The group, which is active in Missoula, Helena and Butte, is made up of veterans, peace activists, students and professionals.
“We feel very much like this is a dialogue we should be having, and we won't have it until we start talking in earnest about what it means to bring the troops home,” said Betsy Mulligan-Dague, executive director of the Jeannette Rankin Peace Center, which is active in the effort.
In Helena, city residents will decide through a referendum whether to support such a resolution.
“More than 300 cities across the country have already done this, and it's time for Montana to get on board,” Mulligan-Dague said Friday. “We need to join the groundswell of support out there.”
The resolutions would essentially address both Congress and the White House, urging federal officials to withdraw from Iraq and take care of American veterans.
“The best way to support U.S. troops is to get them out of harm's way and bring them home,” said William Stodden, who is active in the Missoula contingent of the group.
Said Mulligan-Dague: “Politically, economically and morally it's the right thing to do. Think about all the tax dollars being spent, all the soldiers from Montana who are away from their families and jobs. They could be doing better things here.”
Although such resolutions are purely symbolic, Mulligan-Dague said they're useful.
“This is something that we need to be raising our voices about,” she said. “We need to support our senators who are in favor of withdrawal, and we need to be saying that we have a very important duty to take care of these troops who have been serving.”
Reporter Michael Moore can be reached at 523-5252 or at mmoore@missoulian.com
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