Tuesday, February 06, 2007

Out of Iraq in 6 Months Flat! PART 2






















The Deciders 1/27/07 United for Peace & Justice rally and march. © David Fox 2007

ARTIST'S NOTES can be found at the end of this post.


CONTINUED TEXT OF HR 508* Submitted to Congress by Representative Lynn Woolsey. SECTION TWO:

(Part 1 of this series can be found HERE)
TITLE II--UNITED STATES ASSISTANCE FOR RECONSTRUCTION AND RECONCILIATION IN IRAQ

Subtitle A--Bilateral Assistance
Sec. 201. Modification of authorities relating to the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction.
Sec. 202. Study and report on damage to Iraqi civil society and infrastructure.
Sec. 203. Assistance to establish an Iraqi reconstruction corps.
Sec. 204. Assistance for the destruction of land mines and related activities in Iraq.
Sec. 205. Assistance to dismantle and dispose of fortifications and other remnants of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Sec. 206. Assistance to recover ancient relics and to restore archeological, cultural, and historical sites in Iraq.
Sec. 207. Compensation for Iraqi Noncombatant Civilian Casualties.
Sec. 208. Assistance to establish an Iraqi institute of peace.
Subtitle B--Multilateral Assistance
Sec. 211.International fund to redevelop civic institutions in Iraq.
Sec. 212. International fund to reconstitute the public health system in Iraq.






















Citizen Superheroes 1/27/07 United for Peace & Justice rally and march.
© David Fox 2007

TITLE II--UNITED STATES ASSISTANCE FOR RECONSTRUCTION AND RECONCILIATION IN IRAQ

Subtitle A--Bilateral Assistance

SEC. 201. MODIFICATION OF AUTHORITIES RELATING TO THE SPECIAL INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION.

(a) Duties- Section 1054(a) of the John Warner National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007 (Public Law 109-364; 120 Stat. 2397) is amended by inserting `or any subsequent fiscal year' after `fiscal year 2006'.

(b) Termination- Section 3001(o) of the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense and for the Reconstruction of Iraq and Afghanistan, 2004 (Public Law 108-106; 117 Stat. 1238; 5 U.S.C. App., note to section 8G of Public Law 95-452), as amended by section 1054(b) of Public Law 109-364 and section 2 of the Iraq Reconstruction Accountability Act of 2006 (Public Law 109-440), is amended in paragraph (1)(B) by inserting `or any subsequent fiscal year' after `fiscal year 2006'.

SEC. 202. STUDY AND REPORT ON DAMAGE TO IRAQI CIVIL SOCIETY AND INFRASTRUCTURE.

(a) Study- The President of the United States, acting through the heads of the relevant departments and agencies of the Government of the United States and in consultation with the Government of Iraq, is authorized to conduct a study on the damage to Iraqi civil society and infrastructure as a result of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

(b) Report- The President shall transmit to Congress a report that contains the results of the study conducted pursuant to subsection (a).

(c) Authorization of Appropriations- There is authorized to be appropriated to the President to carry out this section $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2008.

















Impeach Indict Imprison 1/27/07 United for Peace & Justice rally and march.
© David Fox 2007

SEC. 203. ASSISTANCE TO ESTABLISH AN IRAQI RECONSTRUCTION CORPS.

(a) Assistance- The President of the United States is authorized to provide assistance to the Government of Iraq to establish and train an Iraqi reconstruction corps to rebuild the infrastructure of Iraq. To the maximum extent practicable, the Iraqi reconstruction corps should carry out its activities in accordance with the results of the study conducted pursuant to section 202.

(b) Terms and Conditions- Assistance under this section may be provided on such terms and conditions as the President may determine.

(c) Authorization of Appropriations- There is authorized to be appropriated to the President to carry out this section $500,000,000 for fiscal year 2008.

SEC. 204. ASSISTANCE FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF LAND MINES AND RELATED ACTIVITIES IN IRAQ.

