Leading Democratic Candidates Won’t Pledge to Remove All Troops from Iraq
October 2nd 2007 23:54
Last week’s Democratic presidential candidates’ debate revealed that the three leading candidates, Senators Barack Obama, Hilary Clinton, and John Edwards, will not commit to the complete withdrawal of all U.S. troops by January 2013. However, Senator Christopher Dodd, Governor Bill Richardson, former senator Mike Gravel, and Rep. Dennis Kucinich would commit to withdrawing all troops.
The first candidate to be asked if he would pledge to withdraw all troops by 2013, Senator Barack Obama did not vote for the House Joint Resolution 114 in 2002 which authorized the use of force to invade Iraq. Obama did not vote for Rep. Barbara Lee’s (D, CA) House Resolution 473 which advocated using diplomacy to deal with Iraq’s supposed weapons of mass destruction.
Obama claimed he “opposed the war consistently,” but he consistently voted to fund the Iraq war until the May 24, 2007 Senate resolution because it did not have a timeline for withdrawing troops.
Senator Hilary Clinton voted for the House Joint Resolution 114 in 2002 which authorized the use of force to invade Iraq. In 2004 Clinton said she did not regret her affirmative vote, “No, I don't regret giving the president authority because at the time it was in the context of weapons of mass destruction, grave threats to the United States, and clearly, Saddam Hussein had been a real problem for the international community for more than a decade.”
Clinton now says she regrets her 2002 vote to authorize invading Iraq. During the spring Democratic candidates’ debate televised on MSNBC Clinton said, “I take responsibility for my vote. Obviously I did as good a job I could at the time. It was a sincere vote based on the information available to me. And I've said many times that if I knew then what I now know, I would not have voted that way.”
Clinton consistently voted to fund the Iraq war until the May 24, 2007 legislation which funded the Iraq War without a timeline for withdrawal.
Former Senator John Edwards also voted to authorize the military to invade Iraq in 2002. However, he has often expressed his regret for his affirmative vote. While speaking at the California Democratic Convention in April Edwards said, “I voted for this war and I was wrong to vote for this war. I should have never voted for this war.” Despite his 2002 vote, Edwards voted against emergency funding for the occupations of both Iraq and Afghanistan in October 2003.
After being asked by the moderator if he would pledge to have all troops out by January 2013, Governor Bill Richardson pledged to have all troops out within a year after taking office. Richardson pointed out that he has a “fundamental difference with Senator Obama, Senator Clinton, and Senator Edwards.”
Elected as governor of New Mexico in 2002, served 14 years in Congress as a representative for New Mexico’s 3rd district. He voted against the authorizing the deployment of U.S. military troops to Kuwait in 1990.
When asked if he would pull out all troops by 2013, Senator Christopher Dodd said, “I will get that done.” Although Dodd (CT) voted to authorize the use of military force against Iraq, he told ABC News in January that he regrets his vote. As early as October 2003 Dodd expressed his misgivings about the Iraq invasion.
Dodd co-sponsored legislation with Senators Russ Feingold (WI) and Harry Reid (NV) which would have cut funding for the occupation of Iraq by March 31, 2008. The amendment was defeated.
When asked if he would have all troops out by January 2013, Rep. Dennis Kucinich pointed out his bill H.R. 1234 “which is the plan to end the war.” He pledged to get troops “out of there three months after I take office.” Like Obama, he voted against the House Joint Resolution 114 in 2002 which authorized the use of force to invade Iraq, but unlike Obama he consistently voted against funding the occupation of Iraq.
Kucinich introduced House Resolution 1234 on February 28, calling it “a plan to end the war in Iraq, which calls on the international community to provide peacekeepers and security forces that will move in as our troops leave.” The resolution also called for all U.S. contractors and sub-contractors in Iraq to “return… turn over all contracting work to the Iraqi Government.” Referred to the House committees on Armed Services and Foreign Affairs, the resolution has not yet been voted on.
Senator Joseph Biden sided with Obama, Clinton, and Edwards by saying he could not make a pledge to withdraw all troops from Iraq by 2013. In 2002 he voted to authorize the use of military force against Iraq. He now speaks out against the Bush administration’s handling of the war, but has consistently voted against bills which set a timetable for withdrawing from Iraq.
Senator Maurice “Mike” Gravel filibustered to force an end to the military draft. As he proclaimed during the April debate, “I filibustered to force the end of the draft. I don’t think we need it back.” Gravel was a leading vocal opponent of the Vietnam War. Just as he opposed the Vietnam War, he continues to oppose the war in Iraq.
