Editing Committee for the Liberation of Iraq

{{sources|date=April 2016}}
{{Infobox organization
| name          = Committee for the Liberation of Iraq (CLI)
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| formation     =  November 2002
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| dissolved     =  2003<ref name="Mission Statement 2003"/>
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| type          = Lobby
| tax_id        =  <!-- or | vat_id = (for non-profit org) -->
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| purpose  = Promote the replacing of [[Saddam Hussein]]'s regime with a democratic government<ref name="Mission Statement 2003"/>
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| leader_title  = Chairman of the Board   
| leader_name   = [[Bruce Jackson (Project on Transitional Democracies)|Bruce P. Jackson]]
| leader_title2 = Executive Director   
| leader_name2  = [[Randy Scheunemann]]
| leader_title3 = Treasurer 
| leader_name3  = Julie Finley
| leader_title4 = Secretary     
| leader_name4  = [[Gary Schmitt]]
| board_of_directors = 
| key_people    =  
[[George P. Shultz|George Shultz]] (Chairman Advisory Board) <br/> [[John McCain]] (Honorary Co-Chairmen Advisory Board)<br/> [[Joe Lieberman|Joseph Lieberman]] (Honorary Co-Chairmen Advisory Board)
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| website       =  {{URL|https://web.archive.org/web/20030803155500/http://www.liberationiraq.org/}} (archived 2003)
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The '''Committee for the Liberation of Iraq''' ('''CLI''') was a [[non-governmental organization]] which described itself as a "distinguished group of Americans" who wanted to "free [[Iraq]] from [[Saddam Hussein]]".

==History==
The organization was founded in 2002. In a news release announcing its formation, the group said its goal was to "promote regional peace, political freedom and international security through replacement of the Saddam Hussein regime with a democratic government that respects the rights of the Iraqi people and ceases to threaten the community of nations."<ref name="Mission Statement 2003"/> It had close links to the [[Project for the New American Century]] (PNAC) and the [[American Enterprise Institute]] (AEI), important shapers of the [[George W. Bush|Bush administration]]'s foreign policy.{{citation needed|date=November 2014}}

''[[The Washington Post]]'' reported in November 2002 that "the organization is modeled on a successful lobbying campaign to expand the NATO alliance. Members include former secretary of state [[George P. Shultz]], Sen. [[John McCain]] (R-Ariz.) and former senator [[Bob Kerrey]] (D-Neb.). ... While the Iraq committee is an independent entity, committee officers said they expect to work closely with the administration. They already have met with Hadley and Bush political adviser [[Karl Rove]]. Committee officers and a White House spokesman said [[Condoleezza Rice|Rice]], Hadley and [[Dick Cheney|Cheney]] will soon meet with the group."<ref name="Washington Post 2002"/>

With the successful [[2003 invasion of Iraq|removal of Saddam Hussein]], the committee appears to have disbanded, and its once-prominent website no longer exists.<ref name="Mission Statement 2003"/> However, its offices still remain on Pennsylvania Avenue and 10th Street.

== Personnel ==
*[[Randy Scheunemann]], CLI's executive director, former chief national-security adviser to U.S. Senator [[Trent Lott]], has also worked for [[Donald Rumsfeld]] as a consultant on Iraq policy. While working for Lott in 1998, Scheunemann drafted the "Iraq Liberation Act" that authorized $98 million for the [[Iraqi National Congress]]. 
*[[Evan Bayh]], U.S. Senator (honorary co-chair) [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb5554/is_200302/ai_n21816742]
*[[Bruce Jackson (Project on Transitional Democracies)|Bruce P. Jackson]], chairman, is the former vice president of weapons contractor Lockheed Martin. He also chaired the Republican Party Platform's subcommittee for National Security and Foreign Policy when [[George W. Bush]] ran for president in 2000.
*[[Jonathan Pallant]], Exeter University

