UN SECURITY COUNCIL MUST LISTEN TO IRAQ'S PEOPLE AND PARLIAMENT

Please forward this letter widely and ask that recipients take action. The signers of this letter are some of the most involved and informed individuals in the Progressive community. Take a moment to consider that pressure must begin to come from the global community to get the U.S. out of Iraq. Our supposed leaders in the U.S. ignore the wishes of the citizenry, this is the next best hope. Peace.

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LISTEN TO IRAQ'S PEOPLE AND PARLIAMENT

The United Nations Security Council will soon consider re-authorization of the U.S.-led occupation force in Iraq. The Iraqi cabinet, led by Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, is about to send a letter to the Council requesting extension of the mandate of this so-called "multinational force." The U.S. government is drafting a Council resolution, and the vote will come up in a matter of days.
But the Iraqi constitution clearly calls for ratification by the parliament of any such international agreement. And the parliament is demanding a voice. Last April, 144 members, a majority of Iraq's parliament, signed a letter calling for a timetable for withdrawal of occupation forces. And the same letter denounced as "unconstitutional" a move by the al-Maliki cabinet to unilaterally request a mandate renewal without consulting the parliament. As the current mandate comes closer to expiring, it appears that al-Maliki, under pressure from the U.S., is about to repeat the same unconstitutional and illegal process.

In May, by majority vote, the Iraqi Parliament passed a law reaffirming the Constitution's requirements – that the cabinet must get two-thirds majority approval from parliament for any force renewal request to the Security Council. An overwhelming majority of Iraqis want a complete withdrawal of all the occupation forces, as numerous polls have shown. While the Bush administration insists that it wants to "build democracy," it is ignoring the Iraqi people and their elected representatives. Washington wants to renew the UN mandate without approval of the Iraqi parliament-- another illegal step to justify and prolong the U.S.-led occupation.

TELL YOUR GOVERNMENT TO STOP UN SUPPORT FOR OCCUPATION!

ANY EXTENSION OF THE UN MANDATE MUST BE RATIFIED BY THE IRAQI PARLIAMENT AND INCLUDE A TIMETABLE FOR TROOP WITHDRAWAL.

People worldwide should take action. Nations sitting on the UN Security Council are particularly important: United States, United Kingdom, Russia, China, France, Belgium, Congo, Ghana, Indonesia, Italy, Panama, Peru, Qatar, Slovakia, South Africa

For background., see: http://www.globalpolicy.org/security/issues/iraq/mnfindex.htm

TAKE ACTION! See sample letter at http://www.globalpolicy.org/security/issues/iraq/mnfrenewal/2007/1119sampleletter.htm

Jim Paul, Global Policy Forum

Gael Murphy, Code Pink

Medea Benjamin, Global Exchange

Leslie Cagan, United for Peace and Justice

Phyllis Bennis, Institute for Policy Studies

Emira Woods, Foreign Policy in Focus

Anna Polo, Europe for Peace

Alice Slater, Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, NY

Alfred Marder, International Association of Peace Messengers

Bruce Gagnon, Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space

Anna Goodhun, Fairbanks Coalition for Peace and Justice

Stacey Fritz, No Nukes North

John Burroughs, Lawyers Committee on Nuclear Policy

Jacqueline Cabasso, Western States Legal Foundation