During the debate on Wednesday, The moderator did not ask Gravel if he would pledge to bring all troops home by January 2013, but instead asked what he would advise Democrats in congress to do. He advised them to “stand up and lead.”
The first candidate to be asked if he would pledge to withdraw all troops by 2013, Senator Barack Obama did not vote for the House Joint Resolution 114 in 2002 which authorized the use of force to invade Iraq. Obama did not vote for Rep. Barbara Lee’s (D, CA) House Resolution 473 which advocated using diplomacy to deal with Iraq’s supposed weapons of mass destruction.
Obama claimed he “opposed the war consistently,” but he consistently voted to fund the Iraq war until the May 24, 2007 Senate resolution because it did not have a timeline for withdrawing troops.
Senator Hilary Clinton voted for the House Joint Resolution 114 in 2002 which authorized the use of force to invade Iraq. In 2004 Clinton said she did not regret her affirmative vote, “No, I don't regret giving the president authority because at the time it was in the context of weapons of mass destruction, grave threats to the United States, and clearly, Saddam Hussein had been a real problem for the international community for more than a decade.”
Clinton now says she regrets her 2002 vote to authorize invading Iraq. During the spring Democratic candidates’ debate televised on MSNBC Clinton said, “I take responsibility for my vote. Obviously I did as good a job I could at the time. It was a sincere vote based on the information available to me. And I've said many times that if I knew then what I now know, I would not have voted that way.”
Clinton consistently voted to fund the Iraq war until the May 24, 2007 legislation which funded the Iraq War without a timeline for withdrawal.
Former Senator John Edwards also voted to authorize the military to invade Iraq in 2002. However, he has often expressed his regret for his affirmative vote. While speaking at the California Democratic Convention in April Edwards said, “I voted for this war and I was wrong to vote for this war. I should have never voted for this war.” Despite his 2002 vote, Edwards voted against emergency funding for the occupations of both Iraq and Afghanistan in October 2003.
After being asked by the moderator if he would pledge to have all troops out by January 2013, Governor Bill Richardson pledged to have all troops out within a year after taking office. Richardson pointed out that he has a “fundamental difference with Senator Obama, Senator Clinton, and Senator Edwards.”
Elected as governor of New Mexico in 2002, served 14 years in Congress as a representative for New Mexico’s 3rd district. He voted against the authorizing the deployment of U.S. military troops to Kuwait in 1990.
When asked if he would pull out all troops by 2013, Senator Christopher Dodd said, “I will get that done.” Although Dodd (CT) voted to authorize the use of military force against Iraq, he told ABC News in January that he regrets his vote. As early as October 2003 Dodd expressed his misgivings about the Iraq invasion.
Dodd co-sponsored legislation with Senators Russ Feingold (WI) and Harry Reid (NV) which would have cut funding for the occupation of Iraq by March 31, 2008. The amendment was defeated.
When asked if he would have all troops out by January 2013, Rep. Dennis Kucinich pointed out his bill H.R. 1234 “which is the plan to end the war.” He pledged to get troops “out of there three months after I take office.” Like Obama, he voted against the House Joint Resolution 114 in 2002 which authorized the use of force to invade Iraq, but unlike Obama he consistently voted against funding the occupation of Iraq.
Kucinich introduced House Resolution 1234 on February 28, calling it “a plan to end the war in Iraq, which calls on the international community to provide peacekeepers and security forces that will move in as our troops leave.” The resolution also called for all U.S. contractors and sub-contractors in Iraq to “return… turn over all contracting work to the Iraqi Government.” Referred to the House committees on Armed Services and Foreign Affairs, the resolution has not yet been voted on.
Senator Joseph Biden sided with Obama, Clinton, and Edwards by saying he could not make a pledge to withdraw all troops from Iraq by 2013. In 2002 he voted to authorize the use of military force against Iraq. He now speaks out against the Bush administration’s handling of the war, but has consistently voted against bills which set a timetable for withdrawing from Iraq.
Senator Maurice “Mike” Gravel filibustered to force an end to the military draft. As he proclaimed during the April debate, “I filibustered to force the end of the draft. I don’t think we need it back.” Gravel was a leading vocal opponent of the Vietnam War. Just as he opposed the Vietnam War, he continues to oppose the war in Iraq.
During the debate on Wednesday, The moderator did not ask Gravel if he would pledge to bring all troops home by January 2013, but instead asked what he would advise Democrats in congress to do. He advised them to “stand up and lead.”
| 59 |
| Vote |
