Edwards: Congress Should Demand Withdrawal

Presidential Hopeful Says Troop Withdrawal Would Put Emphasis On Iraqis To Find Political Compromise

(CBS/AP)  Congress should continue to push for the withdrawal of troops from Iraq regardless of what top military advisers say in their progress report next month, Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards said Sunday on Face The Nation.

"I think they should not submit a single funding bill to the president for the war that doesn't have a timetable for withdrawal," Edwards told Bob Schieffer. "And I think they should use whatever legislative tool is available to them, including filibuster."

The former North Carolina senator started the last day of his four-day bus tour of New Hampshire outside Manchester's City Hall, where he told several hundred people that they should ask themselves two key questions when the report is released. First, has Iraq made progress toward a political solution? And second, how long will troops be deployed if there is no progress?

Edwards has said if he were president, he would remove about 50,000 American troops immediately, with the rest redeployed over about nine months. A troop withdrawal would show the Iraqi government that it needs to find a political compromise to end the conflict, he said.

"There has to be some compromise between Maliki and the Shia-led government and the Sunni leadership," Edwards said. "Otherwise there'll never be stability and security in Iraq. And Maliki, who has been, clearly, a weak leader, needs to be focused on that job."

Meanwhile, Sunday, Iraq's beleaguered prime minister lashed out at Democrats who have called for his ouster.

"There are American officials who consider Iraq as if it were one of their villages, for example Hillary Clinton and Carl Levin. They should come to their senses," al-Maliki said.

Al-Maliki struck back in the final days before the American commander in Iraq, Gen. David Petraeus is due in Washington for his September progress report.

The Shiite prime minister said a negative report by Petraeus would not cause him to change course, although he said he expected Petraeus would "be supportive of the government and will disappoint the politicians who are relying on it" to be negative.

Edwards said the prime minister is focusing on the wrong issue.

"I think that Maliki should quit worrying about Democrats and the presidential campaign in America and start worrying about what he needs to do in his own country," Edwards said.

"I mean, everyone knows that at the end of the day, as the Iraq Study Group has said and most of us have said at this point, there can be no military solution in Iraq. There has to be a political solution," he said.

Edwards stopped short of saying al-Maliki should resign.

"I think that's something for them to decide, not for us to decide," Edwards told Schieffer.

The former Senator from North Carolina said that there was no way of predicting what would happen if the U.S. withdrew its troops from Iraq.

"The truth is there are no good choices and no one can predict with any kind of accuracy exactly what's going to happen in Iraq," Edwards said. "We're going to maximize the chances of success, we're going to do this in an orderly and responsible way, but there's no way to know with certainty what will happen."

[chicagopoet]

What the heck are you talkinga about, lars008, we have been in Iraq longer than we were even in WWII. Are you a holocaust denyer as well?

[thgdriver]

I cant see how we can put this guy in the white house, every time an ambulance drives near 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. out of habit he will jump out of the oval office and chase it.

[prinzowhales]

lars008--You noted that there were ''two Muslim SS divisions''...How many Christian ones were there by way of comparison?

The Jabotinski faction of the Zionist movement, of which Begin and other Israeli leaders were members negotiated with the Nazis to enter the war on their side to toss the Brits out of Palestine...

[lars008-2009]

Posted by chicagopoet at 05:05 PM : Aug 27, 2007

after ww1 the usa left...

after ww2 the usa stayed...

after gulf war 1 the usa left...

after gulf war 2 the usa stayed...

[chicagopoet]

Whether you support the war or not, it is clear that it is time to come home. We''ve scrooed that country up as bad as any country can be scrooed up. Leave them alone to fix their mess now that Saddam Hussain is gone. Edwards / Richardson 2008.

