Time for Clinton to Lead on Iraq
07 September 2007 4:50 pm by Taylor Marsh
Dodd
is on the record and so is Edwards.
As Markos wrote earlier, the two
frontrunners were not.
Just got Clinton’s statement via email, which Markos
has posted, too:
As General Petraeus prepares to testify before Congress next week, it is
clear that the increase in U.S. troops in Iraq has simply not led to political
reconciliation in Iraq. Rather than continuing the escalation, we must begin
the immediate redeployment of U.S. troops out of Iraq, in order to end this
war as soon as possible. I continue to support legislative efforts requiring
the Administration to begin to withdraw our troops and to complete the redeployment
of combat troops in 2008, and I encourage the Congressional leadership to
ensure that we will have an opportunity to vote for such legislation.The President continues to reject the findings of the National Intelligence
Estimate, the Government Accountability Office report and the Jones Commission
report, refuses to work with Congress to develop a strategy that will enable
our troops to start coming home, and stubbornly denies the reality on the
ground and the will of the American people.We will continue to press him to follow the will of the people. I will continue
to do everything in my power to convince the President to change course and
to work with my colleagues in the Senate to bring an end to this war as soon
as possible.
I’m not willing to surrender anything on Iraq. I’d rather go down fighting
for redeployment than make any compromise that says anything other than it’s
time to get out of Iraq now. Clinton has an extraordinary amount of power,
is the frontrunner, and has Dodd and others on her side in the Senate. It’s
time for our presidential candidates to take the helm of leadership, because
it’s not clear anyone else has got the nerve.
As for Obama, nothing still, at least not on Iraq. Instead we’re hearing from his
wife that he’s "stinky."
Noted.
