanding General in Iraq, and the participation of Jon Soltz, chairman of VoteVets.org, and retired Navy Captain Larry Seaquist, among others.{{cite web

|url=http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/8/29/123814/423

|title=People-powered politics is changing things

|author=Burner, Darcy

|work=Daily Kos

|date=2007-08-29

|accessdate=2008-07-04}} In a statement following the event, Darcy Burner wrote:

{{Quote|

On Monday morning before the town hall, I asked retired Major General Paul Eaton, who was in charge of rebuilding the Iraqi Army and security forces in Iraq from 2003-2004, if he would chair a group to create a responsible exit plan for Iraq, and he agreed.

Let me repeat: we will be creating a plan to end the war and bring our troops home. It's long past time.}}

On March 17, 2008 at the Take Back America conference{{Cite web |url=http://ourfuture.org/take-back-america-2008 |title=Take Back America conference |access-date=2008-07-09 |archive-date=2021-05-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506055502/https://ourfuture.org/take-back-america-2008 |url-status=dead }} in Washington, D.C., Darcy Burner (WA-08) was joined by five other congressional candidates Donna Edwards ({{ushr|Maryland|4|MD-04}}), Chellie Pingree ({{ushr|Maine|1|ME-01}}), Tom Perriello ({{ushr|Virginia|5|VA-05}}), Sam Bennett ({{ushr|Pennsylvania|15|PA-15}}) and Jared Polis ({{ushr|Colorado|2|CO-02}}) for the unveiling{{cite video

|date=2008-03-17

|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VYXcAdrswc

|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/3VYXcAdrswc |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=Darcy Burner's speaks at Take America Back Conference

|location=Washington, DC

|accessdate=2008-07-05}}{{cbignore}} of A Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq, a 36-page document that was the culmination of the six-month effort.{{cite web

|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/closing-the-message-gap-o_b_94074.html

|title=A Responsible Plan to End the War

|author=Huffington, Arianna

|work=HuffingtonPost

|date=2008-03-30

|accessdate=2008-07-04| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20080612201246/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/closing-the-message-gap-o_b_94074.html| archivedate= 12 June 2008 | url-status= live}}

In addition to the six candidates at the March 2008 unveiling and Eaton,{{cite video

|date=March 2008

|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2uCFzIwXmM

|title=General Eaton for Take Back America Conference

|accessdate=2008-07-05| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20080815153925/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2uCFzIwXmM| archivedate= 15 August 2008 | url-status= live}} the plan was also initially endorsed by candidates Eric Massa ({{ushr|New York|29|NY-29}}), George Fearing ({{ushr|Washington|4|WA-04}}), Larry Byrnes ({{ushr|Florida|14|FL-14}}), and Steve Harrison ({{ushr|New York|13|NY-13}}), as well as Dr. Lawrence Korb, former Assistant Secretary of Defense in the Reagan Administration, Capt. Larry Seaquist, former commander of the {{USS|Iowa|BB-61|6}} and former Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Policy Planning, and Brigadier General John Johns, specialist in counterinsurgency and nation-building.{{cite video

|date=March 2008

|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OchMcu4ON0

|title=Brig. Gen. John Johns for Take Back America Conference

|accessdate=2008-07-05| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20080815154004/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_OchMcu4ON0| archivedate= 15 August 2008 | url-status= live}} Two days after the initial unveiling, Rand Beers, a counterterrorism expert who served on the National Security Council under Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton added his endorsement.{{cite web

|url=http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/3/19/174218/849

|title=Five Years Later, A Responsible Plan to End the War

|publisher=Daily Kos

|date=2008-03-19

|accessdate=2008-07-05}} Within one week, the plan had received the endorsement of an additional 24 Democratic challengers, and as of July 2008 it had 58 House and Senate candidate endorsements, and over 50,000 individual endorsers.{{cite web

|url=http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=5501

|title=Responsible Plan and Mission Accomplished Day

|publisher=OpenLeft

|date=2008-05-01

|accessdate=2008-07-05

|url-status=usurped

|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080507190655/http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=5501

|archivedate=2008-05-07

}}

The two main strategic questions the plan sought to answer were:

• How to bring American military engagement in Iraq to a responsible end?
• How to prevent a repeat of mistakes that have been made?

The plan attempted to present a combined military, diplomatic, and economic strategy to end the war in Iraq. It cited various ISG recommendations and listed a number of existing, but stalled bills in Congress that addressed multiple areas of focus.

The plan broke down the areas of focus into several categories:

• Ending U.S. military action in Iraq.
  (per ISG recommendations 22, 40, 41 and 42)
• Increasing the use of U.S. diplomatic power and refocusing anti-terrorism measures.
  (per ISG recommendations 1 and 2)
• Addressing Iraqi economic reconstruction and regional humanitarian concerns.
• Restoring governmental transparency and accountability, and constitutional rights.
• Restoring the U.S. military and supporting veterans.
• Restoring independence to the media.
• Creating a new, U.S.-centered energy policy.
  (per ISG recommendation 23).

In support of the stated objectives, the plan referenced seven recommendations from the final report of the Iraq Study Group.

{{Quote|

RECOMMENDATION 1: The United States, working with the Iraqi government, should launch the comprehensive New Diplomatic Offensive to deal with the problems of Iraq and of the region.

