HR 5499 IHCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To provide for a timetable for the redeployment of the United States Armed Forces from Iraq and to seek political and diplomatic solutions for the security and stability of the Republic of Iraq.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

February 26, 2008

Ms. TSONGAS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concernedCommentsClose CommentsPermalink

To provide for a timetable for the redeployment of the United States Armed Forces from Iraq and to seek political and diplomatic solutions for the security and stability of the Republic of Iraq.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be referred to as the `Iraq Redeployment Timetable and Political Reconciliation Act of 2008'.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING SERVICE OF UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES IN IRAQ AND POLITICAL RECONCILIATION IN IRAQ.

It is the sense of the Congress that--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) the men and women of the United States Armed Forces have served honorably and expertly in Operation Iraqi Freedom;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) political reconciliation in the Republic of Iraq is the key component in providing stability in Iraq;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) political reconciliation cannot occur in the Republic of Iraq without robust diplomatic efforts by the United States and the international community;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) the overwhelming presence of the United States Armed Forces in Iraq has neither encouraged nor precipitated the political, religious, ethnic, and tribal leaders in Iraq to achieve political and diplomatic solutions in providing security and stability for their own nation;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) a defined schedule for redeployment of the United States Armed Forces from Iraq, which is the only real remaining political leverage available to the United States, is the quickest, safest, and most responsible way to bring the Armed Forces home;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) a defined schedule for redeployment requires the people and government of Iraq to take responsibility for their future and will help engage the international community to assist the people and government of Iraq in making political progress; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(7) continuous and extended deployments of the United States Armed Forces have compromised United States military readiness around the globe and reduced the ability of the United States to respond to other international commitments, notably Afghanistan.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 3. TIMETABLE FOR REDEPLOYMENT OF UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES FROM IRAQ.

(a) Commencement of Redeployment- Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of the Act, the Secretary of Defense shall commence the redeployment of the units and members of the United States Armed Forces deployed in Iraq.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Purpose of Redeployment- The redeployment required by this section shall be carried out for purposes of--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) ensuring that the national security interests of the United States are protected; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) improving the military readiness of the United States Armed Forces.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Completion of Redeployment- The Secretary of Defense shall complete the redeployment of the United States Armed Forces from Iraq by the end of the 180-day period beginning on the date on which the Secretary of Defense commences the redeployment required by subsection (a).CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(d) Redeployment Report- Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report outlining the necessary elements of the required timetable for the redeployment of the United States Armed Forces from Iraq. To the maximum extent possible, the report shall be submitted in an unclassified format. The report shall include--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) a timetable for completion of the redeployment within 180 days after commencement;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) an estimate of the number of members of the United States Armed Forces needed to perform the activities described in subsection (f);CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) an estimate of the number of sea, air, and ground equipment required to perform the activities described in subsection (f);CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) a plan for ensuring the safe and orderly withdrawal of the United States Armed Forces from Iraq;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) an estimate of the cost of providing security for United States citizens remaining in Iraq to conduct diplomatic, economic, and social rehabilitation, including Provincial Reconstruction Teams; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) the total estimated costs of redeployment.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(e) Certification of Redeployment- Upon the completion of the redeployment, the Secretary of Defense shall submit a report to the congressional defense committees certifying that all United States Armed Forces have been redeployed from Iraq.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(f) Protection of United States Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq- Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, the Secretary of Defense may retain members of the United States Armed Forces in Iraq in such numbers as the Secretary considers required for protection of the United States Embassy compound in Baghdad, Iraq.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 4. RELATIONS WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF IRAQ.

(a) Diplomatic Relations- Concurrently with the redeployment of United States Armed Forces pursuant to section 3, the Secretary of State shall continue to work with the elected Government of Iraq to provide for the security and stability of Iraq and its transition to democratic rule through diplomatic means.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Continuation of Diplomatic, Social, and Economic Rehabilitation Activities in Iraq- Nothing in this Act shall be construed to prohibit or otherwise restrict the use of funds available to any department or agency of the United States, other than the Department of Defense, to carry out diplomatic, social, and economic rehabilitation activities in Iraq.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Report and Components- Not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, and every 30 days thereafter, the President of the United States shall submit to the congressional defense committees, the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate a report describing the efforts by the United States to carry out diplomatic, social, and economic rehabilitation activities in Iraq. The report shall include, at minimum--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) current efforts to effect political dialogue among the political, religious, ethnic, and tribal leaders in Iraq;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) current efforts of international organizations in assisting with political reconciliation in Iraq; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) initiatives, either planned or ongoing, for assistance by the United States to the Government of Iraq to assist in the areas of governance, rule of law, democracy, and human rights protections.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 5. MIDDLE EAST SECURITY AND ECONOMIC ORGANIZATION.

(a) Sense of the Congress- It is the sense of Congress that--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) security and stability in Iraq and the broader Middle East is vital to all nations of the world;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) diplomatic involvement of the broader international community in the regional security and stability of Iraq and the Middle East region is essential;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) involvement in the Middle East region remains vital to the national security interests of the United States;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(4) the Middle East region lacks a regional security and economic organization that would allow for increased dialogue among participating nations;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(5) a regional security and economic organization, modeled on the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, should be created; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(6) a regional, multilateral security and economic organization provides the structure necessary to cultivate regional security and to promote economic development and cooperation in the Middle East region.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(b) Negotiations- In parallel with the redeployment of United States Armed Forces from Iraq pursuant to section 3, the Secretary of State shall begin immediate negotiations for the creation of a multi-lateral security and economic organization for the Middle East region, to be known as the `Middle East Security and Economic Organization'.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(c) Purpose- The purpose of the Middle East Security and Economic Organization is to cultivate regional security and to promote economic development and cooperation in the Middle East region.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(d) Composition- At minimum, the Middle East Security and Economic Organization should be comprised of nations located in the Persian Gulf and broader Middle East region, as well as the broader international community. It is the sense of Congress that the composition of the Middle East Security and Economic Organization include--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) representative countries from the League of Arab States;CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) member states from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(3) interested nations holding seats in the UN General Assembly.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(e) Report- Within 30 days after commencement of negotiations to establish the Middle East Security and Economic Organization, and every 30 days thereafter until negotiations are complete, the Secretary of State shall submit to the congressional defense committees, the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate a report describing the progress of negotiations in forming the Middle East Security and Economic Organization.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink

SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(1) The term `United States Armed Forces' has the meaning given the term `armed forces' in section 101(a)(4) of title 10, United States Code.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(2) The term `congressional defense committees' means--CommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(A) the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives; andCommentsClose CommentsPermalink





(B) the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.CommentsClose CommentsPermalink