Reid and Feingold Announce Legislation to Redeploy Troops

A press release at Russ Feingold's website announces that the Senator from Wisconsin and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid are introducing legislation that "will effectively end the current military mission in Iraq and begin the redeployment of U.S. forces. The bill requires the President to begin safely redeploying U.S. troops from Iraq 120 days from enactment, as required by the emergency supplemental spending bill the Senate passed last week." The language of the legislation reads: (a) Transition of Mission - The President shall promptly transition the mission of United States forces in Iraq to the limited purposes set forth in subsection (d). (b) Commencement of Safe, Phased Redeployment from Iraq - The President shall commence the safe, phased redeployment of United States forces from Iraq that are not essential to the purposes set forth in subsection (d). Such redeployment shall begin not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act. (c) Prohibition on Use of Funds - No funds appropriated or otherwise made available under any provision of law may be obligated or expended to continue the deployment in Iraq of members of the United States Armed Forces after March 31, 2008. (d) Exception for Limited Purposes - The prohibition under subsection (c) shall not apply to the obligation or expenditure of funds for the limited purposes as follows: (1) To conduct targeted operations, limited in duration and scope, against members of al Qaeda and other international terrorist organizations. (2) To provide security for United States infrastructure and personnel. (3) To train and equip Iraqi security services.