December 12, 2007

Please write and phone your government and urge them to:

• stop UN support for the occupation of Iraq, and

• demand that any extension of the UN mandate for the "multinational force" be contingent   on ratification by the Iraqi Parliament and establishment of a timetable for troop withdrawal.

TAKE ACTION!!

The United Nations Security Council is considering re-authorization of the U.S.-led occupation force in Iraq. The Iraqi cabinet, led by Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, has sent 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! Please write and phone your government and urge them to reject the unconstitutional request of the Al-Maliki government to the Security Council. See sample letter here

Please send us a copy of your letter by fax to 202-403-3722; or email to gael@codepinkalert.org for posting on our website.  Visits have been arranged to UN missions in New York and Embassies in Washington, DC carrying our message.

Supporters include:
Jim Paul, Global Policy Forum

Gael Murphy, CODEPINK

Raed Jarrar, Iraqi Project

Medea Benjamin, Global Exchange

Leslie Cagan, United for Peace and Justice

Phyllis Bennis, Institute for Policy Studies

Emira Woods, Foreign Policy in Focus

Herbert Docena, Focus on the Global South

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

Kathy Wan Povi Sanchez, Tewa Women United

John Hallan, People for Nuclear Disarmament NSW Nuclear Flashpoints Project, Australia

Jean Stokan, Policy Director, Pax Christi USA - Washington, D.C.

Paul Saoke, Physicians for Social Responsibility, Kenya

Jean-Marie Matagne, Action des Citoyens pour le Désarmement Nucléaire (ACDN), France

Dr Sue Wareham OAM, President, Medical Association for Prevention of War, Australia

Lois Barber, Earth Action

Lisa Clark, Beati i costruttori di pace / Blessed Are the Peacemakers, Italy

Kate Hudson, Chair, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, UK

Dr. Kathleen Sullivan, Educational Consultant, UN Office for Disarmament Affairs, NY

David Swanson, AfterDowningStreet.org

Steve Staples, Global Secretary, Abolition 2000

Pierre Villard, Mouvement de la Paix (France)

Richard Salvador, Abolition 2000, Pacific

Pamela Meidell, Atomic Mirror

Achin Vanaik, Coalition for Nuclear Disarmament and Peace (India)

Gretel Munroe, Grassroots Actions for Peace

David Krieger, Nuclear Age Peace Foundation

Walden Bellow, Focus on the Global South

Aseel Albanna, Iraqi Voices for Peace

Nicola Bullard, Focus on the Global South

Zainab Salbi

In solidarity,
CODEPINK Women for Peace