RECOMMENDATION 2: The goals of the diplomatic offensive as it relates to regional players should be to:

1. Support the unity and territorial integrity of Iraq.
2. Stop destabilizing interventions and actions by Iraq's neighbors.
3. Secure Iraq's borders, including the use of joint patrols with neighboring countries.
4. Prevent the expansion of the instability and conflict beyond Iraq's borders.
5. Promote economic assistance, commerce, trade, political support, and, if possible, military assistance for the Iraqi government from non-neighboring Muslim nations.
6. Energize countries to support national political reconciliation in Iraq.
7. Validate Iraq's legitimacy by resuming diplomatic relations, where appropriate, and reestablishing embassies in Baghdad.
8. Assist Iraq in establishing active working embassies in key capitals in the region (for example, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia).
9. Help Iraq reach a mutually acceptable agreement on Kirkuk.
10. Assist the Iraqi government in achieving certain security, political, and economic milestones, including better performance on issues such as national reconciliation, equitable distribution of oil revenues, and the dismantling of militias.

RECOMMENDATION 22: The President should state that the United States does not seek permanent military bases in Iraq. If the Iraqi government were to request a temporary base or bases, then the U.S. government could consider that request as it would in the case of

any other government.

RECOMMENDATION 23: The President should restate that the United States does not seek to control Iraq's oil.

RECOMMENDATION 40: The United States should not make an open-ended commitment to keep large numbers of American troops deployed in Iraq.

RECOMMENDATION 41: The United States must make it clear to the Iraqi government that the United States could carry out its plans, including planned redeployments, even if Iraq does not implement its planned changes. America’s other security needs and the

future of our military cannot be made hostage to the actions or inactions of the Iraqi government.

RECOMMENDATION 42: We should seek to complete the training and equipping mission by the first quarter of 2008, as stated by General George Casey on October 24, 2006.

}}

The plan categorized fifteen bills that had been introduced in both the House or Senate during the 110th Congress that addressed the various objectives of the plan. By February 2009, most of them had been referred to subcommittees, only three had been voted on in the House, and none had yet been enacted into law.

The plan received national press and attention following its unveiling. Ilan Goldenberg, Policy Director at the National Security Network, writing in The New Republic, called it "thoughtful", "a good first step" and "welcome progress".{{cite magazine

|url=http://www.tnr.com/politics/story.html?id=146ed1c2-2e45-4811-b8c6-a058159770c9

|title=Leaving an Occupied Country Is Hard To Do

|author=Goldenberg, Ilan

|magazine=The New Republic

|date=2008-04-02

|accessdate=2008-07-05}} Arianna Huffington at Huffington Post referred to it as "A Contract to Restore America". The plan was also mentioned on ABC's This Week with George Stephanopoulos. Katrina vanden Heuvel, publisher of The Nation magazine, called the plan "responsible", saying "there are no military solutions". However, Political commentator Cokie Roberts stated that withdrawal from Iraq, one of the goals of the plan, would be "an irresponsible thing to do", claiming "Americans would prefer to win".{{cite video

|date=2008-04-06

|people=vanden Heuvel, Katrina; Roberts, Cokie; Stephanopoulos, George

|publisher=ABC

|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnc-Lhq9iC8

|title=Responsible Plan on ABC's This Week

|medium=Television production

|location=Washington, D.C.

|accessdate=2008-07-05}}{{cbignore}}{{Dead Youtube links|date=February 2022}}{{cite news

|url=http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2008/04/07/roberts/index.html

|title=Cokie Roberts speaks out on the war on behalf of the American people

|last=Greenwald

|first=Glenn

|date=2008-04-07

|work=Salon.com

|accessdate=2008-07-11| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20080726200816/http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2008/04/07/roberts/index.html| archivedate= 26 July 2008 | url-status= live}} There were also indications that, within the Democratic Party, the plan had some influence in the debate, with the plan cited on the House floor in 2008.{{cite video

|date=May 2008

|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mb6VM2KcgpU

|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/mb6VM2KcgpU |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=Inslee on supplemental war spending bill

|medium=Television production

|location=Washington, D.C.

|accessdate=2008-07-05}}{{cbignore}} and "helped focus" actions in the House according to Speaker Nancy Pelosi speaking about the plan and Burner's efforts in a June 2008 interview.{{cite web

|url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2004476909_postmanblog14m.html

|title=House speaker sees bright future for Democrats

|author=Postman, David

|work=The Seattle Times

|date=2008-06-14

|accessdate=2008-07-05| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20080617135522/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2004476909_postmanblog14m.html| archivedate= 17 June 2008 | url-status= live}}

While the plan received support from the liberal blogosphere and grassroots organizations, such as OpenLeft{{cite web

|url=http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=4916

|title=The Responsible Plan In Action

|publisher=Open Left

|date=2008-04-01

|accessdate=2008-07-05

|url-status=usurped

|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727120457/http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=4916

|archivedate=2011-07-27

}} and Daily Kos, it was panned and received criticism from Republicans in Congress and other conservative commentators. Dave Reichert, Congressman for Washington's 8th district said, through his spokesman, that he believed "military leaders on the ground – not candidates for political office – should make decisions about when and how to end the war".{{cite news

|url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2004289270_burner18m.html

|title=Burner's plan on Iraq signals war likely key issue in race

|last=Heffter

|first=Emily

|date=2008-03-18

|publisher=The Seattle Times

|accessdate=2008-07-11| archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20080709003912/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2004289270_burner18m.html| archivedate= 9 July 2008 | url-status= live}} Reichert's spokesman also suggested that "it would be irresponsible to withdraw troops and then send U.S. money 'into a black hole.'"

{{reflist}}

{{wikisource|Iraq Study Group Report}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20080703170712/http://www.responsibleplan.com/ A Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20080616001040/http://www.responsibleplan.com/o/2757/images/responsible_plan.pdf A Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq] full text (PDF)
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20090601191410/http://www.usip.org/isg/iraq_study_group_report/report/1206/iraq_study_group_report.pdf The Iraq Study Group Report] full text (PDF)

{{Iraq War}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Responsible Plan To End The War In Iraq, A}}

Category:Politics of the Iraq War

Category:Iraq War documents

Category:Works about the war on terror

Category:Political plans in the United States

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