Bill Richardson has a strong plan to end this war, bring ALL the troops home and start reconciliation in Iraq. But Congress must act now: de-authorize this war and only pass funding for withdrawing all the troops from Iraq.

I'm joining his call on Congress to end this war NOW. Don't wait any longer. It is time to stand up and end this war and begin to withdraw all the troops.

Article 1 of the US Constitution gives the Congress, not the President, the right to declare war. And the War Powers Act specifies that the President may not continue a war without Congressional authorization. In 2002 Congress passed a resolution authorizing the Iraq war because the administration claimed Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction and links to Al Qaeda.

Saddam is dead. There never were any WMDs or ties to Al Qaeda. The basis for the 2002 war authorization is gone.

If Congress passes a resolution de-authorizing the war, the President has no legal authority to continue. De-authorization cannot be vetoed, and it would legally require Bush to begin bringing the troops home. If the President stalled on redeployment, Congress could pass funding legislation requiring him to withdraw. If Congress de-authorizes the war before the summer recess, our troops could be home in six months.

The time for waiting is over. People are dying every day. We cannot wait to start bringing our troops home. If Congress doesn't act before now, the only thing that will change between now and the end of the year is the body count.

Congress has a public mandate and the Constitutional authority to end this war. Now, they just need the will.

It is time to stand up to Bush. No more waiting, no more compromises. End the war now and get all the troops out.