The invasion of Iraq has been a catastrophe and we need solutions, not slogans. Hoyt will fight for a responsible redeployment of our forces, an aggressive diplomatic surge and to provide critical humanitarian relief to that beleaguered nation.
The decision to invade Iraq was a terrible blunder, and it was followed by years of disastrous mismanagement and poor political leadership. American troops are stuck in the middle of a civil war in Iraq, with a recalcitrant and ineffectual Iraqi government that has made little progress toward political reconciliation. The Bush administration has offered no plan for resolving the civil war or redeploying our troops, but is instead stalling for time until the 2008 elections. To begin to end this terrible war, the United States needs to take the following steps immediately:
• Announce a plan for the redeployment of American troops, specifically the withdrawal of American troops to secure the borders of Iraq and contain the civil war. American troops should be used solely for training and humanitarian purpose, not to referee a civil war.
• Launch a diplomatic “surge,” which would include an international conference on Iraq, including our allies, the United Nations and the neighboring states to seek an international solution to the crisis.
• Provide immediate humanitarian relief to the more than 1.5 million refugees from the war, and greatly increase the number of Iraqis to be granted sanctuary in the United States.
• Lead an international effort toward reconstruction in Iraq, to be administered by an international coalition of nations, with the goal of restoring basic services to the Iraqi people, including electricity and clean water.
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