SmootSmack
07-24-2007, 01:19 AM
(Gotta get these non-football threads out of the way). I thought maybe instead of another political thread that harps on the past or that is designed simply to push one’s beliefs, maybe (just maybe) we could have an actual thread that intelligently discusses a topic relevant to the immediate (and long term) future.
With that in mind, the topic is Iraq. “When is it not?,” you ask. But this time, let’s not talk about who said what back in 2002. Let’s instead focus on each of the candidate’s plans for Iraq and who you think has the best plan moving forward. I've included some bullet points of the top candidate's plan along with links to more. Hopefully, this will lead to some good discussion. And we can all learn a little something.
(These are in no particular order)
Barack Obama
-Goal of removing all combat brigades from Iraq by March 31, 2008 -- a date consistent with the bipartisan Iraq Study Group's expectations.
-The plan allows for a limited number of U.S. troops to remain in Iraq as basic force protection, to engage in counter-terrorism and to continue the training of Iraqi security forces.
- United States needs to move beyond Iraq and “refocus our attention on the broader Middle East.” Reverse the troop surge and redeploy U.S. troops to Afghanistan and other locations in phases. He favors more funds for U.S. military equipment like night-vision goggles and reinforced Humvees.
BarackObama.com | Plan to End the Iraq War (http://www.barackobama.com/issues/iraq/)
Joe Biden
-Maintain a unified Iraq by federalizing it and giving Kurds, Shiites and Sunnis breathing room in their own regions.
-The central government would be responsible for common interests, like border security and the distribution of oil revenues. The plan would bind the Sunnis - who have no oil -- by guaranteeing them a proportionate share of oil revenues.
-Call on the U.S. military to withdraw most U.S. troops from Iraq by the end of 2007, with a residual force to keep Iraqis and their neighbors honest.
- It would increase economic aid but tie it to the protection of minority rights and the creation of a jobs program and seek funding from the oil-rich Gulf Arab states.
Joe Biden for President | Issues (http://www.joebiden.com/issues/?id=0009)
Hillary Clinton
-Proposed, along with Senator Robert Byrd, legislation to end authority for the war in Iraq. The legislation will propose October 11, 2007 -- the five year anniversary of the original resolution authorizing the use of force in Iraq -- as the expiration date for that resolution.
-The President would be required to come to Congress to seek new authority.
-Cap on troop levels to January 1, 2007 levels.
- Opposes the establishment of permanent military bases in Iraq,
HillaryClinton.com - Issues - Ending the War in Iraq (http://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/iraq/)
John Edwards
-Cap funding for the troops in Iraq at 100,000 troops to stop the surge and implement an immediate drawdown of 40-50,000 combat troops. Any troops beyond that level should be redeployed immediately.
-Prohibit funding to deploy any new troops to Iraq that do not meet real readiness standards and that have not been properly trained and equipped, so American tax dollars are used to train and equip our troops, instead of escalating the war.
-Require a complete withdrawal of combat troops in Iraq in 12 to 18 months without leaving behind any permanent U.S. military bases in Iraq.
John Edwards for President-John Edwards' Plan To End The War In Iraq (http://johnedwards.com/issues/iraq/)
Bill Richardson
-Congress should immediately assert its constitutional authority and pass a resolution de-authorizing the war under Article I of the US Constitution and the War Powers Act.
-There should be no residual US forces left in Iraq. Most Iraqis, and most others in the region, believe that we are there for their oil, and this perception is exploited by Al Qaeda, other insurgents, and anti-American Shia groups.
-Redeploy some of our troops to Afghanistan to stop the resurgence of the Taliban. While all American troops in Iraq must be removed, we need to maintain a military presence in the region, in countries like Kuwait where they are welcome. We must always have the capacity to use air power, special forces and other means to strike Al Qaeda anywhere. We do not need American troops in Iraq to perform this essential task.
Bill Richardson for President | Issues | Iraq (http://www.richardsonforpresident.com/issues/iraq)
Dennis Kucinich
-Complete withdrawal. Upon pulling out, Kucinich calls for an “international security and peacekeeping force to move in,” led by the United Nations.
-Turn all U.S. contracting business in Iraq over to the Iraqi government and call on the international community for more reconstruction aid.
