Full text of Kerry's bill for redeploying the troops.

[Mass]

To provide a comprehensive strategy for stabilizing Iraq and redeploying United States troops from Iraq within one year. (Introduced in Senate)

S 679 IS

110th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 679

To provide a comprehensive strategy for stabilizing Iraq and redeploying United States troops from Iraq within one year.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

February 17, 2007

Mr. KERRY introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

A BILL

To provide a comprehensive strategy for stabilizing Iraq and redeploying United States troops from Iraq within one year.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. REDEPLOYMENT OF UNITED STATES FORCES FROM IRAQ.

(a) Redeployment of United States Forces From Iraq- The President shall complete the redeployment of United States forces from Iraq within one year of the date of the enactment of this Act, in accordance with a schedule negotiated with the Government of Iraq, leaving thereafter in Iraq only the minimal number of United States forces that are critical to--

(1) completing the mission of standing up Iraqi security forces;

(2) conducting targeted and specialized counter-terrorism operations; and

(3) protecting United States facilities and personnel.

(b) Change of Priorities to Training Iraqi Security Forces- The President shall--

(1) immediately change United States military priorities in Iraq by giving the highest priority to the training, equipping, advising, and support of Iraqi security forces; and

(2) accelerate the redeployment of United States forces within Iraq to rear-guard, garrisoned status for security back-up, border security, training, and emergency response.

(c) Enforcement of Benchmarks- The President shall enforce benchmarks tied to specific dates for progress, as agreed upon by the Government of Iraq, in meeting key objectives on national reconciliation, security, and governance in Iraq, by conditioning United States political, military, and economic assistance to Iraq on meeting such benchmarks.

(d) Maintenance of Over-the-Horizon Troop Presence- The President shall maintain an over-the-horizon troop presence in the Middle East region to prosecute the war on terror and protect regional security interests.

(e) Statement of No Permanent United States Military Bases in Iraq- The President shall state publicly that the United States does not seek to establish or maintain any permanent military bases in Iraq.

SEC. 2. DIPLOMATIC INITIATIVES ON IRAQ.

(a) Summits-

(1) IN GENERAL- The President shall work with the leaders of the Government of Iraq, and engage in the diplomacy necessary, to convene, as soon as possible, a summit, or series of summits for the purpose of reaching a sustainable agreement on Iraq that engenders the support of Sunnis, Shias, and Kurds by--

(A) ensuring the equitable distribution of the oil revenues of Iraq;

(B) disbanding militias in Iraq;

(C) strengthening internal security and deterring foreign interference in Iraq;

(D) reviving reconstruction efforts in Iraq and fulfilling related international economic aid commitments with respect to Iraq;

(E) securing the borders of Iraq;

(F) supporting the national reconciliation commission of Iraq;

(G) reintegrating former Ba'athists into Iraqi society;

(H) resolving the final status of Kirkuk; and

(I) providing for a sustainable federalist structure in Iraq.

(2) PARTICIPANTS- Participants in the summit or summits under this subsection should include the following:

(A) Leaders of the governments of each country bordering Iraq, including Turkey, Iran, and Syria.

(B) Representatives of the Arab League.

(C) The Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

(D) Representatives of the European Union.

(E) Leaders of the governments of each permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.

(b) Establishment of International Support Group for Iraq-

(1) IN GENERAL- The President shall organize, as soon as possible, an international support group for Iraq for the purpose of working collectively to bring stability to Iraq.

(2) PARTICIPANTS- The international support group under this subsection should consist of the following:

(A) Each country bordering Iraq, including Turkey, Iran, and Syria.

(B) Representative countries from the Arab League.

(C) The Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

(D) Representatives countries from the European Union.

(E) Each permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.

(c) Establishment of Regional Security Alliance- The President shall create a new regional security alliance that strengthens the security of United States allies in the Middle East region through a phased process that includes enhanced security assistance programs, joint exercises, and coordinated diplomatic initiatives.

SEC. 3. RECONSTRUCTION INITIATIVES IN IRAQ.

