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Originally Posted by Mereille  And many of his policy statement are an extension of Bush's: War with Iran, troops in Iraq 100 years, more top 1% tax breaks, etc. |
I
visited his website and I don't get that from his platform at all.
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“I do not want to keep our troops in Iraq a minute longer than necessary to secure our interests there. Our goal is an Iraq that can stand on its own as a democratic ally and a responsible force for peace in its neighborhood. Our goal is an Iraq that no longer needs American troops. And I believe we can achieve that goal, perhaps sooner than many imagine. But I do not believe that anyone should make promises as a candidate for President that they cannot keep if elected. To promise a withdrawal of our forces from Iraq, regardless of the calamitous consequences to the Iraqi people, our most vital interests, and the future of the Middle East, is the height of irresponsibility. It is a failure of leadership. “
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Here's the thing: You have to put aside the campaign rhetoric and realize that odds favor us being mostly out of Iraq before the 2012 elections no matter what, barring some additional surges by Iran/Syria. So technically, both McCain and Obama would probably be able to keep this campaign promise - it's all in how it's being used as a plank right now and how it appeals to their constituency. Obama is appealling to the "get out now" crowd and McCain is appealling to the "get out when it's over" crowd.
On Iran:
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Syria and Iran have aided and abetted the violence in Iraq for too long. Syria has refused to crack down on Iraqi insurgents and foreign terrorists operating within its territory. Iran has been providing the most extreme and violent Shia militias with training, weapons, and technology that kill American and Iraqi troops. American military spokesmen have also said there is evidence that Iran has provided aid to Sunni insurgents.
The answer is not unconditional dialogues with these two dictatorships from a position of weakness. The answer is for the international community to apply real pressure to Syria and Iran to change their behavior. The United States must also bolster its regional military posture to make clear to Iran our determination to protect our forces and deter Iranian intervention.
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Seems to me there's a difference between "war with Iran" and "international community applying pressure".