-United States should fund a national reconciliation conference under the auspices of the United Nations.
Redskins Warpath (http://kucinich.us/)
Mike Gravel
-Immediate and orderly withdrawal of all U.S. troops that will have them home within 60 days.
-Aggressive diplomacy to bring an end to the civil war that currently consumes Iraq.
-U.S. corporate withdrawal from Iraq and hand over reconstruction contracts to Iraqi businesses which will empower Iraqi nationals to reconstruct their own country.
The Issues | Gravel 2008 (http://www.gravel2008.us/issues#war_in_iraq)
Chris Dodd
-Redeployment of U.S. troops.
-May 2007 amendment that would implement a deadline for troop withdrawal within ten months and cut off funding by mid-2008.
Chris Dodd for President | Chris Dodd for President (http://www.chrisdodd.com/issues/foreign_affairs)
John McCain
-One of the most outspoken proponents of Bush’s surge strategy, even arguing that the escalation does not go far enough.
-Supported the president’s efforts to increase the size of the U.S. standing military by 92,000 soldiers and Marines.
-Cautions that regional talks with Iran and Syria may not prove effective. “Our interests in Iraq diverge significantly from those of Damascus and Tehran, and this is unlikely to change under the current regimes,” he says.
-February 2007, coauthored resolution calling for Iraqi government to meet eleven benchmarks on issues of security, economic performance, and governance.
John McCain 2008 - John McCain for President (http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/Issues/fdeb03a7-30b0-4ece-8e34-4c7ea83f11d8.htm)
Duncan Hunter
-Staunch supporter of war
-Supports troop surge
The Official Site of Duncan Hunter for US President in 2008 (http://www.gohunter08.com/index.asp)
Sam Brownback
-Maintains that “the region and the world are safer now that Saddam Hussein has been removed from power.”
-Does not support the troop surge. Instead, he has called for a strong diplomatic effort in the region
-Supports a “three-state, one-country solution” in Iraq.
Brownback for President (http://www.brownback.com/s/Home/tabid/127/Default.aspx)
Tom Tancredo
-Opposes the troop surge and calls for disengagement to “let regional powers and Iraqi factions cooperate to forge a new balance of power” by November 2007.
Tancredo for President - On The Issues (http://www.teamtancredo.com/tancredo_issues_index.asp)
Mike Huckabee
-Any timetable for troop withdrawal is “a mistake”
-Supports the surge effort
-Favors inviting Iraq’s neighbors to “become financially and militarily committed to stabilizing Iraq now rather than financially and militarily committed to widening the war later.”
Mike Huckabee for President - Issues (http://www.mikehuckabee.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=Issues.View&Issue_id=2)
Tommy Thompson
-The Iraqi parliament should vote on whether they want us there. If they do, we have greater world standing to be there. If not, that sends a strong message to the United States on what it should do next in Iraq.
-The United States should work with Iraqis to support elections of leaders in each of the nation's 18 provinces to operate under a national government. A model much like states in the United States, this will give Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds their own pieces of Iraq.
-Encourage the Iraqi government to give every Iraqi a stake in the nation’s rich oil reserves. Oil revenues should be divided in thirds among the national government, the provincial governments and individual Iraq citizens. This is a proven model currently used in Alaska, where the citizens of that state receive annual royalties from oil production there.
Rudy Giuliani
-Believes setting an artificial timetable for withdrawal from Iraq now would be a terrible mistake, because it would only embolden our enemies.
-Iraq is only one front in the larger war on terror, and failure there would lead to a broader and bloodier regional conflict in the near future. Building an accountable Iraq will assist in reducing the threat of terrorism.
-Supports troop surge plan, but says the plan needs some quantitative means by which to measure progress.
JoinRudy2008 - Home (http://www.joinrudy2008.com/index.php?section=2)
Mitt Romney
-Supported efforts to include Iraq’s neighbors in security negotiations. He has pressed Arab governments in the region to do more to “support Iraq’s nascent government.”
-Favors the president’s surge strategy and opposes plans to pull out of Iraq in the near future or to carve up the country into three regions
Mitt Romney for President 2008 (http://www.mittromney.com/)
Ron Paul
-Cosponsored the Iraq War De-Escalation Act of 2007, which, if passed, would have stopped the troop surge in Iraq and begun redeployment of U.S. troops by May 1, 2007. That act was never voted on.
