* WARNING: THIS IS AN UNOFFICIAL, INTRODUCTORY COPY OF THE BILL.
THE OFFICIAL COPY CONSIDERED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IS THE FIRST READER COPY.
INTRODUCTORY*
CITY OF BALTIMORE
COUNCIL BILL R
(Resolution)
Introduced by: Coucilmembers Young, Clarke, Harris
A RESOLUTION ENTITLED
A COUNCIL RESOLUTION concerning
Title
Bring the Troops Home!
FOR the purpose of joining with city councils and state legislatures across the nation in calling upon the U.S. Congress to fulfill its Constitutional duty by enacting binding legislation to end this war; that we join others in expressing our opposition to the present "surge" strategy; that we call upon the U.S. Congress to limit funding for Iraq to money needed to safely withdraw the troops and to provide comprehensive health care and educational benefits to all soldiers who served in Iraq.
Body
WHEREAS, The Iraq war has raged now for four years at the cost of 3,100 U.S. soldiers dead, 71 of them from Maryland; over 20,000 have been wounded, many with terrible life-altering disabilities; an estimated 655,000 Iraqis have died and there is no end in sight; and
WHEREAS, The war has cost us $378 billion in tax dollars and President George W. Bush is requesting supplemental appropriations of $93 billion for this year and another $145 billion for next year totaling more than half a trillion dollars to pay for an open-ended occupation; and
WHEREAS, The cost to Maryland taxpayers of this war estimated by the National Priorities Project is $9 billion, enough to provide quality health care for our 800,000 people who lack medical insurance; and the cost to Baltimore is estimated at $512.4 million, enough to build or renovate 100 public schools at $5 million each; and
WHEREAS, In flagrant violation of U.S. and international law, the Bush-Cheney Administration launched a unilateral preemptive war against a nation that did not attack us, using a massive campaign of false propaganda that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction and ties to al-Qaeda, claims now totally discredited; and
WHEREAS, Bush and the Republican right accuse opponents of the war of "not supporting the troops" yet they are inflicting needless death and injury on these young Americans by keeping them in harm's way and not equipping them even with adequate body armor; and Bush-Cheney shamefully under-fund programs to assist wounded and traumatized soldiers who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan; and
WHEREAS, The only way to truly support the troops is to bring them home and provide full health and education benefits when they return; and
WHEREAS, The people of Maryland and the United States voted overwhelmingly last Nov. 7 in favor of ending this war, and the U.S. Congress has just adopted a resolution opposing escalation; and
WHEREAS, Bush has ignored this peace mandate and continues to assert that "victory" is the only option and is escalating the war by sending an additional 48,000 combat and support troops, in flagrant disregard of the will of the people and the U.S. Congress; and
WHEREAS, Bush is now engaged in menacing maneuvers against Iran, threatening to spread this war into a regional conflagration.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF BALTIMORE, That the City Council of Baltimore joins with city councils and state legislatures across the nation in calling upon the U.S. Congress to fulfill its Constitutional duty by enacting binding legislation to end this war; that we join others in expressing our opposition to the present "surge" strategy; that we call upon the U.S. Congress to limit funding for Iraq to money needed to safely withdraw the troops and to provide comprehensive health care and educational benefits to all soldiers who served in Iraq.
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That funds be appropriated for the reconstruction of Iraq under Iraqi control and that tax funds earmarked for the Iraq war also be redirected to rebuild the social and physical infrastructure of our cities, towns, and rural communities here at home.
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be sent to all members of Maryland's delegation to Congress and the President of the United States.
dlr07-1218/14Mar07
ccres/TroopsHome:mpc
dlr07-1218/14Mar07
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ccres/TroopsHome:mpc