[lars008-2009]

"As a member of the House Intelligence Committee, I am keenly aware that the proliferation of chemical and biological weapons is an issue of grave importance to all nations. Saddam Hussein has been engaged in the development of weapons of mass destruction technology which is a threat to countries in the region and he has made a mockery of the weapons inspection process." - Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D, CA), Dec. 16, 1998
http://www.house.gov/pelosi/priraq1.htm

"One way or the other, we are determined to deny Iraq the capacity to develop weapons of mass destruction and the missiles to deliver them. That is our bottom line." - President Clinton, Feb. 4, 1998
http://www.cnn.com/US/9802/04/us.un.iraq/

WASHINGTON (Feb. 18) -- In preparing the nation for a possible war with Iraq,
http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1998/02/18/iraq.political.analysis/

"If Saddam rejects peace and we have to use force, our purpose is clear. We want to seriously diminish the threat posed by Iraq''s weapons of mass destruction program." - President Bill Clinton, Feb. 17, 1998
http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1998/02/17/transcripts/clinton.iraq/

"Iraq is a long way from [here], but what happens there matters a great deal here. For the risks that the leaders of a rogue state will use nuclear, chemical or biological weapons against us or our allies is the greatest security threat we face." --Madeline Albright, Feb 18, 1998
http://www.fas.org/news/iraq/1998/02/20/98022006_tpo.html

[j4401]

I think some of you need to realize some facts.
The Real Reason We''re In Iraq:
An influential group of conservatives convinced President George W. Bush that it was in America''s best interests to conquer Iraq as a first step toward dominating the oil-producing nations in the Middle East. There was no "exit plan" because we never intended to exit. The plan was, and is, to build military bases in Iraq and stay there forever. Our leaders see Iraq as a place to make money. So Bush & Co. have set up their friends to cash in on the rebuilding of Iraq.

[lars008-2009]

the war is legal

the resumption of hostilities was only a matter of time since iraq broke the ceasefire agreement.....

blame saddam for iraq%u2026%u2026. Even clintoon and the dems wanted the resumption of hostilities back in 1998

"We know that he has stored secret supplies of biological and chemical weapons throughout his country." - Al Gore, Sept. 23, 2002

"Iraq''s search for weapons of mass destruction has proven impossible to deter and we should assume that it will continue for as long as Saddam is in power." - Al Gore, Sept. 23, 2002

Moreover, no international law can prevent the United States from taking actions to protect its vital interests, when it is manifestly clear that there is a choice to be made between law and survival. I believe, however, that such a choice is not presented in the case of Iraq. Indeed, should we decide to proceed, that action can be justified within the framework of international law rather than outside it. In fact, though a new UN resolution may be helpful in building international consensus, the existing resolutions from 1991 are sufficient from a legal standpoint. - Al Gore, Sept. 23, 2002
http://www.gwu.edu/~action/2004/gore/gore092302sp.html

[chicagopoet]

lars008, surrender to who? Iraq didn''t start the war, we did. In no way by anyone''s imagination can America be considered to be surrendering to anyone if it leaves Iraq. We went in there, kicked ***, de-Ba''athatized the entire place, dispanded the military and hung Saddam Hussain. If you call that surrendering you''re very confused. I think all of that was bad policy, but I certainly recognize it as a VICORY, even if it is victory in an illegal war. You are a paranoid person. Do you sleep with your lights on? Do you check under the bed to make sure there isn''t a terrorist there? Booga booga booga. Boo!

[lars008-2009]

Posted by chicagopoet at 04:42 PM : Aug 27, 2007

surrender... good plan... lol

guess you didn''t care what fascist nazi germany was showing either then...

It is convenient for liberals and fascist nazi Islamic muslims to forget that the "Grand Mufti of Jerusalem" went to Germany as a guest of Hitler during WWII...and begged Hitler to find the "final solution" to the jewish problem. This same Grand mufti used his influence to raise Two Muslim SS Divisions in Yugoslavia (Kosovo) and Albaina. These divisions were responsible for the murder of almost 1 Million jews, Serbs and Gypsies.

This same Grand Mufti was the maternal uncle of Yassir Arafat! The Mufti''s war continues today worldwide.
http://www.sullivan-county.com/immigration/nazi_arab.htm
http://www.sullivan-county.com/id4/mufti.htm
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=grand+mufti of jerusalem

[chicagopoet]

lars008, I could care less what Hamas TV is saying. They have the right to say whatever they want to say. Since I am not a paranoid fanatic like you it doesn''t bother me nor does it threaten me. America thinks it is supreme afterall and tries to prove it by dropping bombs on as many people in the middle east as it can get away with. Let Americans live in America and care about America and let Hamas live in Palestine and carea bout Palestine. We need to get out of the middle east completely. John Edwards has a plan to end the war.

