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Position Statement on SCR 4022 as Amended by the ND Senate

March 1, 2007

The North Dakota Peace Coalition wishes to acknowledge the North Dakota Senate for its unanimous “YES” vote on SCR 4022, North Dakota's Peace Resolution. Like the original bipartisan version as proposed by Senator Mathern and Representative Kretschmar, the amended version honors our troops and acknowledges their bravery, commitment, and sacrifice.

Additionally, the amended version calls for “successful conclusion of their efforts” so that we may “bring our troops back” home. In our view, “successful conclusion” means government rule by Iraqi citizens, without the establishment of US bases in Iraq.

The amended version also urges US "Congress and the President to continue to pursue peace in Iraq and Afghanistan." In our view, this includes continued humanitarian aid, support for bipartisan federal legislation to end the Iraq war, technical assistance with removal of live munitions, long-term commitments to provide educational support for Iraqi and Afghani citizens (particularly women and girls), and return of North Dakota's servicemen and women from Iraq to their families and communities in North Dakota.

While we commend the Senate for taking action on a matter of such importance to North Dakotans, we encourage a strengthening of the language to reflect the views of more than 6 out of 10 North Dakotans and 7 out of 10 US servicemen and women serving in Iraq. The troops have done their job; it's time for us to do ours. Let's bring them home.

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