(a) Assistance- The President of the United States is authorized to provide assistance for the destruction of land mines, unexploded ordnance, and clean-up of depleted uranium in artillery shells and related targets in Iraq.

(b) Terms and Conditions- Assistance under this section may be provided on such terms and conditions as the President may determine.

(c) Authorization of Appropriations-

(1) IN GENERAL- There is authorized to be appropriated to the President to carry out this section $250,000,000 for fiscal year 2008.

(2) ADDITIONAL AUTHORITIES- Amounts appropriated pursuant to the authorization of appropriations under paragraph (1)--

(A) may be referred to as the `Iraqi Demining Fund';

(B) are authorized to remain available until expended; and

(C) are in addition to amounts otherwise available for such purposes.






















War Pig 1/27/07 United for Peace & Justice rally and march.
© David Fox 2007

SEC. 205. ASSISTANCE TO DISMANTLE AND DISPOSE OF FORTIFICATIONS AND OTHER REMNANTS OF OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM.

(a) Assistance- The President of the United States is authorized to provide assistance to the Government of Iraq to dismantle and dispose of fortifications, including concrete walls, and other remnants of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

(b) Terms and Conditions-

(1) IN GENERAL- Assistance under this section may be provided on such terms and conditions as the President may determine.

(2) SENSE OF CONGRESS- It is the sense of Congress that, to the maximum extent practicable, priority should be given to train and hire Iraqi civilians to carry out the activities described in subsection (a) and to allocate funds to local units of government in Iraq, including village, town, and city councils, to carry out the activities described in subsection (a).

(c) Authorization of Appropriations- There is authorized to be appropriated to the President to carry out this section $500,000,000 for fiscal year 2008.






















Black Man White Flower 1/27/07 United for Peace & Justice rally and march.
© David Fox 2007

SEC. 206. ASSISTANCE TO RECOVER ANCIENT RELICS AND TO RESTORE ARCHEOLOGICAL, CULTURAL, AND HISTORICAL SITES IN IRAQ.

(a) Assistance- The President of the United States is authorized to provide assistance to recover ancient relics and to restore archeological, cultural, and historical sites of international significance and importance in Iraq.

(b) Grant Requirement- To the maximum extent practicable, assistance under this section shall be provided in the form of grants to a consortium that includes the Iraqi Museum of Antiquities, the Smithsonian Institution, the World Monuments Fund, and the Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago.

(c) Terms and Conditions-

(1) IN GENERAL- Assistance under this section may be provided on such terms and conditions as the President may determine.

(2) SENSE OF CONGRESS- It is the sense of Congress that, to the maximum extent practicable, priority should be given to train and hire Iraqi civilians to carry out the activities described in subsection (a) and to allocate funds to local units of government in Iraq, including village, town, and city councils, to carry out the activities described in subsection (a).

(d) Authorization of Appropriations- There is authorized to be appropriated to the President to carry out this section $250,000,000 for fiscal year 2008.

SEC. 207. COMPENSATION FOR IRAQI NONCOMBATANT CIVILIAN CASUALTIES.





















January 27, 2007 - Washington DC Peace March. Code Pink display of shoes with names of dead Iraqi children. Photo by Megan Keefe © 2007

(a) Determination and Certification of Claims-

(1) IN GENERAL- The Commission shall determine the validity and amount of each claim by a citizen or national of Iraq for loss of property or personal injury or death resulting from United States military operations in Iraq during the period beginning on March 19, 2003, and ending 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act. Any claim under this section shall be barred unless it is filed with the Commission within 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act. The Commission shall publish in the Federal Register, and in the media to which Iraqi citizens have easy access, the procedures for making a claim with the Commission under this section. The Commission shall certify to each claimant the amount determined by the Commission to be payable on the claim under this section.

(2) EXCLUSIONS- The Commission shall deny the validity of any claim for loss of property or personal injury or death under paragraph (1) of any person who participated in the armed insurgency in Iraq after May 1, 2003.

(b) Applicable Law- In deciding claims under subsection (a), the Commission shall apply, in the following order--

(1) applicable substantive law, including international law; and

(2) applicable principles of justice and equity.

