Kerry wants most U.S. troops out of Iraq within a year

[ProSense]

Kerry wants most U.S. troops out of Iraq within a year

By Alexander Harrison

Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass) said Tuesday he seeks to bring most U.S. troops back from Iraq within a year.

"Success can only come from a diplomatic and political solution, not a military one," said Kerry, who told reporters he would introduce legislation soon that would set a one-year deadline for redeployment of the majority of American forces.

"The only people who believe there is a workable military solution for the conflict in Iraq is the Bush administration," the lawmaker later said in a statement, adding, "We can't pull the plug on our efforts in Iraq overnight, nor can we endlessly debate continuing the status quo into the next decade. My plan offers a rock solid deadline that forces Iraqis to step up their responsibilities while redirecting the mission of U.S. troops to training, counter-terrorism and force protection."

Snip...

The lawmaker unveiled the bill as the Senate is locked in a battle over how to proceed on Iraq. On Monday, Senate Republicans successfully prevented Democrats from moving ahead on a vote on a non-binding resolution rejecting Bush's plan to add more troops to Iraq.

Kerry strongly criticized that move, saying that Republicans were wrongly protecting Bush.

"It is not the president, it is the troops and American interests that Republicans need to protect," he said.

Just watched Kerry's Senate floor speech on C-Span, DU play by play here and here.

Definitely worth watching for a rebroadcast this evening.

Out by November 2007, press pelease here.