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AFTER DOWNING STREET: Pelosi Urged to Reject Iraq Treaty Unless Approved by Congress March 24, 2009
Dear Speaker Pelosi: As attorneys, leaders of grassroots organizations and individuals concerned with checks and balances under our Constitution, we express our concern with the constitutional status of the recent U.S.-Iraq agreement that seeks to control the use of American forces for the next three years. On November 17, 2008, Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari and United States Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker signed the agreement, which was then approved by the Iraqi parliament in the following month. In contrast, President Bush did not submit the agreement to the United States Congress for its approval. The Administration asserted that the agreement was merely a Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) and that the president could commit the country on his unilateral authority. This claim is untenable. Under applicable precedents, the agreement requires the approval of Congress. It goes far beyond the traditional limits of a SOFA. It commits the United States to spend hundreds of billions of dollars in Iraq and to maintain a military presence in Iraq. All of these actions exceed the president’s constitutional powers and go far beyond the claims made by any previous president. Unless Congress acts, the new agreement threatens to establish a precedent that may allow future presidents to claim broad and unilateral authority to continue wars without obtaining the consent of Congress. We urge you to make this a high priority for the 111th Congress. Working with the Obama Administration, the House and Senate should reject the Bush-Maliki agreement as unconstitutional, and legislate the withdrawal from Iraq. Respectfully, Elaine Brower, Member of Military Families Speak Out, and New York State coordinator of "Bring The Guard Home" Campaign More info:The original letter is at http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/treatypower Areas of Focus:Democratic Federalism, Democratizing Defense, Iraq (Bring The Guard Home)Tags:User CommentsNo Comments.Please login at the top of the page or register as a Democracy Square member if you would like to comment. |
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