Urge Sacramento City Council to Pass Resolution to Withdraw U.S. Troops from Iraq

Help get the Sacramento City Council to pass a Resolution to Bring Our
Troops and Bases Home from Iraq!

The newly formed Sacramento Coalition to End the War has drafted a
Resolution to Withdraw U.S. Troops and Bases from Iraq (text below) and has
asked Mayor Fargo and the Sacramento City Council to introduce and support
this resolution.  The Mayor's office has the resolution and is seeking
community input, so we need to let her and the city council know we want
them to take action!

Now through July 31, 2005, contact Mayor Fargo and YOUR city council person
and tell them that you want the Resolution to Withdraw U.S. Troops and Bases
from Iraq to be put on the September 6, 2005 (or earlier) agenda for a vote
by the City Council.  (See contact information below.)   Please ask your
friends, family and neighbors to do the same!

MARK your calendar for Thursday, August 4, 2005:  If the City Council has
NOT taken action to schedule this resolution for a vote, we will come to
their August 4th meeting and ask that they do so.

SAMPLE MESSAGE:

Dear Mayor Fargo/Councilmember ____:
   The continued U.S. occupation of Iraq is bad for the people of
Sacramento, California, the United States, and Iraq.  For the well being of
people in OUR community, we need to get U.S. troops, bases, and corporations
out of Iraq and return Iraq and its resources to its people.
   The illegal and immoral U.S. invasion of Iraq was done based on false and
misleading information.   This occupation is killing and destroying the
lives of Americans and Iraqis.  It is costing billions of dollars that are
needed for human services in Sacramento and elsewhere.
   The U.S. government has an obligation to care properly for all Returning
veterans.  We also have an obligation to rebuild the damage that the U.S.
has done in Iraq, but that repair cannot happen while we continue our
military occupation.
   As a resident and taxpayer in Sacramento, I want you, as my
representative on the City Council, to support the Resolution to Withdraw
U.S. Troops and Bases from Iraq.  I want you to have this item placed on The
September 6, 2005 (or an earlier) City Council agenda for a vote.
   Please contact me and let me know the date this item will be on the
agenda.

Sincerely,




SACRAMENTO CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR CONTACT INFORMATION:
To find your city council person, check
http://www.cityofsacramento.org/council/index.html.

City Hall, 915 "I" Street, Sacramento, CA. 95814

General Info 916-808-5407;
FAX - all Councilmembers 916-264-7680
TDD - all Councilmembers 916- 808-5819

Heather Fargo, Mayor 916-808-5300; hfargo [at] cityofsacramento.org

District 1, Ray Tretheway
E-mail address:  rtretheway [at] cityofsacramento.org; (916) 808-7001
District Director, Karen Pardieck; (916) 808-7339
Executive Assistant, Randi Kay Stephens; (916) 808-7001

District 2, Sandy Sheedy
E-mail address:  ssheedy [at] cityofsacramento.org; (916) 808-7002
District Director, Joann Cummins; (916) 808-7233

District 3, Steve Cohn
E-mail address:  scohn [at] cityofsacramento.org; (916) 808-7003
District Director, Sue Brown; (916) 808-7235
Executive Assistant, Anne Romo; (916) 808-7003

District 4, Robert King Fong
E-mail address:  rkfong [at] cityofsacramento.org;  (916) 808-7004
District Director, Amber Moran , (916) 808-7340
Executive Assistant, Carolyn Fisher, (916) 808-7004

District 5, Lauren Hammond
E-mail address:  lhammond [at] cityofsacramento.org; (916) 808-7005
District Director, Helen Hewitt; (916) 808-7234
Executive Assistant, Alisa Johnson; (916) 808-7005

District 6, Kevin McCarty
E-mail address:  kmccarty [at] cityofsacramento.org; (916) 808-7006
District Director, Maria Alvarez; (916) 808-7336
Executive Assistant, Aubrie Fong; (916) 808-7006

District 7, Robbie Waters
E-mail address:  rwaters [at] cityofsacramento.org; (916) 808-7007
Administrative Assistant, Pat Clark; (916) 808-7338
Executive Assistant, Dinah Fischer; (916) 808-7007

District 8, Bonnie J. Pannell
E-mail address: bpannell [at] cityofsacramento.org; (916) 808-7008
District Director: Matthew Bryant; (916) 808-7337
Executive Assistant: Erika Gonzalez; (916) 808-7008
Fax: (916) 264-7680

PROPOSED SACRAMENTO CITY COUNCIL
RESOLUTION TO WITHDRAW U.S. TROOPS AND BASES FROM IRAQ

Whereas the United States government, in its March 2003 first-strike attack
and subsequent military occupation of Iraq, a country which had neither
attacked nor threatened the U.S.:

1. Violated international law, including the United Nations Charter, the UN
Declaration of Human Rights, the Geneva Accords and the Nuremberg Principles
and therefore is in violation of the U.S. Constitutional provision for
treaties as equal to the Highest Law of the Land;

2. Caused the: a) deaths of an estimated 100,000 Iraqis and more than 1,700
U.S. soldiers; b) wounding and physically and psychologically disabling of
tens of thousands of Iraqis and U.S. soldiers; and c) destruction of the
homes, communities, and livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis;

3. Undermined the image, moral values and credibility of the U.S. throughout
the world; and

4. Misused over $300 billion of U.S. taxpayers money, including $246.7
million from Sacramento, money which could have been used for health care,
affordable housing, environmental protection, and other purposes that would
have improved the lives of people in Sacramento, the United States, and the
world.

5. The continuation of the war and this misallocation of resources will
cause grave harm to the people of Sacramento, especially its low income and
people of color communities.

Whereas public opinion polls indicate that millions of Americans view the
Iraq war and occupation as unwarranted or mistaken, and whereas an
overwhelming majority of Iraqis cast ballots favoring U.S. withdrawal,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE SACRAMENTO CITY COUNCIL ON BEHALF OF THE
CITIZENS OF SACRAMENTO CALLS UPON THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND
CONGRESS TO:

1. Immediately withdraw all U.S. troops and military bases from Iraq;

2.  End military recruitment on high school and college campuses;

3. Publicly disclose and cease all attempts by the U.S. government and
corporations to control the economy, agricultural practices, government, or
resources of Iraq;

4. Issue an international statement which includes: a) a commitment of
United States resources required to rebuild the damage that the U.S. caused
in its first Gulf War (1991) and subsequent attacks and in the 2003 invasion
and occupation, the control of which is to be under the Iraqi people and to
financially compensate the families of all Iraqis killed and injured from
U.S. actions and b) relinquishment of any debts or obligations that the U.S.
claims it or its allies are owed by Iraq;

5. Ensure that returning veterans receive compensation and care including
full mental and physical health, education, disability, and rehabilitation
benefits; and

6. Significantly reduce the U.S. military budget and reallocate that money
to programs that provide for human well being including: health care,
education, affordable housing, and environmental protection.