Ron Paul 2008 › Issues (http://www.ronpaul2008.com/issues/)
With that in mind, the topic is Iraq. “When is it not?,” you ask. But this time, let’s not talk about who said what back in 2002. Let’s instead focus on each of the candidate’s plans for Iraq and who you think has the best plan moving forward. I've included some bullet points of the top candidate's plan along with links to more. Hopefully, this will lead to some good discussion. And we can all learn a little something.
(These are in no particular order)
Barack Obama
-Goal of removing all combat brigades from Iraq by March 31, 2008 -- a date consistent with the bipartisan Iraq Study Group's expectations.
-The plan allows for a limited number of U.S. troops to remain in Iraq as basic force protection, to engage in counter-terrorism and to continue the training of Iraqi security forces.
- United States needs to move beyond Iraq and “refocus our attention on the broader Middle East.” Reverse the troop surge and redeploy U.S. troops to Afghanistan and other locations in phases. He favors more funds for U.S. military equipment like night-vision goggles and reinforced Humvees.
BarackObama.com | Plan to End the Iraq War (http://www.barackobama.com/issues/iraq/)
Joe Biden
-Maintain a unified Iraq by federalizing it and giving Kurds, Shiites and Sunnis breathing room in their own regions.
-The central government would be responsible for common interests, like border security and the distribution of oil revenues. The plan would bind the Sunnis - who have no oil -- by guaranteeing them a proportionate share of oil revenues.
-Call on the U.S. military to withdraw most U.S. troops from Iraq by the end of 2007, with a residual force to keep Iraqis and their neighbors honest.
- It would increase economic aid but tie it to the protection of minority rights and the creation of a jobs program and seek funding from the oil-rich Gulf Arab states.
Joe Biden for President | Issues (http://www.joebiden.com/issues/?id=0009)
Hillary Clinton
-Proposed, along with Senator Robert Byrd, legislation to end authority for the war in Iraq. The legislation will propose October 11, 2007 -- the five year anniversary of the original resolution authorizing the use of force in Iraq -- as the expiration date for that resolution.
-The President would be required to come to Congress to seek new authority.
-Cap on troop levels to January 1, 2007 levels.
- Opposes the establishment of permanent military bases in Iraq,
HillaryClinton.com - Issues - Ending the War in Iraq (http://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/iraq/)
John Edwards
-Cap funding for the troops in Iraq at 100,000 troops to stop the surge and implement an immediate drawdown of 40-50,000 combat troops. Any troops beyond that level should be redeployed immediately.
-Prohibit funding to deploy any new troops to Iraq that do not meet real readiness standards and that have not been properly trained and equipped, so American tax dollars are used to train and equip our troops, instead of escalating the war.
-Require a complete withdrawal of combat troops in Iraq in 12 to 18 months without leaving behind any permanent U.S. military bases in Iraq.
John Edwards for President-John Edwards' Plan To End The War In Iraq (http://johnedwards.com/issues/iraq/)
Bill Richardson
-Congress should immediately assert its constitutional authority and pass a resolution de-authorizing the war under Article I of the US Constitution and the War Powers Act.
-There should be no residual US forces left in Iraq. Most Iraqis, and most others in the region, believe that we are there for their oil, and this perception is exploited by Al Qaeda, other insurgents, and anti-American Shia groups.
-Redeploy some of our troops to Afghanistan to stop the resurgence of the Taliban. While all American troops in Iraq must be removed, we need to maintain a military presence in the region, in countries like Kuwait where they are welcome. We must always have the capacity to use air power, special forces and other means to strike Al Qaeda anywhere. We do not need American troops in Iraq to perform this essential task.
Bill Richardson for President | Issues | Iraq (http://www.richardsonforpresident.com/issues/iraq)
Dennis Kucinich
-Complete withdrawal. Upon pulling out, Kucinich calls for an “international security and peacekeeping force to move in,” led by the United Nations.
-Turn all U.S. contracting business in Iraq over to the Iraqi government and call on the international community for more reconstruction aid.
-United States should fund a national reconciliation conference under the auspices of the United Nations.
Redskins Warpath (http://kucinich.us/)
Mike Gravel
-Immediate and orderly withdrawal of all U.S. troops that will have them home within 60 days.
