1. Reducing the American presence. (We've reached the point where the large number of our troops in Iraq hurts, not helps, our goals.)2. Building Iraq's capacity. (A more effective training program for Iraqi forces, implementing a clear plan for training and hard deadlines for certain benchmarks to be met.)
3. Getting other countries to meet their responsibilities to help. (To create a unified international front.)
He honors the families who have lost their loved ones in this war by promising to implement clear plans for a definitive success, while removing the image of an imperialist America from the landscape of Iraq - even if that means asking American contractors who have taken unfair advantage of the turmoil in Iraq need to leave the country and hand the work over to Iraqi businesses.
More than 2,000 Americans have lost their lives in this war, and more than 150,000 are fighting there today. They and their families deserve honesty from our country's leaders. And they also deserve a clear plan for a way out.I'm proud of Senator Edwards for sending this message to the people of America - to Washington D.C. - and to the world. Integrity, honesty, courage, humility, and truth are values that are largely missing in Washington D.C. today. Clear ideas born of ethics are even more of a rarity. Is it any wonder that our vision has been lost? The vision has been emptied of all the values that give meaning and moral force to it. I believe that Senator Edwards can bring the vision back and make it work.
Related:
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Atrios
David Sirota
AmericaBlog
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Jude is the blogger known as Iddybud
Article comments
1 - pogblog
Both John and Elizabeth Edwards are an inspiration to me.
I think, Jude, that America must commit to eventually pulling out of Iraq completely before both Iraq and the region believe that we mean not just to have Iraq as a puppet state.
And if we want to promote cooperation in the area, we also need to convene an international conference IN the Middle East -- preferably run by the countries neighboring Iraq in collaboration with Iraq.
Until we are humble and genuinely collaborative, they can keep blowing up their version of soldier and planting IEDs for what Ho Chi Minh called "300 years -- after all we live here."
If America became an honest broker, we could make progress.