[lars008-2009]

Washington Post, Other Newspapers Won''t Run ''Opus'' Cartoon Mocking Radical Islam

A popular comic strip that poked fun at the Rev. Jerry Falwell without incident one week ago was deemed too controversial to run over the weekend because this time it took a humorous swipe at Muslim fundamentalists.
http://salon.com/comics/opus/2007/08/26/opus/

[lars008-2009]

Posted by chicagopoet at 03:50 PM : Aug 27, 2007

rather be broke than a slave under fascist nazi terrorislam...

FASCIST NAZI TERRORISLAM TO ENSLAVE NON MUSLIM WORLD

HAMAS MICKEY MOUSE SAYS
Islamic rule will benefit Christians and Jews
by Itamar Marcus and Barbara Crook - May 14, 2007
The force behind Hamas TV%u2019s controversial Mickey Mouse clone said today that his children%u2019s television program will continue to promote worldwide Islamic supremacy, for everyone''s benefit, including Christians and Jews.
In a long interview on Hamas TV, Hazim Al-Sha%u2019arawi, Deputy Director of Al-Aqsa TV and one of the creators of the Hamas children%u2019s TV show Tomorrow%u2019s Pioneers, said that using the program to promote Islamic rule over other religions is actually promoting %u201Cjustice, goodness and world love.%u201D
Al-Aqsa TV and the Palestinian Authority have been under fire since PMW reported last week that Tomorrow%u2019s Pioneers was using a character named Farfur, a knockoff of Disney%u2019s Mickey Mouse character, to convey messages about Islamic supremacy as well as hatred of Jews, Israel and the U.S. Despite public statements by PA Minister of Information Mustafa Barghouti that the show would be taken off the air until it could be reviewed and revised, a new episode of the program %u2013 featuring Al-Sha%u2019arawi as one of the hosts %u2013 ran Friday.
http://pmw.org.il/bulletins_may2007.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5S995NCeaUg

[chicagopoet]

whatever, lars008, by your standards we will be in Iraq until the year 3000 and this country will go bankrupt doing it. a wise man knows when to quit. if bush had half a brain cell he would have declared the war won when saddam was hanged and he would have started pulling troops out at that moment. then at least we could have left while declaring victory. bush is the one that says if we leave we lost. that makes no sense though. lost to whom? the country is in a civil war and we don''t even know who the enemey is anymore. it''s time to go.

[gunnerv1]

Mr. Edwards needs to give back the $200,000.00 illegal campaign donation, unless he needs it to pay his Barber.

[lars008-2009]

It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace--but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death! March 23, 1775 Patrick Henry

USA''s PLEDGE 2 THE WORLD GIVEN BY JFK!!

"Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty." - John F. Kennedy, Inaugural Address, Jan. 20, 1961

"Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country." - John F. Kennedy, Inaugural Address, Jan. 20, 1961

One ought never to turn one''s back on a threatened danger and try to run away from it. If you do that, you will double the danger. But if you meet it promptly and without flinching, you will reduce the danger by half. Winston Churchill

"The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing." Albert Einstein

Edmund Burke: All that is necessary for evil to succeed is that good men do nothing.

[chicagopoet]

The war in Iraq has already failed. Bush made sure of that. It is time to bring our sons and daughters home. John Edwards is the answer.

[infidel_us]

It''''s not terrible but it isn''''t as rosy as you paint it for many Americans. It''''s not all about you.
Posted by realpatriot1 at 01:49 PM : Aug 27, 2007

True, but the smae thing happened to me when I got out of college in New Orleans back in ''83. The oil and gas industry dried up! I stuck it out till ''92 and them me and muy family MOVED to Atlanta. Why? Cause that''s where the jobs were.

Things change. The UAW union shot the car companies in the head years ago. Now, they''re dying. Either go where the jobs are or stay in MI and complain that the ''gubment'' isn''t doing enough.

[mbcsmith]

The LIBS have pinned their political futures to U.S. military failure in Iraq. In the face of progress on the ground and political successes in Diyala the LIBS are now sweating. Too bad when a political party in control of Congress WANTS a U.S. failure.

[geezer62]

oakishpines

What the F*** are you talking about. Is this some new language? If this is stream of conscious thinking you have a serious short circuit.