F Y I - WHAT'S HAPPENING?
The
Way Out of the Iraq War
The
Way Out of War: A
Blueprint for Leaving Iraq Now
By George S. McGovern and William R Polk,
The authors assert that withdrawal of our troops is imperative. The Iraqis want us out. Staying longer will cost us more, an estimated $1 trillion for another four years. Ending the occupation will be difficult, but the ending of every insurgency in recent history has been fraught with problems. Staying longer will be even more costly in lives and money.
Begin troop withdrawal by December 31, 2006 and make
every effort to complete it by June 30, 2007.
Recommended
basic policies:
· The Iraqi government should request a lightly armed international stabilization force of about 15,000 to police the country. This force would likely be more acceptable if it were drawn from Arab or Muslim countries such as Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan and Syria. The United States should pay for this force at a cost of $500 per man or $5.5 billion total, about 3 percent of the cost to continue the war with American troops for two years. American equipment should be turned over to his force rather than destroying it or shipping it home.
· Develop, without direct American involvement, a national police force, with neighborhood, village and tribal units restricted to their own local areas. Subsidize the police with $1 billion.
· Instead of an army, Iraq should develop a national reconstruction corps modeled after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Allocate $500 million for this purpose.
· Immediately stop work on the expensive and redundant U.S. military bases and turn the Green Zone over to the Iraqis by December 31, 2007.
· Withdraw the 25,000 currently employed mercenaries rapidly and completely by stopping payment.
· Destroy land mines and other unexploded ordinance, and where possible clean up the depleted uranium..
Second tier
policies:
 |
Put Iraqis in charge of reconstruction. Expect some waste, but apportioning funds to villages, towns and city councils will strengthen grass roots democracy. |
|
Allocate $1 billion for reconstruction planning and organization. |
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Spend $500 million to dismantle relics of war such as the concrete blast walls. |
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With a fund of $750 million, put the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago in change of restoring archeological sites and ancient ruins. |
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Investigate the wrong doing and waste of funds given to Halliburton’s subsidiary Kellogg, Brown & Root. |
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Do not object to the Iraqi government’s voiding of oil contracts entered into during the American occupation. |
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Compensate relatives of those killed or wounded during the invasion and occupation and pay Iraqis for damage to property. |
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Appoint an international organization to compensate those Iraqis tortured. |
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Offer fellowships for the training of lawyers, judges, journalists, social workers and civil-affairs workers. Fund grass roots organizations to encourage the return of professionals who left Iraq. |
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Rebuild of the Iraqi public health system by financing the construction of hospitals and clinics and by training physicians and other medical personnel. Train 200 general practitioners and 100 advanced specialists under the auspices of the World Health Organization or Médicines Sans Frontières. |
Finally, for the lives and damage caused by the war, the U.S. should make a gesture of conciliation. This would cost no money but would be of great value in shifting our relationship from occupation to friendship.
|
Policy
Initiative |
Estimated
Cost |
Cost
Equivalent Days of
Occupation |
|
International stabilization force for two years |
$5.5 billion |
22 days |
|
National police force |
$1 billion |
4 days |
|
National reconstruction corps |
$500 million |
2 days |
|
Destroy landmines, clean up the depleted uranium |
$250 million + |
1+ day of occupation |
|
Stop construction of bases and give the Green
Zone to the Iraqis |
-- |
-- |
|
Withdraw the 25,000 mercenaries |
-- |
-- |
|
Subtotal
Basic Policy Initiatives |
$7.25
billion |
29+ days |
|
Plan and organize for reconstruction |
$1 billion |
2 days |
|
Dismantle relics of war |
$500 million |
1 day |
|
Restoring archeological sites and ruins |
$750 million |
1 ½ days |
|
Compensate relatives of those killed or wounded |
$1.5 billion |
6 days |
|
Train and encourage return of professionals |
$1 billion |
2 days of occupation |
|
Rebuild health facilities, train health personnel |
< $5 billion |
< 10 days of occupation |
|
Put Iraqis in charge of reconstruction |
-- |
-- |
|
Investigate wrongdoing and waste |
-- |
-- |
|
Allow voiding of oil contracts |
-- |
-- |
|
Compensate property damage |
-- |
-- |
|
Compensate those tortured |
-- |
-- |
|
Total |
$17.25
billion |
~51 days
of occupation |
