"MAINE PEACE COMMUNITY AND TAXPAYERS’ 20-POINT PLAN"
FOR IMMEDIATELY REMOVING THE U.S. AND COALITION MILITARY FORCES FROM IRAQ
November 10, 2006

This plan was developed through discussions with Maine people and is being evaluated by Maine's two Congressmen. If you like the idea of such a plan, please contact them and let them know.
For further information about the origin, purpose, and content of this plan, please contact
Gary Higginbottom, Portland, Maine 207-233-1273 or email Gary

Objectives of this plan:
• Remove the major reason for on-going violence in Iraq - the U.S. military occupation.
• Pay reparations to heal the people, infrastructure and social structure of Iraq.
• Heal the American troops physically, mentally and economically.
• Heal America’s reputation.

Basic economic premise: Since U.S. expenditure for the Iraq War runs at approximately $237 million per day, termination of our military occupation should save not only thousands of lives but also substantial money from military costs. A portion of this savings must fund healing and reconstruction of Iraqi society, healing of our own troops, and the other actions necessary to compensate for the crimes the U.S. has committed against the Iraqi society.

Actions to be taken:

1. Logistics planning for U.S. and “Coalition” troop and military equipment withdrawal will be finished by December 30, 2006. From January 2007 to June 2007 troop and equipment withdrawal will be completed and base facilities will be dismantled or transferred to the Iraq government.

2. During this logistics planning period, the United States will move from confrontation to negotiation and request from European allies, Japan, China and India proposals for the roles and functions that these nations will perform as U.S. forces are withdrawn. The same request will be made to the governments of the six countries that border Iraq – Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan, Syria, Turkey and Iran. Constructive suggestions from these nations will be incorporated into the design of a multi-national strategic coalition to oversee Iraq’s transition from U.S. control to independent control.

3. During the transition period, the U.S. will cease its actions in opposition to Iran’s nuclear program and instead engage in joint planning for the future relationship between Iran and Iraq.

4. The U.S. Congress will immediately require the Department of Defense to determine the cost of returning all of the troops currently stationed in Iraq to U.S. bases within six months and prepare legislation necessary to re-allocate sufficient FY 2007 defense appropriations from combat operations, equipment and contracts to the activities, personnel, services and equipment necessary to deliver the troops back to the U.S.

5. As a condition of U.S. withdrawal, the Arab League and the Iraq government will deliver to the U.S. Department of Defense and to the United Nations its recommendations for the functions and responsibilities of a peacekeeping and policing force to be made up of personnel from Arab League nations to be deployed in Iraq assisting the Iraq government in maintaining law and order during and after the U.S. troop withdrawal. The operations of this interim peacekeeping force will be contracted by the Iraq government and paid for by the United States government.

6. A major reason for poor credibility of the U.S. throughout the Middle East is America’s unwillingness to influence Israel sufficiently to enable peace and adequate economic activity for Palestinians. Therefore, in order to have the credibility for a successful military withdrawal from Iraq the United States will aggressively pursue establishment of the independent Palestinian state. This will include a US-developed proposal for specific, firm Israel-Palestine boundaries that enable Palestinian society to function successfully.

7. The Israel-Palestine border proposal will be placed in front of aggressively-pursued peace talks with clear statements to the Palestinians that a peaceful future will require participation in the talks without violence against Israel and clear statements to Israel that America's continuing financial support of Israel requires rapid acceptance of borders and policies for border defense that the US and Middle Eastern nations find acceptable.

8. In January, 2007, The U.S. will declare a cease-fire of all offensive military actions, declare that the U.S. and “Coalition” military forces will leave Iraq within 6 months, release all prisoners of war and close all prisoner detention centers.

9. Upon removal of all U.S. military forces, the U.S. will turn over the country to the elected government of Iraq allowing that government to decide what additional assistance, if any, it will require from the United Nations, the United States or other independent nations.

10. During the 6-month pullout period, the U.S. will cease all work on U.S. military bases, dismantle the miles of concrete blast walls and wire barriers around American installations, turn over the "Green Zone" to the Iraq government, cease all work on the U.S. "Embassy" compound and transfer that compound to the Iraq government to be used for housing, medical care and advanced education.

11. The U.S. Government will immediately cease all payments to the mercenary Personal Security Detail operations that comprise at least 25,000 armed men who are outside the jurisdiction of Iraq and US military justice systems.

12. The U.S. will provide training and funds for Iraqis to dismantle, remove and destroy all landmines, unexploded ordinance and depleted uranium from Iraq by the end of 2007.

13. The U.S. Congress will deliver on obligations to pay for reconstruction of Iraq by Iraqis and to pay reparations to Iraqi civilians and families to adequately compensate for deaths, injuries, torture and other casualties. This should be managed by a reputable international organization such as the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies or the UN World Health Organization.

14. The U.S. will pay for an independent audit of funds transactions carried out by the American-run Coalition Provisional Authority with respect to sales of Iraq's oil, and the U.S. will compensate Iraq for misused or misappropriated oil revenue.

15. Iraq will be allowed to void all oil contracts for petroleum exploration, development and marketing made during the American occupation, so the Iraq government will control those contracts going forward.

16. Iraq will be allowed, if it so chooses, to terminate the 100 Bremer Orders and related U.S-controlled regulations that are based on those orders which force the Iraq economy to function in line with World Trade Organization policies even though Iraq is not a WTO member.

17. The U.S. will provide funding to the appropriate UN and Red Crescent agencies to reconstruct and staff the Iraq public health service delivery system.

18. The U.S. Congress and the U.S. Veterans Administration will give all US service veterans a fully funded program to adequately accomplish their comprehensive rehabilitation - physically, mentally, educationally and economically. This will include all of the offerings made to US World War II veterans by the G.I. Bill of Rights.

19. The Congress of the United States will issue a formal proclamation from the American people apologizing for the crimes against humanity perpetrated by the United States and connected with the invasion and occupation of Iraq.

20. The U.S. Congress will undertake impeachment proceedings for crimes against humanity, fraudulently misleading the Congress and the American public and violating the U.S. Constitution. Impeachment action will be brought against George W. Bush, Richard Cheney, Alberto Gonzales, Condoleezza Rice, and other impeachable officials who assisted the Bush Administration in the process of invading Iraq.