Edwards Insists on Discussing Iraq War

[JohnLocke]

Edwards Insists on Discussing Iraq War
By Philip Elliott--Associated Press
Sunday, February 25, 2007
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NASHUA, N.H. (AP) - Health care was the topic of the day Saturday, but Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards made sure New Hampshire voters gave him another chance to say he was wrong as a senator to authorize the use of force in Iraq.
Edwards' visit to New Hampshire was billed as a series of house meetings to promote his health care plan and his presidential bid. But less than five minutes after walking into the day's first house party, the 2004 vice presidential nominee turned to the subject that has consumed the Democratic contenders: Iraq.
``Honestly, if you don't bring up Iraq, I'll bring it up,'' the former North Carolina senator told about 150 people gathered in a state senator's living room and kitchen.
And when the first few questions dealt with other issues - homelessness, catastrophic health insurance, the federal budget - Edwards again suggested someone might want to ask him about Iraq. Edwards wanted to make sure everyone there knew he regretted his Senate vote that gave President Bush the authority to begin the war in Iraq - an apology Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton has refused to offer.
``I suspect some in the room know this already, maybe everybody: I voted for this war. I should not have voted for this war. I was wrong to vote for it. I have to take responsibility for that and I do,'' Edwards said when asked about the procedural wrangling in the U.S. Senate over how to challenge to President Bush's Iraq war policy.
(...)
Perhaps in a sign that Edwards has accomplished that goal, not one of the nine questions he faced later at a house party in Concord involved Iraq. Instead, voters pressed him on immigration, education, and whether the president has become too powerful.
``Would you be willing to say this is too much power for one person?'' one woman asked Edwards.
``I would absolutely say that,'' said Edwards.
(...)
Edwards said the United States should cap its level of troops at 100,000 and bring home more than 40,000 troops immediately. His proposal closely resembles that of the bipartisan Iraq Study Group report, which recommends a complete departure from Iraq by this time next year.
``(Bush) was not given authority to police a civil war, which is what he is doing now,'' Edwards said.
He borrowed an analogy from his wife, Elizabeth - sitting nearby on the floor, leaning against a couch - and said the U.S. approach is like a parent scolding a child for not making his bed and then making the bed for him repeatedly.
``We're continuing to enable this bad behavior,'' Edwards said.
State Rep. Jeff Fontas, D-Nashua, said he wasn't that interested in supporting Edwards before Saturday.
``But he came and gave this brilliant speech,'' said Fontas, who was impressed with the appearance of Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill, weeks earlier. ``He voted for the war. But his apology brought light to his ideas to fix it.''
(...)
Edwards' work on anti-poverty causes since his last run brought Pat Harris to the event. She said she sees a bit of her political hero in Edwards.
``He's a Jimmy Carter-kind of guy,'' said Harris, who housed 20 John Kerry volunteers in 2004 but hasn't decided who will get her support in 2008. ``I'm very impressed. I had questions. But the questions I had, he answered.''
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[oldtimecanuk]

1. I like John Edwards, but the Iraq war is far past discussing and time for action......

in point of fact I think that the Iraq war discussion should probably be put on hold while we try to stop "Shit for Brains" from starting a new war with Iran.... That would be my take on this.

ww

[PATRICK]

2. The whole damned country

is doing a slow, inhibited take on the war crime upcoming against Iran. Even the Iraq anti-war movement has not morphed against it the way it should have because of the long reality of the present mess in Iraq. Can ANY leader slap the nation across the face and force us to face down Bush collectively? Clark has tried and maybe it is slowly happening- with all the guns in place and Bush's sweaty finger mere weeks from doing the big easy again.

I back Edwards as the best candidate, but before we do a new president we have to undo the present danger of the fraudulent twerp everyone is letting continue. Or simply, people will certainly die in creating more horrors and killing more hope and ruining everything conceivable that is good about anything.

200,000,000 sane Americans against a new war are not powerless to remove their falsely delegated failures and criminals threatening more tyranny and crime. But nothing is happening decisively yet.

[Blackhatjack]

3. You are definitely right, But it is tied to Iraq any way you look at it....

Our troops in Iraq are vulnerable if someone pulls the trigger and attacks Iran. Plus the samd M.O. that Bush used in Iraq will be trotted out again to justify hitting Iran.

I think Congress needs to move decisively to prohibit an attack on Iran without Congressional approval.

[CarolNYC]

4. Yep....

Please visit www.stopiranwar.com and use the various tools there to help make your voice known...We've got to let those in power know we oppose this now, before it starts. Will we be able to stop it? i don't know...but can we really live with ourselves if we don't try?