Cantwell Calls on Bush to Push for Political Settlement in Iraq

Cantwell Calls on Bush to Push for Political Settlement in Iraq

Tuesday, August 08,2006

WASHINGTON, DC - Following General Abazaid's testimony last week before the Senate Armed Services Committee, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) called on President Bush to change course in Iraq and push the Iraqis to find a political solution to their differences. In a letter sent Friday, Cantwell urged the president to respond quickly to General Abazaid's warning of possible civil war in Iraq.

"The United States must do more to press all Iraqis to participate in a political process to resolve their differences," wrote Cantwell. "Many Sunnis took part in the December 2005 election believing that, once the new Iraqi Parliament was seated, constitutional amendments would be enacted to resolve questions about the extent of federalism and the distribution of oil revenue. At this date, however, there has been little progress. I urge you to push the new Iraqi government towards a political settlement and stability."

Cantwell also urged Bush to support the United Nations effort to bring the international community and multilateral organizations together to help Iraq achieve peace and economic self-sufficiency. Cantwell has stressed the need for Iraqi security forces to step up so the United States can begin bringing our troops home this year. Last month, Cantwell supported an amendment in the U.S. Senate that recognized the increasing number of Iraqi troops being trained but called on those troops to take the lead so U.S. forces can be redeployed beginning this year. Last week, the Senate passed a separate resolution sponsored by Senators Cantwell and Joe Biden (D-DE) prohibiting the establishment of permanent U.S. military installations in Iraq.

[The full text of Cantwell's letter to Bush follows below]

August 4, 2006

Dear President Bush,

This week in testimony before the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee General John Abizaid indicated that if rising sectarian violence in Iraq is not stopped, it could lead to full-scale civil war. Mr. President, we must change course and push the Iraqis to find a political solution to their differences so that we can meet our goal of the new Iraqi government taking over security by year end.

In November 2005, the U.S. Senate adopted the Warner-Frist amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for FY2006 providing that this year should be a period of significant transition to full Iraqi sovereignty. It was the sense of the Senate that the United States should tell the leaders of all groups and political parties in Iraq that they needed to make the compromises necessary to achieve a broad-based political settlement in order to defeat the insurgency. General Abizaid's comments show how these goals are being threatened by the violence in Iraq.

Mr. President, I am very concerned that not enough progress is being made to meet the milestones set out in the Warner-Frist amendment. The United States must do more to press all Iraqis to participate in a political process to resolve their differences.

Many Sunnis took part in the December 2005 election believing that, once the new Iraqi Parliament was seated, constitutional amendments would be enacted to resolve questions about the extent of federalism and the distribution of oil revenue. At this date, however, there has been little progress. I urge you to push the new Iraqi government towards a political settlement and stability.

Furthermore, Prime Minister Maliki has launched a national reconciliation commission to develop strategies for consensus-building and to overcome sectarian divisions. The United States and international community must be aggressive in supporting Iraq in this effort.

Finally, it is imperative that the U.S. continue to push efforts to engage the international community in support of the new Iraqi government. On July 27th, Iraq and the United Nations launched an International Compact to bring the international community and multilateral organizations together to help Iraq achieve peace and move toward sustainable economic self-sufficiency. I again urge you to appoint a U.S. Special Envoy to work with the international community to gain political and financial support for the new Iraqi government.

On August 2, Iraqi President Talabani indicated that Iraqi forces would be able to take over security in all 18 Iraqi provinces by the end of the year. Mr. President, we must make that transition happen. We must change course and help the Iraqis meet the goals of reaching a political settlement and taking control of their own security this year.

Maria Cantwell U.S. Senator

http://cantwell.senate.gov/news/record.cfm?id=261556&&days=30&