-Aggressive diplomacy to bring an end to the civil war that currently consumes Iraq.
-U.S. corporate withdrawal from Iraq and hand over reconstruction contracts to Iraqi businesses which will empower Iraqi nationals to reconstruct their own country.
The Issues | Gravel 2008 (http://www.gravel2008.us/issues#war_in_iraq)
Chris Dodd
-Redeployment of U.S. troops.
-May 2007 amendment that would implement a deadline for troop withdrawal within ten months and cut off funding by mid-2008.
Chris Dodd for President | Chris Dodd for President (http://www.chrisdodd.com/issues/foreign_affairs)
John McCain
-One of the most outspoken proponents of Bush’s surge strategy, even arguing that the escalation does not go far enough.
-Supported the president’s efforts to increase the size of the U.S. standing military by 92,000 soldiers and Marines.
-Cautions that regional talks with Iran and Syria may not prove effective. “Our interests in Iraq diverge significantly from those of Damascus and Tehran, and this is unlikely to change under the current regimes,” he says.
-February 2007, coauthored resolution calling for Iraqi government to meet eleven benchmarks on issues of security, economic performance, and governance.
John McCain 2008 - John McCain for President (http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/Issues/fdeb03a7-30b0-4ece-8e34-4c7ea83f11d8.htm)
Duncan Hunter
-Staunch supporter of war
-Supports troop surge
The Official Site of Duncan Hunter for US President in 2008 (http://www.gohunter08.com/index.asp)
Sam Brownback
-Maintains that “the region and the world are safer now that Saddam Hussein has been removed from power.”
-Does not support the troop surge. Instead, he has called for a strong diplomatic effort in the region
-Supports a “three-state, one-country solution” in Iraq.
Brownback for President (http://www.brownback.com/s/Home/tabid/127/Default.aspx)
Tom Tancredo
-Opposes the troop surge and calls for disengagement to “let regional powers and Iraqi factions cooperate to forge a new balance of power” by November 2007.
Tancredo for President - On The Issues (http://www.teamtancredo.com/tancredo_issues_index.asp)
Mike Huckabee
-Any timetable for troop withdrawal is “a mistake”
-Supports the surge effort
-Favors inviting Iraq’s neighbors to “become financially and militarily committed to stabilizing Iraq now rather than financially and militarily committed to widening the war later.”
Mike Huckabee for President - Issues (http://www.mikehuckabee.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=Issues.View&Issue_id=2)
Tommy Thompson
-The Iraqi parliament should vote on whether they want us there. If they do, we have greater world standing to be there. If not, that sends a strong message to the United States on what it should do next in Iraq.
-The United States should work with Iraqis to support elections of leaders in each of the nation's 18 provinces to operate under a national government. A model much like states in the United States, this will give Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds their own pieces of Iraq.
-Encourage the Iraqi government to give every Iraqi a stake in the nation’s rich oil reserves. Oil revenues should be divided in thirds among the national government, the provincial governments and individual Iraq citizens. This is a proven model currently used in Alaska, where the citizens of that state receive annual royalties from oil production there.
Rudy Giuliani
-Believes setting an artificial timetable for withdrawal from Iraq now would be a terrible mistake, because it would only embolden our enemies.
-Iraq is only one front in the larger war on terror, and failure there would lead to a broader and bloodier regional conflict in the near future. Building an accountable Iraq will assist in reducing the threat of terrorism.
-Supports troop surge plan, but says the plan needs some quantitative means by which to measure progress.
JoinRudy2008 - Home (http://www.joinrudy2008.com/index.php?section=2)
Mitt Romney
-Supported efforts to include Iraq’s neighbors in security negotiations. He has pressed Arab governments in the region to do more to “support Iraq’s nascent government.”
-Favors the president’s surge strategy and opposes plans to pull out of Iraq in the near future or to carve up the country into three regions
Mitt Romney for President 2008 (http://www.mittromney.com/)
Ron Paul
-Cosponsored the Iraq War De-Escalation Act of 2007, which, if passed, would have stopped the troop surge in Iraq and begun redeployment of U.S. troops by May 1, 2007. That act was never voted on.
Ron Paul 2008 › Issues (http://www.ronpaul2008.com/issues/)