Edwards rejects 'surge' of troops in Iraq

[citizen snips]

More than 1,500 people who packed a church gym Saturday heard Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards kick off his South Carolina primary campaign by rejecting what he called the "McCain doctrine" of sending more troops to Iraq.

The former U.S. senator from North Carolina said that rather than boosting troop numbers by up to 30,000 as Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., has proposed, he would bring as many as 50,000 home immediately.

"The most important goal for the next president of the United States is to restore America's moral leadership in the world," Edwards said. "And the starting place is Iraq."

Saturday's rallies in West Columbia and Chapel Hill ended a three-day kickoff tour that started Thursday in New Orleans' Ninth Ward, a poverty-stricken neighborhood designed to dramatize Edwards' focus on the "two Americas." He had followed with visits to Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada, sites of the first nominating contests. South Carolina's primary follows right behind on Jan. 29, 2008.

more...
http://www.newsobserver.com/643/story/526955.html

[IndyOp]

1. Go John! I support anyone who is doing the work of extricating us from

Iraq -- John Edwards, John Kerry, Dennis Kucinich, Bernie Sanders and all of the Out of Iraq Caucus.

I think it is great if Edwards uses his position as candidate to MOVE THIS MESSAGE into the public consciousness.

[citizen snips]

2. it will be interesting to hear Bernie Sanders opinion

because he is the self avowed Socialist to serve in the Senate.

[IndyOp]

6. Bernie Sanders is on Thom Hartmann's radio show every Friday -

at noon EST for about an hour. Sanders talks to Thom and then takes calls from people across the country. Based on what he said yesterday Sanders thinks that * must be stopped from escalating and that Congress must use the power of the purse to stop him.

:thumbsup:

[citizen snips]

17. I will tune in next Friday to listen to what he has to say.

[cali]

22. Vermont's other Senator

is proposing an amendment to freeze troop spending. He and Bernie are of like mind about the power of the purse being the only viable way to control the little madman.

[machka]

3. Chapel Hill rally

The CH police estimated that there were 5K people present at the Homecoming rally - Mrs. Edwards and the children were there as well. He looked a bit tired - I don't know how he kept up the pace these past few days.

Thanks for the link to the article, Mattman. :)

[citizen snips]

4. I wanted to go to that rally

but I could not make it this time.

[ultraist]

15. Mattman! I have a video of the rally for you!

Find it here: http://blog.johnedwards.com/story/2006/12/30/155853/33

[citizen snips]

16. Thanks ultraist

:hi:

[renie408]

5. I don't care what you think about Edwards, you have to admit

that he has just BRILLIANTLY worked to neutralize McCain. "The McCain Doctrine"!! That is priceless!!

[fuzzyball]

7. Edwards is right....again....also right on China & Radical Islam

This man is showing much better grasp of geopolitical
risks facing USA. I like him much better now.

[Clark2008]

9. Huh?

He's absolutely freakin' WRONG about China and "radical" Islam.

My God, if Rush said this, would you agree? Because Rush says this daily.

I can sort of, kind of see the Chinese threat - but that has more to do with our own corporations than their government, but radical Islam? That's nothing but a boogeyman.

[fuzzyball]

11. If you had lived for 1300 years with islam as my ancestors had to,

you would know better what threat radical islam is.
Go educate yourself and read history of India beginning
in 800 AD.

[IndianaGreen]

19. My ancestors did rather well in Muslim Spain

until the goddamned Christians took over.

[citizen snips]

12. Do you disagree with everything Edwards says?

[renie408]

13. Pretty much. n/t

[renie408]

14. Dude, your anti-Edwards bias is making you say

stuff you might want to think about first. "Boogeyman"??

Where have you been for the past twenty years?

[talk hard]

20. stop making fun of people

your posts reek of nastyness

[Imagevision]

8. So does Pelosi and Harry Reid

[illinoisprogressive]

10. Obama sent a letter from his vacation against it

a couple days ago Barack Obama sent a letter against the surge and urging people to email thier representatives and senators about it. Since Obama and Durbin are my senators I think that is taken care of.
Good for Edwards to join in the voices against this wrong headed (as always) idea of shrubs.

[IndianaGreen]

18. It is really the McCain/Lieberman Doctrine--support Bush's bulge

or is it "surge"? A DUer mentioned Jeff Gannon in a another thread and it got me all confused.

[mtnsnake]

21. "bring as many as 50,000 home immediately."

Now THAT is a bold statement! Hopefully, other Dems will make similar calls to bring our troops home.