(a) Senior Advisor for Economic Reconstruction in Iraq-

(1) APPOINTMENT- The President shall appoint a senior advisor to oversee the coordination of reconstruction efforts in Iraq among United States agencies, Iraq agencies, and international partners (including the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and international humanitarian agencies) in order to foster greater United States interagency cooperation on Iraq and avoid duplicative programs and activities in the reconstruction of Iraq.

(2) REPORT TO PRESIDENT- The senior advisor appointed under paragraph (1) shall report directly to the President with respect to the activities undertaken by the senior advisor under that paragraph.

(b) Expedited Disbursement of Reconstruction Funds- The President shall provide the Chief of Mission in Iraq authority as follows:

(1) Authority to spend significant funds through a program having a structure similar to the structure of the Commander's Emergency Response Program.

(2) Authority to rescind United States funds from projects in which the Government of Iraq is not demonstrating an effective partnership with the United States.

(c) Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration of Militias-

(1) IN GENERAL- The President shall work to create security conditions in Iraq in which reconstruction efforts can succeed by providing financial and technical support to a program to disarm, demobilize, and reintegrate militia members in Iraq.

(2) ASSISTANCE- In carrying out paragraph (1), the President shall establish in Iraq an office to coordinate assistance and support the presence of neutral international experts as advisors to the Government of Iraq on the processes of disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration of militias.

SEC. 4. REAUTHORIZATION OF USE OF MILITARY FORCE IN IRAQ BY CONGRESS.

(a) Fulfillment of Original Authorization- Congress declares that the purposes for which the authorization for use of military force in Iraq were granted to the President by Congress pursuant to the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 (Public Law 107-243), namely (1) to defend the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq, and (2) to enforce all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions regarding Iraq, have been achieved.

(b) New Authorization- Effective as of the date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall be authorized to use military force in Iraq solely for the purpose of implementing the strategy set forth in sections 1, 2, and 3.

SEC. 5. REPORTS TO CONGRESS.

(a) Plan for Implementation of Strategy-

(1) PLAN REQUIRED- Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall, in consultation with the Secretary of State, submit to Congress a report that sets forth a plan for implementing the strategy set forth in sections 1, 2, and 3.

(2) ELEMENTS- The plan required by paragraph (1) shall include the following:

(A) The schedule for redeploying United States forces from Iraq within one year of the date of the enactment of this Act, as developed pursuant to section 1(a).

(B) A strategy for ensuring the safety and security of United States forces in Iraq during and after such redeployment.

(C) The number, size, and character of United States military units needed in Iraq after such redeployment for purposes of completing the mission of standing up Iraqi security forces, conducting targeted and specialized counter-terrorism operations, and protecting United States facilities and personnel.

(D) A strategy for addressing the regional implications of redeploying United States forces from Iraq in accordance with section 1(a), including efforts that will be made to ensure a coordinated diplomatic, political, and development strategy to accompany such redeployment.

(E) Contingency plans for using over-the-horizon forces deployed in the Middle East region pursuant to section 1(d) to address threats to the United States that may arise in Iraq and throughout the region.

(F) A strategy for redeploying United States forces to effectively engage and defeat global terrorist networks that threaten the United States.

(G) A schedule for completing the diplomatic initiatives set forth in section 2.

(H) A schedule for completing the reconstruction initiatives set forth in section 3.

(b) Reports on Implementation of Strategy- Not later than 60 days after the date of the submittal of the report required by subsection (a), and every 60 days thereafter, the Secretary of Defense shall, in consultation with the Secretary of State, submit to Congress a report on the actions taken to implement the strategy set forth in sections 1, 2, and 3.

[Luftmensch067]

1. Thanks for this, Mass!

I can't say I'd examined it thoroughly yet, and I'm going to print it out and do so today!

[wisteria]

2. Thank you, I read through it but, I am at work so I need to take the time later and review it again.

Somehow, I missed this being submitted earlier last month.

[sandnsea]

3. More thorough than Feingold

The only thing that concerns me is the legitimacy it gives to the original IWR. I still say that since Bush lied about the intelligence, he lied about needing to go to war, and never met the requirements of the original IWR to begin with. Otherwise it looks like a good bill and I particularly like that it includes regional summits.