[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 245 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 245

 Expressing the sense of Congress that it is in the national security 
 interests of the United States to remain engaged in Iraq in order to 
     ensure a peaceful, stable, unified Iraq with a representative 
                  government, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 16, 2003

Mr. Hastings of Florida submitted the following concurrent resolution; 
     which was referred to the Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of Congress that it is in the national security 
 interests of the United States to remain engaged in Iraq in order to 
     ensure a peaceful, stable, unified Iraq with a representative 
                  government, and for other purposes.

Whereas the United States, with the support of Great Britain and other 
        countries, historically and courageously liberated Iraq in three weeks;
Whereas conditions on the ground in parts of Iraq continue to pose a grave 
        threat to United States troops, thereby complicating efforts to restore 
        law and order and essential public services for Iraqis, and these 
        efforts are further complicated by the absence of effective 
        communications with the Iraqi people;
Whereas ultimately, maintaining law and order in Iraq and preserving its 
        territorial integrity will require the creation of a professionally-
        trained Iraqi police force and a reformed Iraqi military, but that will 
        take a significant amount of time and in the meantime international 
        armed forces and police must assume these responsibilities;
Whereas approximately 145,000 United States troops are currently deployed in 
        Iraq, meaning that United States Armed Forces comprise approximately 90 
        percent of Coalition forces, and even if, as the Department of Defense 
        has stated, an additional 10,000 international troops join the Coalition 
        effort in Iraq by September 2003, United States Armed Forces will still 
        comprise approximately 85 percent of Coalition forces;
Whereas maintaining the existing force level in Iraq currently requires at least 
        $3,900,000,000 each month;
Whereas the Department of Defense has stated that it will require one year to 
        train a new Iraqi Army of 12,000 soldiers and three years to train 
        40,000 soldiers;
Whereas the Coalition Provisional Authority has stated that it will require at 
        least one year to recruit and train a police force of 40,000 officers 
        capable of assuming minimal police functions in Iraq, that it will 
        require five years to recruit and train a full force of 75,000 officers, 
        and that at least 5,500 additional international police are needed to 
        train, assist, and jointly patrol with the existing Iraqi police force;
Whereas President Bush has noted that ``[t]he rise of Iraq, as an example of 
        moderation and democracy and prosperity, is a massive and long-term 
        undertaking'', and it is clear that increasing the number of troops and 
        police from countries other than the United States will reduce risks to 
        American soldiers and the financial cost to the United States;
Whereas Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld testified that ``[w]e certainly want 
        assistance from NATO and from NATO countries'' and it is clear that 
        involving the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, as is being done in 
        Afghanistan and has been done in Kosovo and Bosnia, allows the Coalition 
        to maintain a robust military presence while decreasing the exposure and 
        risk to United States troops; and
Whereas rebuilding Iraq's neglected infrastructure and economy and administering 
        Iraq, including providing basic services and paying public sector 
        salaries, is likely to require tens of billions of dollars over several 
        years and projected Iraqi oil revenues will be insufficient to meet 
        these costs: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) it is in the national security interests of the United 
        States to remain engaged in Iraq in order to ensure a peaceful, 
        stable, unified Iraq with a representative government;
            (2) the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical 
        Weapons and other appropriate international and nongovernmental 
        organizations should provide assistance to the Coalition in 
        Iraq in order to contribute to international security and 
        stability, general and complete disarmament, and global 
        economic development;
            (3) the President should consider requesting formally and 
        expeditiously that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization 
        (NATO) raise a force for deployment in post-war Iraq similar to 
        what it has done in Afghanistan, Bosnia, and Kosovo and should 
        urge NATO allies and other countries to provide troops and 
        police to Coalition efforts in Iraq; and
            (4) the President should consider calling on the United 
        Nations to urge its member states to provide military forces 
        and civilian police to promote stability and security in Iraq 
        and resources to help rebuild and administer Iraq.
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