Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman LINDA STENDER
District 22 (Middlesex, Somerset and Union)
Assemblyman MICHAEL J. PANTER
District 12 (Mercer and Monmouth)
Assemblyman JIM WHELAN
District 2 (Atlantic)
Assemblyman JOSEPH VAS
District 19 (Middlesex)
SYNOPSIS
Opposes President Bush’s plan to send more US troops to Iraq.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
A Joint Resolution voicing overwhelming opposition to President Bush’s plan to send more United States troops to Iraq.
Whereas, Sending more American troops to Iraq to help end sectarian violence and stabilize the Iraqi government are elements of the plan announced recently by President Bush to address the terrible situation in that nation; and
Whereas, If this plan is implemented, more than 153,000 members of the armed forces of the United States will be in the middle of a deadly religious civil war; and
Whereas, The so-called “surge” of American forces will mean that the tours of duty of thousands of troops will be extended by months and the anxiety, fear and disruption felt by their families and loved ones will continue; and
Whereas, American involvement in this conflict has already resulted in the deaths of more than 3,000 military service personnel and the wounding and disabling of more than 22,000 men and women, numbers which will increase if the President’s plan is implemented; and
Whereas, The conflict already has had a lasting effect on service personnel from New Jersey and their families, with over 6,000 State Army and Air National Guard and Reserve troops sent to Iraq, and 75 men and women killed and many more wounded or disabled, also numbers that will increase if the President’s plan is implemented; and
Whereas, A clear majority of the American public, including many retired military leaders, oppose the increase in number of American troops sent to Iraq because they believe the “surge” will do nothing to end the civil war in that country and only a political solution will end the violence; and
Whereas, For all of these reasons, it is fitting and proper to voice overwhelming opposition to President Bush’s plan to send more United States troops to Iraq; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. This Joint Resolution voices overwhelming opposition to President Bush’s plan to send more United States troops to Iraq.
2. Duly authenticated copies of this resolution shall be transmitted to President George W. Bush, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives and every member of Congress elected from New Jersey.
3. This joint resolution shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This Assembly Joint Resolution voices overwhelming opposition to President Bush’s plan to send more United States troops to Iraq.