Quakers hail Iraqi withdrawal timeline

WASHINGTON, Oct. 29 (UPI) -- Two Quaker organizations praised the signing of a measure requiring the U.S. Defense Department to update lawmakers on the progress of the withdrawal from Iraq.

U.S. President Barack Obama signed a measure that requires the Pentagon to provide lawmakers with quarterly reports on the progress toward a Dec. 31, 2011, withdrawal date from Iraq as outlined in a bilateral status of forces agreement.

Two Quaker organizations, the American Friends Service Committee and the Friends Committee on National Legislation, note the legislation is the first since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003 that affirms the U.S. military is committed to a specific date to leave Iraq.

Both groups work toward peace and reconciliation in the spirit of the Quaker tradition.

"We congratulate Senate Armed Services Chairman Carl Levin and House Armed Services Chairman Ike Skelton for including this important milestone in the 2010 military authorization bill," said Aura Kanegis, director of public policy for the American Friends Service Committee.

U.S. military commanders in Iraq had expressed concern that the security situation in Iraq may deteriorate in the wake of January elections. Jim Fine, a foreign policy advocate at the Friends Committee on National Legislation, said the Pentagon reports give new impetus to the military timeline.

"Now the Pentagon will issue month-by-month reports on the progress made to close down bases or transfer them to the Iraqi government, which adds new teeth to this historic provision," he said.