De-Authorize The Iraq Occupation

Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico has put forth a proposal to de-authorize the Iraq occupation thereby sidestepping the sticky question of “funding the troops” and at the same time reclaiming the Congressional authority delcare war.

Article 1 of the US Constitution gives the Congress, not the President, the right to declare war. And the War Powers Act specifies that the President may not continue a war without Congressional authorization. In 2002 Congress passed a resolution authorizing the Iraq war because the administration claimed Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction and links to Al Qaeda.

Saddam is dead. There never were any WMDs or ties to Al Qaeda. The basis for the 2002 war authorization is gone.

If Congress passes a resolution de-authorizing the war, the President has no legal authority to continue. De-authorization cannot be vetoed, and it would legally require Bush to begin bringing the troops home. If the President stalled on redeployment, Congress could pass funding legislation requiring him to withdraw. If Congress de-authorizes the war before the summer recess, our troops could be home in six months.

The time for waiting is over. People are dying every day. We cannot wait until this fall to start bringing our troops home. If Congress doesn’t act before they leave for the summer, the only thing that will change between now and the end of the year is the body count.

Congress has a public mandate and the Constitutional authority to end this war. If you de-authorize, we could have our ALL troops home in six months.

You can sign a petition to Congress here on Richardson’s website, and I’d also suggest making three phone calls tomorrow, one to each of your senators and one to your congressman. Urge them to support Richardson’s plan. You can find addresses and phone numbers for your three (3) federal congressional representatives here.

(h/t Siun@FDL)