(c) Applicability of International Claims Settlement Act- To the extent they are not inconsistent with the provisions of this act, the provisions of title I (other than section 2(c) ) and title VII of the International Claims Settlement Act of 1949 (22 U.S.C. 1621-1627 and 1645-1645o) shall apply with respect to claims under this section.

















Detail from Code Pink display of shoes with names of dead Iraqi children. Photo by Megan Keefe © 2007

(d) Notice and Hearings- The Secretary of State shall take the necessary steps to ensure that the people of Iraq have adequate notice of the process for making a claim under this section. The Commission may conduct hearings at places in Iraq in order to facilitate the claims process under this section. The Commission shall consult with appropriate representatives of Iraqi citizens in determining claims under this section.

(e) Claims Fund- The Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to establish in the Treasury of the United States a fund (in this section referred to as the `Iraq Claims Fund') for payment of claims certified under subsection (a). The Secretary of the Treasury shall cover into the Iraq Claims Fund such amounts as are appropriated to the fund pursuant to subsection (k).

(f) Certification of Amount of Claims- The Commission shall certify to the Secretary of the Treasury each award made pursuant to subsection (a). The Secretary of the Treasury shall make payments on each such award, in the following order of priority to the extent funds are available pursuant to this section:

(1) Payment of $10,000 or the principal amount, whichever is less.

(2) Payments from time to time in ratable proportions on account of the unpaid balance of the principal amounts of all awards according to the proportions which the unpaid balance of such awards bears to the total amount in the Iraq Claims Fund that is available for distribution at the time such payments are made.

(3) After payment has been made of the principal amounts of all such awards, pro rate payments on account of accrued interest on such awards as bear interest.

(g) Authority to Transfer Records- The head of any executive agency may transfer or otherwise make available to the Commission such records and documents relating to claims authorized to be determined under this section as may be required by the Commission in carrying out its functions under this section.

(h) Statute of Limitations; Publication Notice-

(1) STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS- Any demand or claim for payment on account of an award that is certified under this section shall be barred on and after the date that is 2 years after the date on which notice is published under paragraph (2).

















Code Pink 4 1/27/07 United for Peace & Justice rally and march.
© David Fox 2007

(2) PUBLICATION OF NOTICE-

(A) PUBLICATION- At the end of the 1-year period specified in subparagraph (B), the Secretary of the Treasury shall publish notice in the Federal Register, and in the media to which Iraqi citizens have easy access, detailing the statute of limitations provided for in paragraph (1) and identifying the claim numbers of, and the names of the claimants holding, unpaid certified claims.

(B) PUBLICATION DATE- The notice required by subparagraph (A) shall be published 1 year after the last date on which the Secretary of the Treasury covers into the Iraq Claims Fund amounts appropriated to that fund pursuant to subsection (k).

(i) Disposition of Unused Funds- At the end of the 2-year period beginning on the publication date of the notice required by subsection (h)(2), the Secretary of the Treasury shall deposit in the Treasury of the United States as miscellaneous receipts all funds remaining in the Iraq Claims Fund that are not used for payments of certified claims under this section.

(j) Definitions- In this section:

(1) EXECUTIVE AGENCY- The term `executive agency' has the meaning given that term by section 105 of title 5, United States Code.

(2) COMMISSION- The term `commission' means the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission of the United States.

(k) Authorization of Appropriations- There are authorized to be appropriated not less than $200,000,000 to pay claims under this section. Amounts appropriated pursuant to this subsection shall remain available until expended.


















Bring Them Home Alive! 1/27/07 United for Peace & Justice rally and march.
© David Fox 2007

SEC. 208. ASSISTANCE TO ESTABLISH AN IRAQI INSTITUTE OF PEACE.

(a) Assistance- The President of the United States is authorized to provide assistance to the Government of Iraq to establish an independent, nonprofit Iraqi institute of peace to serve the people and Government of Iraq. To the maximum extent practicable, the Iraqi institute of peace should provide the widest possible range of education and training, basic and applied research opportunities, and peace information services on the means to promote domestic tranquility and international peace and the resolution of conflicts without recourse to violence.