===Advisory board===
*[[Mahdi Al-Bassam]], Iraq Liberation Action Committee<ref name="Advisory Board 2003"/>
*[[Barry Blechman]], DFI International, Co-founder of the [[Henry L. Stimson Center]]<ref name="Advisory Board 2003"/>
*[[Eliot Cohen]], Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies<ref name="Advisory Board 2003"/>
*[[Thomas A. Dine]], [[Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty]], former Director of the [[American Israel Public Affairs Committee]] pro-Israel lobbying group<ref name="Advisory Board 2003"/>
*General [[Wayne Downing]], U.S. Army (retired), has been a lobbyist for the [[Iraqi National Congress]]<ref name="Advisory Board 2003"/>
*[[Rend al-Rahim Francke]], [[Iraq Foundation]]<ref name="Advisory Board 2003"/>
*[[Newt Gingrich]], former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives<ref name="Advisory Board 2003"/>
*Lt. General [[Buster Glosson]], U.S. Air Force (retired)<ref name="Advisory Board 2003"/>
*[[James P. Hoffa]], International Brotherhood of Teamsters<ref name="Advisory Board 2003"/>
*[[Howell Jackson (professor)|Howell Jackson]], Professor of Law, Harvard Law School<ref name="Advisory Board 2003"/>
*[[Robert Kerrey]], former U.S. presidential candidate<ref name="Advisory Board 2003"/>
*[[Jeane J. Kirkpatrick]], [[American Enterprise Institute]]<ref name="Advisory Board 2003"/>
*[[William Kristol]], ''[[The Weekly Standard]]'', chairman of the [[Project for the New American Century]]<ref name="Advisory Board 2003"/>
*[[Bernard Lewis]], Princeton University<ref name="Advisory Board 2003"/>
*[[Joseph Lieberman]], U.S. senator (honorary co-chair)<ref name="Advisory Board 2003"/>
*General [[Barry McCaffrey]], U.S. Army (retired); former U.S. "drug czar"<ref name="Advisory Board 2003"/>
*[[John McCain]], U.S. senator (honorary co-chair)<ref name="Advisory Board 2003"/>
*[[Will Marshall]], [[Progressive Policy Institute]]<ref name="Advisory Board 2003"/>
*[[Richard Perle]], former Assistant Secretary of Defense, co-founder of the [[Project for the New American Century]]<ref name="Advisory Board 2003"/>
*[[Danielle Pletka]], [[American Enterprise Institute]]<ref name="Advisory Board 2003"/>
*[[Gary Schmitt]], executive director of the [[Project for the New American Century]]
*[[George P. Shultz]], [[United States Secretary of State|Secretary of State]] under [[Ronald Reagan]]<ref name="Advisory Board 2003"/>
*[[Richard H. Shultz|Richard Shultz]], [[The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy]]<ref name="Advisory Board 2003"/>
*[[Steve Solarz]], former congressman<ref name="Advisory Board 2003"/>
*[[Ruth Wedgwood]], Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies<ref name="Advisory Board 2003"/>
*[[Leon Wieseltier]], ''[[The New Republic]]''<ref name="Advisory Board 2003"/>
*Chris Williams, Johnston and Associates <ref name="Advisory Board 2003"/>
*[[R. James Woolsey]], former [[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]] Director<ref name="Advisory Board 2003"/>

===International advisory board===
{{Expand list|date=August 2014}}
*[[Carl Bildt]], former [[Prime Minister of Sweden]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://expressen.se/index.jsp?a=890947 |title=Chefen: Därför värvade vi Bildt (article only available in Swedish) |access-date=2007-02-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070227050725/http://www.expressen.se/index.jsp?a=890947 |archive-date=2007-02-27  }}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em|refs=

<ref name="Washington Post 2002">{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A64233-2002Nov3?language=printer |title=New Group Aims to Drum Up Backing for Ousting Hussein |first=Peter |last=Slevin |date=November 4, 2002 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021105033249/http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A64233-2002Nov3?language=printer |archive-date=2002-11-05 }} </ref>

<ref name="Advisory Board 2003">{{cite web | url= http://www.liberationiraq.org/climembers.shtml |title= Advisory Board - The Committee for the Liberation of Iraq| date= 2003 | publisher=  The Committee for the Liberation of Iraq| access-date= Aug 11, 2014 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20030213184925/http://www.liberationiraq.org/climembers.shtml | archive-date= 2003-02-13}}</ref>

<ref name="Mission Statement 2003">{{cite web | url= http://www.liberationiraq.org/ |title= Advisory Board - The Committee for the Liberation of Iraq| date= 2003 | publisher=  The Committee for the Liberation of Iraq| access-date= Aug 11, 2014 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20030803155500/http://www.liberationiraq.org/ | archive-date= 2003-08-03}}</ref>
}}

