DK's Ten-Point Plan to Bring Our Troops Home From Iraq

[G_j]

Kucinich's Ten-Point Plan to Bring Our Troops Home From Iraq

http://www.kucinich.us/bringourtroopshome.php



"The following is the only detailed plan from any candidate for President that will quickly bring all U.S. troops home from Iraq.


1. The United States must ask the United Nations to manage the oil assets of Iraq until the Iraqi people are self-governing.

2. The United Nations must handle all the contracts: No more Halliburton sweetheart deals, No contracts to Bush Administration insiders, No contracts to campaign contributors. All contracts must be awarded under transparent conditions.

3. The United States must renounce any plans to privatize Iraq. It is illegal under both the Geneva and the Hague Conventions for any nation to invade another nation, seize its assets, and sell those assets. The Iraqi people, and the Iraqi people alone must have the right to determine the future of their country's resources.

4. The United States must ask the United Nations to handle the transition to Iraqi self-governance. The UN must be asked to help the Iraqi people develop a Constitution. The UN must assist in developing free and fair elections.

5. The United States must agree to pay for what we blew up.

6. The United States must pay reparations to the families of innocent Iraqi civilian noncombatants killed and injured in the conflict.

7. The United States must contribute financially to the UN peacekeeping mission.

8. The United Nations, through its member nations, will commit 130,000 peacekeepers to Iraq on a temporary basis until the Iraqi people can maintain their own security.

9. UN troops will rotate into Iraq, and all U.S. troops will come home.

10. The United States will abandon policies of "preemption" and unilateralism and commit to strengthening the UN.

more on Iraq: http://www.kucinich.us/issues/iraq.php

[bluestateguy]

1. One question

9. UN troops will rotate into Iraq, and all U.S. troops will come home.

UN troops? All US troops come home? That's a blatant contradiction. If there is going to be a sizable UN force a major US presence is required as part of that force. He should amend this plank to mean that the US will substantially reduce our presence in Iraq, and that the remaining troops would serve under a UN peacekeeping force. That would be a little more consistent and realistic.

[G_j]

2. I forwarded your question

via DK's website. We'll see if we get an answer in time to post it on this thread. It is a good question and you make a good point.
thanks, G_j

[LeahMira]

5. Why?

If there is going to be a sizable UN force a major US presence is required as part of that force.

It may be a stretch for the UN force, but why cannot American troops be excluded? I wonder if a smaller number of UN troops without Americans would not have an overall easier time and more cooperation in Iraq.

[G_j]

9. I also think US troops should be withdrawn completely

their presence at this point can only inflame the situation further. The negatives far outweigh anything positive they can accomplish.
The question I guess is would the UN even be welcome (seems unlikely) and if they could supply enough blue hats.

**Some form of Arab/Islamic peacekeepers would be the best solution.

[leftofthedial]

6. I disagree

typically US participation would be necessary in any sizeable UN operation.

But US troops illegally invaded and occupied this country, killing tens of thousands of Iraqis. their continued presence would be inflammatory in the extreme and counter to the UN mission. Every effort should be made to make the force exclusively non-US, IMHO.

[Iceburg]

3. Any contract from this Admin is suspect

The UN (meaning its member nations) are unlikely to go into Iraq in any meaningful way while * is in the Whitehouse. The sympathy for the Iraqis is outweighed by the distain throughout the world for this administration. Any contract put forward by this admin will fall on deaf ears.

[G_j]

4. ain't that the truth

These people have completely poisoned the waters. It's clear they are dishonest and their intentions are self serving and totally suspect. Nothing good can come from the PNAC crime family.

[corporatewhore]

7. i disagree with the UN part

because how could they be seen as a legitamate governing force after twelve years of sanctions i think its time for some good old fashioned self determination

[paulk]

8. The only problem I have with this -

I don't see how the UN can be talked into sending in 130k troops. What incentives will DK use to obtain this? Nations very rarely act out of the goodness of their hearts, and 130k is a hell of a lot of troops. And with the way things are going, twice that amount may not be enough.

[G_j]

10. kick