Senators Levin and Reed Introduce Amendment on U.S. Policy on Iraq

WASHINGTON – Senators Carl Levin, D-MI, and Jack Reed, D-RI, will offer an amendment [PDF] today on U.S. policy on Iraq urging the President to press the Iraqis to take greater responsibility for their own security and future. The amendment calls for the beginning of a phased redeployment of U.S. forces from Iraq by the end of the year. Senators Dianne Feinstein, D-CA, and Ken Salazar, D-CO, are cosponsors of the amendment.

“Our current open-ended policy is counterproductive and unsustainable,” Levin said. “The Administration’s policy of ‘we’ll be there for as long as Iraq needs us’ will result in Iraqis depending on us longer. Three and a half years into the conflict, we should tell the Iraqis that the American security blanket is not permanent. Beginning a phased redeployment this year will add incentives for the Iraqis to make the hard compromises necessary to bring their country together and secure it. They need to do that job themselves and our amendment is one way to prod them to make that commitment and stick to it.”

Sen. Reed added: "Instead of offering a blueprint for success in Iraq, the President continues to rely on glib slogans like: ‘As the Iraqis stand up, we’ll stand down.’ This gives Iraqi leaders the false impression that our military presence is open-ended. American troop levels will be determined by conditions on the ground, but the Iraqis must join us to shape these conditions. This amendment sends the Iraqi government a clear message: you need to get to work and achieve a meaningful political solution. It also calls on the President to truly make 2006 a year of transition and begin redeploying our troops."

The Levin-Reed amendment continues the progress made in last year’s “United States Policy in Iraq Act,” which passed the Senate by a vote of 79-19 as part of the Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006. In that Act, Congress called for 2006 to be a year of “significant transition to full Iraqi sovereignty, with Iraqi security forces taking the lead for the security of a free and sovereign Iraq, thereby creating the conditions for the phased redeployment of United States forces from Iraq.”

Specifically, the Levin-Reed amendment urges:

• Expediting the transition of U.S. forces to a limited mission of training and logistic support of Iraqi security forces, protection of U.S. personnel and facilities, and targeting counterterrorism activities.

• A phased redeployment of U.S. forces should begin in 2006.

• By the end of 2006, the administration should submit to Congress its plan for continued redeployment beyond 2006.

• Achieving a broad-based and sustainable political settlement.

• Fairly sharing political power and economic resources to invest all Iraqi groups in the formation of their nation.

• Disarming the militias and purging Iraqi security forces of members not loyal to the national government.

• Convening an international conference to assist Iraq in overcoming problems such as the potential threat of interference by neighboring countries and payment of pledges.

• Sustaining non-military support for reconstruction and governance.

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Read the text of the amendment. [PDF]