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WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Tuesday, Reps. Mike Thompson (D-CA), John Murtha (D-PA), George Miller (D-CA) and Doris Matsui (D-CA) introduced legislation to immediately begin redeploying troops out of Iraq while simultaneously working with the United Nations to implement a regionwide strategy for containing Iraq's civil war.
Thompson and his colleagues introduced this bill because they said there is no solid strategy for controlling the violence and political unrest in Iraq after U.S. troops redeploy.
The members of Congress said that it's clear to them that while U.S. troops are performing excellently, their ongoing presence in Iraq will not lead the Iraqi government to take control of its country. This bill will create a realistic exit strategy that brings our troops home and helps the Iraqi government take steps toward security.
This legislation – the Iraq Redeployment and Regional Security Act – specifically calls for redeployment of U.S. troops to commence no later than 30 days after enactment, with all troops out within one year.
It also requires that the president institutes a regional diplomatic plan, in conjunction with the United Nation's Security Council, to curtail and contain Iraq's civil war, prevent the establishment of al Qaeda safe havens and prevent genocide. The president must report to Congress every month on the status of the plan and the progress being made.
"Our troops have done an amazing job, but keeping them in the middle of a civil war will not get the Iraqi government any closer to securing and rebuilding their country,” said Thompson. “Moreover, without a plan to keep Iraq's civil war from spilling over to neighboring countries, the chaos in Iraq will multiply exponentially throughout the Middle East, putting the world in even greater danger. We must have a sound diplomatic strategy to contain Iraq's civil war or we will face consequences we can't even imagine."
"The time has come for Congress to hold the President accountable for his failed policy in Iraq,” added Matsui. “We can no longer talk about the need for change; the American people are calling for a new plan for Iraq, and this critical legislation takes action to answer that call. This Congress is committed to delivering on its promise of a new direction and a return to the priorities of our country."
All four original co-authors of this bill voted in favor of the Iraq bill introduced by Rep. Ike Skelton (D-MO) and last week, which would force the president to begin redeployment of U.S. troops within 120 days of enactment, with American forces out no later than March 31, 2008. They continue to support that bill, as well.
The difference between the Skelton bill and the new bill, however, is two-fold: 1) This bill forces the president to begin withdrawal of American forces sooner than the other bill, and 2) this bill makes clear that the U.S. must engage the international community in the creation of a regional containment plan.
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KELSEYVILLE – The California Highway Patrol is investigating an early morning crash on Tuesday in which a car slammed into a laundromat.
A report from Officer Adam Garcia of the Clear Lake area CHP office said that at 4:35 a.m. Tuesday a 17-year-old female was driving a 2005 Ford car westbound on Gunn Street in Kelseyville at a high rate of speed.
Gunn said the girl lost control of the car and collided with a wooden fence on Gunn near Saderlund Street.
Garcia said the car then turned back across Gunn Street, traveled off the south road edge and collided with the Launderland Laundromat before coming to rest inside the building.
The collision caused major damage to the structure of the laundromat and total damage to her vehicle, according to Garcia.
The teen is believed to have been under the influence of alcohol at the time of the collision, said Garcia. She was subsequently arrested for suspicion of DUI.
The investigation into the collision is continuing, Garcia reported, led by CHP Officer Steven Curtis.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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LAKE COUNTY – Increasing southwest winds combined with an unseasonably strong low pressure system off the coast will sweep a chance of rain into Lake County overnight bringing cooler temperatures for today and tomorrow, according to the National Weather Service in Sacramento (NWS).
But until that happens, a red flag warning for fire danger has been issued due to the current low humidity and increasing winds by the NWS.
Breezy Southwest winds will blow in from the coast across interior California later today and into this evening bringing cooler temperatures and increasing clouds, NWS reported.
Scattered showers and a few thunderstorms may occur in the evening and overnight in Lake County. Tomorrow will be overcast with a 40 percent chance of light rain, predicts the NWS.
The NWS predicts a return to warmer and drier conditions which are more typical by the end of the week.
E-mail Terre Logsdon at
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KELSEYVILLE – A long-held dream of many local history lovers is beginning to take shape.
Within the next two weeks, the Ely Stage Stop – believed to be one of the county's oldest stick-built buildings – will begin its move from its current location along Highway 29 to its new home as a museum on Soda Bay Road.
The stage stop was built around 1859 to 1860, said Eric Seely, the county's deputy redevelopment director.
Seely probably knows more about the stage stop than anyone. Since joining the county a year and a half ago, he's worked with the Lake County Historical Society to make the project a reality.
Before than, he worked for two years on the project while employed by Beckstoffer Vineyards – who owns the land where the building is currently located, and donated the building to the county.
Beckstoffer also donated a five-acre parcel and a one-acre easement along Soda Bay Road where the Ely Stage Stop and a new museum will be located.
The county will own the building, said Seely, but the historical society will operate it.
Seely and members of the historical society met at the museum site Friday evening to go over the project's status and walk the property.
It was the last of three public meetings in the process of developing the museum's master plan, Seely explained, which is necessary in order to finalize the site and get grading and building permits.
The stage stop building will set atop a hill along Soda Bay Road. Historical Society President Randy Ridgel pointed out that the view is to die for, and he's right: the museum will look out across a meadow framed with oak trees toward the slopes of Mt. Konocti.
“For a change, the actual site is more dramatic than the artist's rendition,” said Ridgel who, along with wife Jackie, have worked to make the dream a reality.
Below the museum, situated so as not to obstruct that incredible panorama, will sit four historic barns that will house historic farm equipment and other implements and displays, Seely said.
Greg Dills, who chairs the historical society's Ely Stage Stop committee, said they have one barn that needs to be moved by the end of August. He's also wrapping up negotiations on the other barns, he said.
The project won't be done all at once, Seely explained. “We're doing this project as funding permits. We're doing it in stages.”
The first phase will include the house move and installing a new roof, Seely said. Future phases will include a wraparound porch; the house's complete restoration with modifications to make it adhere to existing building code; and developing water, power and phone utilities.
“We're still looking at a couple of years,” he said.
The house originally didn't have a kitchen, said Seely; that was in a separate building. While they know a lot about the house, they haven't been able to find photos of it dating before the 1940s.
As much as possible, original materials are being saved for reuse. The house's chimney will eventually be reconstructed with the original bricks.
Two of the original windows are still extant, and will be used as template for new windows to replace missing windows, Seely said. Shortly after Beckstoffer donated the building, one of its largest windows, made with a type of wavy glass common in old homes, was broken by a vandal who tossed a brick through it.
The historical society, said Seely, has received “very substantial” financial contributions to support the stage stop museum. They've also received a lot of help in the form of volunteer time.
The house will begin its move this next week, Seely said. A Bay Area contractor who received the $60,000 contract to move the house will take it west to a staging point where it will be moved across the highway in preparation to travel cross country.
Officials including Caltrans, AT&T, Pacific Gas & Electric Co., the county, the contractor who is moving the house and the subcontractor will meet at 10 a.m. July 18 at the site where the house will be moved across the highway to finalize their plans.
At about 6 a.m. Sunday, July 29, Highway 29 will be closed for a few hours as the house is moved across the highway, said Seely.
The next day, Monday, July 30, the house will begin its trek overland, Seely said, moving around springs, crossing one creek on a specially constructed bridge, and continuing to its hilltop location.
“The big day is going to be the final push up the hill,” said Seely.
The house move is likely to last about a week in total, Seely estimated.
To learn more about how you can help the project, contact the historical society at its Web site, http://lakecountyhistory.org, or contact Seely at 263-2580.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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