(b) Terms and Conditions- Assistance under this section may be provided on such terms and conditions as the President may determine.

(c) Authorization of Appropriations- There is authorized to be appropriated to the President to carry out this section $25,000,000 for fiscal year 2008.

Subtitle B--Multilateral Assistance

SEC. 211. INTERNATIONAL FUND TO REDEVELOP CIVIC INSTITUTIONS IN IRAQ.

(a) International Fund- The President of the United States is authorized to seek to establish an international fund to redevelop civic institutions in Iraq and to make United States contributions to the international fund.

(b) Sense of Congress- It is the sense of Congress that the international fund described in subsection (a) should provide incentives for the return of exiled or émigré Iraqi doctors, nurses, educators, jurists, engineers, attorneys, writers, journalists, and other professionals and the training of additional Iraqis in essential professions and services.

(c) Authorization of Appropriations- There is authorized to be appropriated to the President to carry out this section $1,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2008.
SEC. 212. INTERNATIONAL FUND TO RECONSTITUTE THE PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM IN IRAQ.

(a) International Fund- The President of the United States is authorized to seek to establish an international fund to reconstitute the public health system in Iraq and to make United States contributions to the international fund. To the maximum extent practicable, the international fund should be supervised and administered jointly by the World Health Organization, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the World Food Program, and the Food and Agriculture Organization.

(b) Sense of Congress- It is the sense of Congress that the international fund described in subsection (a) should provide for the rebuilding of hospitals and clinics in Iraq and the purchase of diagnostic and therapeutic equipment and services for hospitals and clinics in Iraq.

(c) Authorization of Appropriations- There is authorized to be appropriated to the President to carry out this section $1,700,000,000 for fiscal year 2008.

End of Part 2 of HR 508. More to follow.
(Part 1 can be found HERE)

ARTIST'S NOTES:
David Fox
United for Peace and Justice sponsored an anti-war rally and march on January 27th in Washington DC. I went with my kids and a group of 10 from Adams and Brown Counties. The organizers claim there were half a million there. I'm not certain of that number, but there were definitely more than the "tens of thousands" i read several places. my guess would be at least 200,000. there were dozens of mirror events around the country. i hope and pray our voices were heard.

Megan Keefe
Being at the anti-war march on January 27th in Washington, D.C. was surreal. The images and stories we collected that day illustrate the fact that the face of this Iraq anti-war movement is young, old, African American, Caucasian, Asian, Indian, Latin American, civilian, veteran and active-duty military; from D.C., from D.C., from Tennessee, from New York, from Wisconsin, Michigan, and California. We spoke with seasoned anti-war protesters who marched in 2003 as well as those who filled the streets in protest during the Vietnam war. And there were those who had come out for the first time to raise their voice in opposition to U.S. troops in Iraq.

One family I interviewed came from Michigan to protest on behalf of their son who was killed 5 months after deploying to Iraq in 2003. He joined the military after 9/11 to help win the war on terror. But like so many other American soldiers fighting in Iraq, he quickly realized we were not in this war for the right reasons. His mother told me how his last journal entry stated his opposition to this war was strong but that he continued to fight if only to protect his fellow soldiers, his friends.

But at the end of the day it all comes down to numbers. Big Media and Activist groups never seem to agree on the numbers and although it seems there was no "official count" for big media to report, UFPJ reported 500,000, FOX news was reporting 100,000 and no one in print media would give a solid estimate. They all seemed to hone in on the very safe estimate of tens of thousands, whatever that means. I believe it is going to take a lot more than tens of thousands to send a message to congress that they MUST bring our troops home now. And if that means we have to have one million people in the streets for Big Media to report only 500,000 than so be it. The next anti-war rally in D.C. is March 17, 2007. It's being organized by Answer and will be a march from the Vietnam War Memorial to the Pentagon.

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