IV 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. CON. RES. 288 

Expressing the need for a more comprehensive diplomatic initiative led by 

the United States, Republic of Iraq, and international community. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 6, 2008 

Mr. GILCHREST (for himself, Mr. CUMMINGS, Mr. JONES of North Carolina, 

Mr. MEEKS of New York, Mr. JOHNSON of Illinois, Mr. MURTHA, Mr. 

REYES, and Ms. KAPTUR) submitted the following concurrent resolution; 

which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition 

to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 

as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 

Expressing the need for a more comprehensive diplomatic 

initiative led by the United States, Republic of Iraq, 

and international community. 

Whereas it is in the foreign policy and National security interests of the United States to foster and strengthen 

peace and security in Iraq and the broader Middle East 

region, which will require a more comprehensive international support structure including Iraq’s neighboring 

states, other pertinent and influential countries in and 

outside the region, international organizations, and nongovernmental organizations; 


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•HCON 288 IH 

Whereas the removal of Saddam Hussein has resulted in a 

fundamental change in the composition and structure of 

Iraq’s government, provincial, and tribal leadership; 

Whereas the removal of Saddam Hussein has resulted in violent multi-layered conflicts of varying insurgencies, 

counter-insurgencies, and other armed competitions that 

exist today along religious, cultural, and economic lines; 

Whereas the removal of Saddam Hussein has fundamentally 

altered the relationship between Iraq and its neighboring 

states thereby affecting the balance of power in the region; 

Whereas elements and actions from outside Iraq’s borders, 

including neighboring states, terrorist groups, and rogue 

elements continue to impede progress towards a more 

stable and sovereign Iraq; 

Whereas Iraqis, with the unrelenting military support from 

the United States, have found it difficult to achieve political reconciliation and independently govern; 

Whereas the Iraq Study Group stated, ‘‘a regional peace conference among Arab nations is a critically important step 

in helping to end the civil war in Iraq, and bringing 

peace and stability in the Middle East’’; 

Whereas General Petraeus recently stated in congressional 

testimony ‘‘any student of history recognizes there is no 

military solution to a problem like that in Iraq, to the insurgency in Iraq’’; 

Whereas finding a responsible and strategic way forward in 

Iraq will require international support; and 

Whereas a more comprehensive international support structure must be established to engage Iraq’s political, religious, ethnic, and tribal leaders in an ongoing inclusive 


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•HCON 288 IH 

political reconciliation and reconstruction process: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 

2 concurring), That the United States House of Representa3 tives— 

4 (1) declares that the current drawdown and 

5 eventual departure of the United States Armed 

6 Forces in Iraq be performed in a strategic and re7 sponsible manner, and must be supported by a com8 prehensive international and regional diplomatic ini9 tiative; 

10 (2) encourages the President and the adminis11 tration jointly with the Republic of Iraq to initiate, 

12 develop, and implement a sustained comprehensive 

13 regional and multilateral diplomatic plan of action, 

14 in conjunction with the United Nations Security 

15 Council, United Nations Secretary General, Iraq’s 

16 neighboring countries, regional organizations as the 

17 Arab League, the Organization of the Islamic Con18 ference, and appropriate non-governmental organiza19 tions relating to issues and actions that impact the 

20 situation in Iraq, including— 

21 (A) promoting a National process of rec22 onciliation within Iraq; 


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•HCON 288 IH 

1 (B) curtailing the ongoing civil strife in 

2 Iraq that has created various insurgency 

3 groups; 

4 (C) preventing the spread of violence from 

5 Iraq into neighboring countries; 

6 (D) preventing genocide, ethnic cleansing, 

7 and other crimes against humanity; 

8 (E) preventing the establishment of safe 

9 havens for Al Qaeda and other terrorist organi10 zations; and 

11 (F) supporting the formation of an inter12 national consortium for relief and reconstruc13 tion in Iraq; 

14 (3) urges the President and the administration 

15 jointly with the Republic of Iraq, United Nations, 

16 and regional organizations to expeditiously engage in 

17 bilateral and multilateral talks and conferences with 

18 Iraq’s neighboring states, and specifically— 

19 (A) recommends the implementation of the 

20 International Compact for Iraq and Rec21 ommendations 9 and 13 of the Iraq Study 

22 Group Report including— 

23 (i) implementing Recommendation 9, 

24 which states, ‘‘Under the aegis of the New 

25 Diplomatic Offensive and the [Iraq InterVerDate Aug 31 2005 07:26 Feb 07, 2008 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HC288.IH HC288

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•HCON 288 IH 

1 national] Support Group, the United 

2 States should engage directly with Iran 

3 and Syria in order to try to obtain their 

4 commitment to constructive policies toward 

5 Iraq and other regional issues. In engaging 

6 with Syria and Iran, the United States 

7 should consider incentives, as well as dis8 incentives, in seeking constructive results’’; 

9 and 

10 (ii) implementing Recommendation 

11 13, which states, ‘‘There must be a re12 newed and sustained commitment by the 

13 United States to a comprehensive Arab14 Israeli peace on all fronts’’; 

15 (4) remains resolved that the interests of the 

16 people of Iraq, United States allies, and greater 

17 Middle East region should be paramount in estab18 lishing regional and international assistance and aid 

19 to ensure the establishment of a cohesive govern20 ment in Iraq; 

21 (5) encourages the international community and 

22 regional organizations to assist the Republic of Iraq 

23 in recruiting an armed multinational stabilization 

24 force from countries acceptable to the Republic of 

25 Iraq, to train Iraqi Security Forces, foster political 


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1 reconciliation, and to the extent feasible police 

2 human rights violations; 

3 (6) recognizes that as part of a diplomatic ini4 tiative in Iraq, the President shall submit to the 

5 Congress, in classified and unclassified form, a com6 prehensive regional stability plan for Iraq, which 

7 shall include diplomatic, political, and economic stra8 tegic measures; 

9 (7) urges sustained commitment of the Republic 

10 of Iraq, United States, nations in the Middle East, 

11 and international community in consultation with 

12 the United Nations and pertinent regional and non13 governmental organizations to develop and raise 

14 funding for the reconstruction of Iraq and relief to 

15 the Iraqi people, including for purposes of— 

16 (A) assisting efforts to deal with the hu17 manitarian impact of the war in Iraq, particu18 larly civilian displacement and Iraqi refugees; 

19 (B) developing an Iraq Corps of Engineers; 

20 (C) encouraging the use of Iraqi engineers, 

21 contractors, tradesmen, and construction work22 ers in the reconstruction process; 

23 (D) surveying and performing proper res24 toration of Iraq’s world cultural sites; 


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1 (E) ensuring the equitable distribution of 

2 oil revenues to the people of Iraq; and 

3 (F) encouraging initiatives to assist in re4 building Iraq’s infrastructure, including public 

5 health, transportation, physical plants, edu6 cational, and utilities systems; 

7 (8) expresses its sincere condolences to the 

8 number of Iraqis who have been killed, displaced, or 

9 wounded; and 

10 (9) recognizes that the government of the 

11 United States owes a debt of gratitude to the 

12 500,000 young men and women who have served in 

13 Iraq and who now deserve comprehensive rehabilita14 tion, physical, mental, educational, and economic as15 sistance. 

Æ 


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