Boulder – A group of anti-war activists is pushing the City Council to become the first in the state to pass a resolution urging U.S. troops be brought home from Iraq.
In one sense, the Boulder County Troops Home Coalition has already succeeded. On Saturday, the City Council will hold a special meeting and public hearing to get citizen input on whether to pass the resolution.
But, at the same time, the activists are disappointed because, they said Tuesday, the draft resolution the council will consider is a watered- down version of the much more stringent one they have proposed.
“We want this resolution to be a strong condemnation of U.S. policy,” said Carolyn Bninski, a member of the coalition. “And we don’t want to sugarcoat it in any way to make (U.S. policy) seem honorable.”
About 100 cities and counties nationwide have passed resolutions urging the federal government to pull troops out of Iraq, according to the activist group Cities for Progress. Those cities include Baltimore, Chicago and San Francisco.
In Boulder, the issue began months ago, when members of the Troops Home Coalition approached the City Council about such a resolution. City leaders have gone through several drafts for the council’s consideration. The most recent version urges the U.S. to begin immediately pulling troops out of Iraq and to provide Iraq with as much non-military aid as it needs to rebuild.
The draft resolution is also careful to note that the council supports the troops and recognizes the sacrifices they have made. One section says the troops have served “with honor.”
City Council members involved in creating the draft resolution couldn’t be reached Tuesday afternoon.
The activists had hoped the resolution would include sections calling for an international peacekeeping force and for a recognition of Iraq’s right to self-determination and control over its oil.
Bninski said she objected to the troops’ work being described as honorable.
Diane Merker, another member of the Troops Home Coalition, said she hopes citizens on Saturday will convince the council to adopt the coalition’s resolution.
“We’re certainly hoping for the stronger message,” she said.
Saturday’s meeting will begin at 9 a.m. in the City Council chambers, 1777 Broadway. If the resolution passes, the council will send copies to President Bush, both of Colorado’s U.S. senators and U.S. Rep. Mark Udall, Boulder’s congressman.
Staff writer John Ingold can be reached at 720-929-0898 or jingold@denverpost.com.
