TANNER: U.S. SHOULD ‘FORCEFULLY OPPOSE’ IRAQI PLAN FOR AMNESTY TO THOSE WHO KILL U.S. TROOPS

Iraqis may pardon murder of American troops, news reports say

House-passed resolution praises Iraqi govt,
fails to admonish amnesty plan

WASHINGTON -- “Very disturbing” reports that Iraqi leaders may grant amnesty to insurgents who have murdered U.S. troops could encourage more attacks on American men and women, Congressman John Tanner wrote today. The Washington Post and The Los Angeles Times have reported that the newly formed Iraqi government may grant such amnesty.

“It is absolutely shocking that we find ourselves in a situation where the United States is providing significant military, economic and diplomatic support to a government that may pardon the murder of Americans,” Tanner wrote in a June 20 letter to Zalmay Khalilzad, the U.S. Ambassador to Iraq. “The simple consideration of such a plan is an affront to the countless sacrifices borne by our service members in Iraq.

“The service of our American military personnel has been exemplary, and I am proud to represent so many of those soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen,” Tanner wrote in his letter to Ambassador Khalilzad. “I simply ask that you wield your considerable influence to guarantee they will not meet additional insurgent violence as a result of any proposal by the Iraqi government to forgive the murder of U.S. troops.”

Congressman Tanner strongly opposed a non-binding Iraq war resolution passed last week by the House of Representatives because the resolution praised the Iraqi government even as news about the amnesty plan surfaced.

“If this government in Iraq is going to grant amnesty to people who kill Americans because they feel it is their patriotic duty and they are defending their homeland, then we have got to reassess where we are with these people,” Tanner said June 15 on the House floor. “I do not think the American people will support a government that grants amnesty to people who kill American soldiers.”

Tanner represents Tennessee’s 8^th Congressional district, which includes 20 National Guard armories, the Millington naval base and portions of Fort Campbell, home to the United States Army’s 101^st Airborne Division. He spent four years in the U.S. Navy and retired as Colonel from the Tennessee Army National Guard after 26 years of service.

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Contact: Randy Ford, 202.225.4714