Senator Clinton Calls on President Bush to Renounce Permanent Bases in Iraq

November 27, 2007

Senator Clinton Calls on President Bush to Renounce Permanent Bases in Iraq

Senator Urges President to Clarify Declaration of Principles with the Iraqi Government

Washington, DC – Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton called on President Bush today to clarify the recently signed Declaration of Principles for a Long-Term Relationship of Cooperation and Friendship Between the Republic of Iraq and the United States of America to confirm that the United States does not plan to place any permanent bases within Iraq and instead plans to begin the phased redeployment of U.S. troops. In a letter to the President, Senator Clinton expressed great concern that the Declaration of Principles did not explicitly indicate that the United States will not seek and will not maintain permanent military bases in Iraq, despite the clear will of Congress and the American people.

“The President must make it crystal clear that the United States will not maintain permanent bases in Iraq,” Senator Clinton said. “They would damage U.S. interests in Iraq and the broader region, and I will continue to strongly oppose them.”

The full text of Senator Clinton’s letter follows:


November 27, 2007


The Honorable George W. Bush
The White House
Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear Mr. President:

I write with great concern over the text of the Declaration of Principles for a Long-Term Relationship of Cooperation and Friendship Between the Republic of Iraq and the United States of America that the White House released yesterday. I am particularly concerned that this document did not contain any explicit reference or language that indicates that the United States will not seek and will not maintain permanent military bases in Iraq. Moreover, the document's failure to note any intent to begin the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq is a missed opportunity to pressure Iraq's leaders to make the compromises necessary to achieve political reconciliation in Iraq.

As you know, in 2006, Congress explicitly passed a restriction on the use of any funds to establish any military installation or base for the permanent stationing of United States Forces in Iraq. However, the Declaration of Principles that you signed with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki does not explicitly rule out permanent U.S. bases in Iraq. Rather, the Declaration instead calls for agreements between the two governments "with respect to the political, cultural, economic, and security spheres" to be achieved by July 2008. Indeed, press reports indicate that Lieutenant General Douglas Lute, your coordinator for Iraq policy, stated, "It's too soon to tell" what shape and size the future U.S. military relationship with Iraq would take. Given the express will of Congress and the American people to oppose permanent U.S. military bases in Iraq, the failure to include express language addressing this issue in the Declaration of Principles with the Iraqi government is deeply troubling. To be clear, attempts to establish permanent bases in Iraq would damage U.S. interests in Iraq and the broader region, and I will continue to strongly oppose such efforts.

Furthermore, the Declaration of Principles does not reference any agreement to reduce the number of U.S. troops in Iraq. When you first announced the escalation of U.S. troops earlier this year, the ostensible purpose was to provide the Iraqis with the "breathing space" to achieve political reconciliation. By any meaningful measurement, that political reconciliation has not yet occurred. The absence of any reference to a redeployment of U.S. troops from Iraq in the Declaration of Principles is a missed opportunity to put pressure on the Iraqis to engage in the compromises necessary for political reconciliation.

I urge you to clarify the Declaration of Principles with the Iraqi government to confirm that the United States does not plan to place any permanent bases within Iraq and instead plans to begin the phased redeployment of U.S. troops. Such a clarification would make clear to the citizens of both nations that the U.S. military presence in Iraq is temporary and encourage Iraqi political leaders to make greater efforts towards political reconciliation.

Thank you for your consideration

Sincerely yours,

Hillary Rodham Clinton

cc: The Honorable Condoleezza Rice
The Honorable Robert Gates
The Honorable Stephen Hadley
Lt. General Douglas Lute

http://clinton.senate.gov/news/statements/details.cfm?id=287942&&

It's important. I'm glad she's speaking out on this issue.

who were making it an issue in 2003 and 2004 including our presidential nominee? And again in 2005 and 2006 Iraq withdrawal timetable bill that also emphasized a declaration of no permanent bases?

Hillary certainly has adjusted her tune after Joe Lieberman lost his primary race.

Hillary was forced down New Yorkers throats. I went to this heartless witch for help getting my checks from the criminal company "Prison Health Services" and she did not blink. I ate nothing and nearly lost my home which I eventually did. The Repukes brought this vile company into New York and caused many of us employees pain. Imagine the pain the prisoners felt???

Hillary is a silent killer. She voted for this illegal invasion and occupation of a peaceful country we had criminal sanctions against. For lies!!!!!!! I am a nurse and Hillary is a politician/liar. How come the entire DU and I know that the criminal cabal was lying about Iraq??? while she and her kilth colluded to bring disaster to our country. She is just like her husband...fork tongue Bill who along with bushita imprisoned more African Americans and created the current Prison Industrial Complex. If the Democratic Party thinks for one moment that we Africans forgot and will vote for a Clintoon...dream on!!!! Africans are not stupid as they would have you believe. Oprah and Barak does not speak for us either. Time to really FREE THE SLAVES!!! What did Harriet Tubman say??? I think this encapsulates it; "I could have freed many more people if they had only realized they were slaves"

Hillary is a war criminal...Do not bark at me because, I speak truth.

How could we select a war criminal as president, AGAIN??? Not after 2000 SupremeTheft.

It is the "Hour of Decision"

ALL MOTHERS TO ACTION. THESE CRIMINALS MUST BE EXPOSED.

Have we learned NOTHING???

Save America from herself of get out of the way. Stop repeating the propaganda, because, you cannot fool the world.

"IMAGINE GLOBAL PEACE"

Love and "Light"

Because Kerry could have used strong Dem voices backing him up on this when he spoke of it challenging Bush to address it throughout his campaign and afterwards.