Iraq

Was invading Iraq a mistake?

Clinton says no. She voted to authorize the war in Iraq and does not believe that her vote was a mistake. Clinton quoted by the NY Times: "If the most important thing to any of you is choosing someone who did not cast that vote [authorizing the war] or has said his vote was a mistake, then there are others to choose from" (link)

McCain says no. From the Washington Post: "Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) delivered a robust defense of the war in Iraq on Wednesday, declaring that President Bush and the conflict's supporters are on the right side of history in the struggle against terrorism and extremism." (link)

Obama says yes. He was a vocal critic before the war started. From Obama's website: "I spoke out against what I called 'a rash war' in Iraq. I worried about, 'an occupation of undetermined length, with undetermined costs, and undetermined consequences." (link)

Paul says yes. From Paul's website: "The war in Iraq was sold to us with false information. The area is more dangerous now than when we entered it. We destroyed a regime hated by our direct enemies, the jihadists, and created thousands of new recruits for them." (link)

How long should American troops be in Iraq?

Clinton will bring the majority of American troops home within 1-2 years. From Clinton's website: "If President Bush does not end the war, when Hillary Clinton is president, she will. Her three-step plan would bring our troops home, work to bring stability to the region, and replace military force with a new diplomatic initiative to engage countries around the world in securing Iraq's future." (link)

McCain believes American troops should stay in Iraq as long as necessary. From McCain's website: "A greater military commitment now is necessary if we are to achieve long-term success in Iraq. John McCain agrees with retired Army General Jack Keane that there are simply not enough American forces in Iraq." (link)

Obama will bring the majority of American troops home within 1-2 years. From Obama's website: "Obama will immediately begin to remove our troops from Iraq. He will remove one to two combat brigades each month, and have all of our combat brigades out of Iraq within 16 months." (link)

Paul believes American troops should be withdrawn immediately. From Paul's website: "[The] wait and see attitude in Washington, and the promised reassessment of events in Iraq later on, strongly motivates the insurgents to accelerate the killing of Americans in order to influence the decision coming in three months. In contrast, a clear decision to leave would prompt a wait and see attitude in Iraq, a de facto cease fire, in anticipation of our leaving, the perfect time for the Iraqi factions to hold their fire on each other and on our troops and just possibly begin talking with each other." (link)