U.S. POLICY TOWARD IRAQ

Perhaps the most important decision that the Congress must make is whether to authorize the President to use military force against another nation. The decision to authorize the use of force against Iraq and resulting policies continue to be a matter of controversy.

The President and senior members of his Administration maintained that weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in the hands of Iraq, in violation of United Nations’ resolutions, were a casus belli (cause for war). The Administration argued that U.S. intelligence demonstrated that Iraq possessed WMD and that as such posed an imminent threat to the United States and its interests. It also argued that the use of military force against Iraq was appropriate even without the support of the international community, through the United Nations Security Council.

Senator Levin offered an alternative resolution that would have authorized the use of force against Iraq pursuant to a United Nations’ resolution, but would have required the President to return to Congress for a specific authorization if the United Nations Security Council failed to adopt such a resolution. In the aftermath of the use of force against Iraq, and amidst ongoing stability operations during which U.S. forces are sustaining casualties on almost a daily basis, the accuracy and reliability of U.S. pre-war intelligence relating to Iraqi WMD have become a major issue.

Senator Levin co-sponsored an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006 on U.S. Policy on Iraq which was adopted by both Houses of Congress and signed by the President. This Sense of the Congress states that calendar year 2006 should be a period of significant transition to full Iraqi sovereignty, with Iraq security forces taking the lead for the security of a free and sovereign Iraq, thereby creating the conditions for the phased redeployment of U.S. forces from Iraq. It also states that the Administration should tell the leaders of all groups and political parties in Iraq that they need to make the compromises necessary to achieve the broad-based and sustainable political settlement that is essential for defeating the insurgency in Iraq, within the schedule they have set for themselves.

Senator Levin believes that the Iraqis must make changes to their constitution so as to make it more broadly accepted among all Iraqi factions, particularly among Sunni Iraqis who make up the bulk of the current insurgency. Only in this way will all Iraqis have a stake in the political system and move toward support of the newly elected permanent government and away from violent opposition.

This provision in the National Defense Authorization Act also requires the President to report to the Congress on a quarterly basis any specific conditions that must be met in order to provide for the transition of additional security responsibility to Iraq security forces, including the criteria to be used to evaluate progress toward meeting such conditions, and a plan for meeting such conditions.

While progress has been made in forming, training and equipping Iraqi security forces, the performance of those forces has been erratic. It is clear that Iraqi forces will require continued U.S. training and logistical support for some time.

However, it is also clear that the circumstances referred to the in the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 (Public Law 107-243) have changed substantially. The conflict there is predominantly a civil war, and Senator Levin believes that United States troops should not be policing a civil war. The current conflict in Iraq requires principally a political solution, and United States policy on Iraq must change to emphasize the need for a political solution by Iraqi leaders in order to maximize the chances of success and to more effectively fight the war on terror.

Consequently, Senator Levin co-sponsored a Democratic proposal for a joint resolution in the Senate to promptly transition the mission of United States forces in Iraq to more limited purposes. The resolution would require the President to commence the redeployment of United States forces from Iraqi not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of the joint resolution, with the goal of redeploying, by March 31, 2008, all United States combat forces from Iraq except for a limited number that are essential for protecting United States and coalition personnel and infrastructure, training and providing logistical support to Iraqi forces, and conducting targeted counter-terrorism operations.

Unfortunately, the Senate defeated the joint resolution on a substantially party-line vote on March 15, 2007. Senator Levin intends to continue to help lead the effort to support and protect the members of the United States Armed Forces who are serving or have served bravely and honorably in Iraq, to pressure Iraqi leaders to make the political compromises necessary for a political solution, and to begin the withdrawal of U.S. combat forces from Iraq and the transition of responsibility to Iraqi security forces.