[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 70 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 70

Expressing the sense of the Senate that the Commander of Multinational 
 Forces-Iraq and all United States personnel under his command should 
   receive from Congress the full support necessary to carry out the 
                     United States mission in Iraq.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            February 5, 2007

 Mr. McCain (for himself, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Graham, Mr. Cornyn, Mrs. 
    Hutchison, Mr. Domenici, Mr. Thune, Mr. Hatch, and Mr. Roberts) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                          on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of the Senate that the Commander of Multinational 
 Forces-Iraq and all United States personnel under his command should 
   receive from Congress the full support necessary to carry out the 
                     United States mission in Iraq.

Whereas more than 137,000 members of the Armed Forces of the United States are 
        currently serving in Iraq, like thousands of others since March 2003, 
        with the bravery and professionalism consistent with the finest 
        traditions of the Armed Forces of the United States, and deserve the 
        support of all Americans;
Whereas past mistakes in United States strategy, aggression by various groups 
        that reject peace, and other difficulties have contributed to a dire 
        security situation in Iraq characterized by insurgent activity and 
        sectarian violence;
Whereas a failed state in Iraq would present a threat to regional and world 
        peace, and the long-term security interests of the United States are 
        best served by an Iraq that can sustain, govern, and defend itself;
Whereas no amount of additional United States forces in Iraq can effect this 
        outcome in Iraq unless the people and Government of Iraq take difficult 
        political steps toward reconciliation;
Whereas the establishment of a basic level of security in Baghdad and throughout 
        Iraq is an essential precondition for reconciliation and political and 
        economic progress in Iraq;
Whereas these steps must include the fulfillment of military, political, and 
        economic commitments that the Government of Iraq has made to the United 
        States and to the people of Iraq;
Whereas Iraqi political leaders must show visible progress toward meeting 
        specific benchmarks, including--

    (1) deploying a significant number of new Iraqi security forces to 
partner with United States units in securing Baghdad;

    (2) assuming responsibility for security in all provinces in Iraq in a 
timely manner;

    (3) disarming individual militias as circumstances warrant and ensuring 
that security forces are accountable to the central government and loyal to 
the constitution of Iraq;

    (4) ensuring equitable distribution of the resources of the Government 
of Iraq without regard to the sect or ethnicity of recipients;

    (5) enacting and implementing legislation to ensure that the oil 
resources of Iraq benefit Sunni Arabs, Shia Arabs, Kurds, and other Iraqi 
citizens in an equitable manner;

    (6) building an effective, independent judiciary that will uphold the 
rule of law and ensure equal protection under the law for all citizens of 
Iraq;

    (7) pursuing all those who engage in violence or threaten the security 
of the Iraqi population, regardless of sect or political affiliation;

    (8) enacting and implementing legislation that reforms the de-
Ba'athification process in Iraq;

    (9) conducting provincial elections in Iraq;

    (10) ensuring a fair process for amending the constitution of Iraq; and

    (11) expending promised funds to provide basic services and employment 
opportunities for all Iraqis, including a $10,000,000,000 fund for 
reconstruction, and ensuring that these funds reach both Sunni and Shia 
areas, including Sunni neighborhoods in Baghdad and largely Sunni Anbar 
Province;

Whereas the United States Ambassador to Iraq and the Commander of Multinational 
        Forces-Iraq should report each month to the Senate on the progress being 
        made by Iraqis toward achieving the benchmarks specified in the 
        preceding clause and on their own progress in achieving their missions 
        in Iraq;
Whereas leaders in the Administration of President George W. Bush and Congress 
        have made it clear to the Iraqi leadership that the commitment of the 
        United States in Iraq is not open-ended and that, if the Government of 
        Iraq does not follow through on its promises, it will lose the support 
        of its own people and the people of the United States;
Whereas the moderate countries of the Middle East, and other countries around 
        the world, have an interest in a successful conclusion to the war in 
        Iraq and should increase their constructive assistance toward the 
        achievement of this end;
Whereas over the past year, leaders in the Administration of President George W. 
        Bush and Congress, as well as recognized experts outside government, 
        acknowledged that the situation in Iraq was deteriorating and required a 
        change in strategy; and
Whereas Lieutenant General David Petraeus has been unanimously confirmed by the 
        Senate as the new Coalition commander in Iraq and given the mission of 
        implementing a new strategy for Iraq designed to bring security to Iraq 
        and pave the way for political and economic progress in Iraq: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
            (1) Congress should ensure that General David Petraeus, the 
        Commander of Multinational Forces-Iraq, and all United States 
        personnel under his command, have the resources they consider 
        necessary to carry out their mission on behalf of the United 
        States in Iraq; and
            (2) the Government of Iraq must make visible, concrete 
        progress toward meeting the political, economic, and military 
        benchmarks enumerated in the preamble to this Resolution.
                                 <all>