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AMENDMENT TO SENATE RESOLUTION 65

2     AMENDMENT NO. ___. Amend Senate Resolution 65 by replacing
3 everything after the heading with the following:
 
4     "WHEREAS, The Authorization for Use of Military Force
5 Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 was passed by the U.S. Congress
6 on October 11, 2002, and Public Law 107-243 cited Iraq's
7 possession of weapons of mass destruction as a primary reason
8 for the use of United States Armed Forces against Iraq; and
 
9     WHEREAS, Former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was a brutal
10 dictator who used weapons of mass destruction against Iraqi
11 civilians and flouted international law; and
 
12     WHEREAS, Former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was a danger
13 to the stability of the region; and
 
14     WHEREAS, The United States initiated combat operations in

 

 

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1 Iraq on March 19, 2003; and
 
2     WHEREAS, On January 12, 2005, President Bush officially
3 declared an end to the search for weapons of mass destruction
4 in Iraq; and
 
5     WHEREAS, United States Armed Forces toppled the
6 totalitarian Ba'athist regime in Iraq, and captured Saddam
7 Hussein; and
 
8     WHEREAS, On January 10, 2007, President George W. Bush
9 announced his plan to deepen the United States military
10 involvement in Iraq by deploying approximately 21,000
11 additional United States combat forces to Iraq; and
 
12     WHEREAS, Over 137,000 American military personnel are
13 currently serving in Iraq, like thousands of others since March
14 2003, with the bravery and professionalism consistent with the
15 finest traditions of the United States armed forces, and are
16 deserving of the support of all Americans, which they have
17 strongly; and
 
18     WHEREAS, Many American service personnel have lost their
19 lives, and many more have been wounded, in Iraq, and the
20 American people will always honor their sacrifices and honor
21 their families; and
 

 

 

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1      WHEREAS, More than $200 billion has been appropriated by
2 Congress to fund military operations and reconstruction in
3 Iraq, and Illinois residents' share now exceeds $2.1 billion;
4 and
 
5     WHEREAS, The March/April 2007 edition of Foreign Policy
6 magazine estimates that in 2007 the Iraq war will cost the
7 American people $245,370 per minute; and
 
8     WHEREAS, The funds spent by Illinois taxpayers on the war
9 and occupation in Iraq could have provided Head Start for one
10 year for more than 238,056 children; or medical insurance for
11 one year for more than 1,076,242 children; or more than 31,147
12 public school teachers for one year; or more than 16,183
13 additional housing units, according to the National Priorities
14 Project; and
 
15     WHEREAS, Iraq is witnessing widening sectarian and
16 intra-sectarian violence; and
 
17     WHEREAS, The responsibility for Iraq's internal security
18 and halting sectarian violence must rest primarily with the
19 Government of Iraq and Iraqi Security Forces; and
 
20     WHEREAS, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki stated on

 

 

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1 November 27, 2006, that "The crisis is political, and the ones
2 who can stop the cycle of aggravation and bloodletting of
3 innocents are the politicians"; therefore, be it
 
4     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL
5 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that the State of Illinois,
6 on behalf of its citizens, salutes and supports the dedicated
7 service of the members of the United States Armed Forces,
8 including members of the Illinois National Guard; and be it
9 further
 
10     RESOLVED, That on behalf of the citizens of Illinois, the
11 Senate believes that it is not in the national interest of the
12 United States to deepen its military involvement in Iraq,
13 particularly by escalating the United States military force
14 presence in Iraq; and it be further
 
15     RESOLVED, That the primary objective of United States
16 strategy in Iraq should be to have the Iraqi political leaders
17 make the political compromises necessary to end the violence in
18 Iraq; and be it further
 
19     RESOLVED, That greater concerted regional and
20 international support would assist the Iraqis in achieving a
21 political solution and national reconciliation; and be it
22 further
 

 

 

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1     RESOLVED, That the United States should engage nations in
2 the Middle East to develop a regional, internationally
3 sponsored peace and reconciliation process for Iraq; and be it
4 further
 
5     RESOLVED, That the United States should transfer, under an
6 appropriately expedited timeline, responsibility for internal
7 security and halting sectarian violence in Iraq to the
8 Government of Iraq and Iraqi security forces from American
9 military personnel; and be it further
 
10     RESOLVED, That the Department of Defense and the Veterans
11 Administration must provide the highest quality of care to our
12 wounded and injured American heroes; and be it further
 
13     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution shall be
14 sent to George W. Bush, President of the United States, the
15 members of the Illinois Congressional delegation, the Speaker
16 of the United States House of Representatives, the Minority
17 Leader of the United States House of Representatives, the
18 President Pro Tempore of the United States Senate, and the
19 Minority Leader of the United States Senate.".