Davis, CA Bring Our Troops Home

Type: Resolution

Status: Adopted

Source File: (Missing)

Text:

RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DAVIS CALLING ON PRESIDENT BUSH TO BRING OUR TROOPS HOME

WHEREAS, the citizens of the City of Davis and their local elected officials have the constitutional right to petition the national government on any matter of grave concern to our city, the nation, and the world community; and,

WHEREAS, the Davis City Council and the citizens of Davis respect and honor the men and women serving in the United States Armed Forces in Iraq and recognize the sacrifices that each of them is making; and

WHEREAS, the men and women of our Armed Forces are the sons and daughters of our community and we are concerned for their well-being and safety; and

WHEREAS, the United States of America carried out an invasion of Iraq based upon the claim that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction, and therefore posed an immediate threat to the security of the United States and as of today, no evidence has been found that Iraq possessed such weapons or the capability to deploy them; and

WHEREAS, the Davis City Council unanimously passed a resolution on February 12, 2003, opposing a unilateral, preemptive military action against Iraq; and

WHEREAS, the war in Iraq has caused: a) the deaths of an estimated 100,000 Iraqis and more than 2,200 U.S. soldiers including over 200 Californians; b) the physical and psychological wounding and disabling of tens of thousands of Iraqis and more than 16,000 U.S. soldiers; and c) the destruction of the homes, communities, and livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis; and

WHEREAS, more than 300 billion dollars has been appropriated by Congress to fund military operations and reconstruction in Iraq; and,

WHEREAS, the cost of the Iraq war has diverted federal funds from programs and services in urban areas such as Davis, including education, housing, social services, infrastructure improvements, and homeland security; and,

WHEREAS, the cost of the call-up of members the Armed Forces for deployment in Iraq has been significant, as determined by the loss of lives, combat injuries, psychological trauma, disruption of family life, financial hardship for individual families, and businesses, interruption of civilian careers, and damage to the fabric of civic life in our community; and

WHEREAS, Californians have joined the National Guard thinking that they would be serving their neighbors by helping with California-based emergencies, unless there was a danger to the United States requiring transfer to active duty; and WHEREAS, many members of the Armed Forces are entering their third or forth deployment to Iraq; and

WHEREAS, the federalization and deployment of California National Guard members to the war in Iraq threatens the safety and well being of the citizens of Davis because the California National Guard is being diverted from its legally-assigned duties to respond to local emergencies including fires, floods, and earthquakes; now

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the City Council of the City of Davis:

1) HEREBY urges the United States government to commence an orderly, rapid, and comprehensive withdrawal of United States military personnel from Iraq; and

2) HEREBY calls upon the President and the Congress of the United States to support our troops by ensuring that returning veterans receive compensation and care including full mental and physical health, education, disability, and rehabilitation benefits; and

3) HEREBY urges the United States government to provide the people of Iraq with appropriate non-military material aid as shall be necessary for the security of Iraq’s citizens and for the rebuilding of Iraq.; and

4) HEREBY urges the United States government to establish a plan for an immediate transition of responsibility for internal security activities to the military forces of the Iraqi Government; and

5) HEREBY urges the establishment of a quick-reaction over-the-horizon peacekeeping force to be deployed in the region; and

6) HEREBY urges the United States government to pursue security and stability in Iraq through diplomacy; and

7) HEREBY calls upon the Mayor of Davis to forward this resolution immediately to President George W. Bush, Representative Mike Thompson, U.S. Senators Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, State Senator Michael Machado, State Assembly Member Lois Wolk and the Supervisors for Yolo County.