{{Refbegin}}
*{{cite news |title=Shultz is still making his voice heard after 50 years at the top: The influence of the former secretary of state now forms the bedrock of US foreign policy, says James Harding |first= James|last=Harding |newspaper=Financial Times|location=London (UK) |date=21 Nov 2002 |page=22 }}
*{{cite news |title=Iraq okays UN terms, Bush pushes war |first=Terrie |last=Albano |url=https://www.nyc.indymedia.org/es/2002/11/18976.html |newspaper=People's Weekly World |location=New York |date=16 Nov 2002 |access-date=Aug 11, 2014 |page=1 |archive-date=12 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180812115909/https://www.nyc.indymedia.org/es/2002/11/18976.html  }}
*{{cite news |title= Review: THE BACK PAGE: Richard Seymour on the socialist who became a neocon |first= Richard. |last= Seymour|newspaper=The Guardian  |date= 19 Jan 2013|page=21 }}
*{{cite news |title=Aftermath of war in the Caucasus |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/letters/aftermath-of-war-in-the-caucasus-1.931845 |newspaper=Irish Times |date=19 Aug 2008 |access-date=Aug 11, 2014 |page=13 }}
*{{cite news |title=The Russia-Georgia Conflict: McCain's Georgia ties; Candidate's adviser served as a lobbyist for ex-Soviet republic|first=Mary |last=Jacoby |newspaper=Wall Street Journal |date=13 Aug 2008 |page= 3}}
*{{cite news |title= Randy Scheunemann|first= Aziz|last=Haniffa |newspaper= India Abroad|location=New York, N.Y |date=6 June 2008 |page= A16}}
*{{cite news|title= A Conversation with Antonia Juhasz|first= Marty|last= Levine|url= https://www.pghcitypaper.com/pittsburgh/anti-wara-conversation-with-antonia-juhasz/Content?oid=1337329|newspaper= Pittsburgh City Paper|date= 26 July 2006|access-date= Aug 11, 2014|page= 10}}
*{{cite news |title=America's noble but foolish designs for the Middle East: PHILIP STEPHENS |first= Philip|last= Stephens|newspaper= Financial Times |location= London (UK)|date=22 Nov 2002 |page=21 }}
*{{cite news |title= BY FREEING LIBBY, BUSH PROTECTS HIMSELF|first=Amy |last=Goodman |newspaper=Creative Loafing |location= Charlotte|date=11 July 2007 |page=22 }}
*{{cite news |title=Left Coast Liberals Fume as Charity Taps Former Aipac Man for Top Post |first=Richman |last=Josh |url=https://forward.com/news/2498/left-coast-liberals-fume-as-charity-taps-former-ai/ |newspaper=Forward |location=New York, N.Y |date=5 Aug 2005 |access-date=Aug 11, 2014 |page=1 }}
*{{cite news |title=Say goodbye to The Three 'I's |first=David |last= Horovitz|newspaper= Jerusalem Post|location=Jerusalem|date=3 June 2005 |page= 24}}
*{{cite news |title=While Mr Blair talks of victory in Iraq, the troops are afraid to go out at night ; 'Saddam was a shame upon Iraq,' one man told me as we stood beside 400 skulls in a hall at Hillah. 'But America let them die' |first=Robert |last=Fisk |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/commentators/fisk/while-mr-blair-talks-of-victory-in-iraq-the-troops-are-afraid-to-go-out-at-night-106954.html |newspaper=The Independent |location=London (UK) |date=31 May 2003 |access-date=Aug 11, 2014 |page=20 }}
*{{cite news |title= Do turkeys enjoy thanksgiving?|first= Roy|last=Arundhati |url= https://www.thehindu.com/2004/01/18/stories/2004011800181400.htm|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20040217113608/http://www.thehindu.com/2004/01/18/stories/2004011800181400.htm|url-status= dead|archive-date= February 17, 2004|location=Chennai |date=18 Jan 2004 |access-date= Aug 11, 2014 |newspaper= [[The Hindu]]|page= 1}}
*{{cite news |title=CONSULTANTS PROFIT FROM THEIR PENTAGON TIES ; EX-CIA COUPLE REFLECT A PATTERN |first=Walter F Jr. |last=Roche |url=http://archive.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2004/08/15/consultants_profit_from_their_pentagon_ties/ |newspaper=Boston Globe |date=15 Aug 2004 |access-date=Aug 11, 2014 |page=A16 }}
*{{cite news |title=Opposition groups to gather for UK meeting IRAQI DISSIDENTS |first= Roula|last=Khalaf |newspaper= Financial Times|date=13 Dec 2002 |page=09 }}
*{{cite news |title= Preparing for War: 'New' Europe, Public Disagree --- Despite Official Positions, Opposition to an Iraq War Is Widespread, Polls Show|first=Andrew |last=Higgins |newspaper=Wall Street Journal, Europe |date= 18 Mar 2003|page=A2 }}
{{Refend}}

== External links ==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20030803155500/http://www.liberationiraq.org/ Committee for the Liberation of Iraq (archived website 2003)]
*{{cite news |title=Q: What Do Sarah Palin, Ahmad Chalabi, and the NRA Have in Common? A: McCain's top foreign policy adviser has tried to sell America on all of them |author=Laura Rozen |date=October 9, 2008 |work=Mother Jones |url=https://www.motherjones.com/washington_dispatch/2008/10/scheunemann.html }}

[[Category:Foreign policy political advocacy groups in the United States]]
[[Category:Iraq–United States relations]]
[[Category:Propaganda in the Iraq War]]
[[Category:Organizations established in 2002]]
[[Category:Organizations disestablished in 2003]]