Udall Convenes Bipartisan Iraq Strategy Group

Press Release

UDALL CONVENES BIPARTISAN IRAQ STRATEGY GROUP

Washington, DC - Today Rep. Mark Udall, D-Eldorado Springs, convened a bipartisan meeting on Iraq, gathering nearly a dozen of his colleagues in the House of Representatives to discuss a possible bipartisan way forward on Iraq.

Members weighed taking both legislative and procedural steps that could gain support on both sides of the aisle. Members discussed a number of legislative vehicles with demonstrated broad bipartisan support, such as Rep. Udall's bill, H.R. 2574, to implement the recommendations of the Iraq Study Group, as well as a bill approved by the House Armed Services Committee calling on the President to report within 60 days on the status of planning for the redeployment of U.S. troops from Iraq. Other recent efforts include a bipartisan statement of principles on Iraq - currently circulating among House members - which will be delivered to House leadership.

There was general agreement among members that the Bush Administration should be focused more seriously on a "diplomatic surge" along the lines proposed by the Iraq Study Group and on shifting the mission of our troops from policing a civil war to one focused on counterinsurgency, force protection, training Iraqi troops, and most important of all significantly reducing our military presence in Iraq on a responsible time table.

Udall stated that his goal is to broaden the base of this bipartisan group and coordinate its efforts, since part of the problem is a need for securing a veto-proof majority to force a change in strategy. "We need to bring pressure to bear on both the Democratic and Republican leadership and let them know that while our voices may not be the loudest or the most strident, our bipartisan proposals represent the best chance of ending this war and securing a phased withdrawal of U.S. forces. To that end I will continue to put these bipartisan solutions forward."

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