Orangeburg Times - SC - Biden's plan could END THE WAR!

[justinrr1]

Couldnt agree more!

~ The issue ~ Ending Iraq war
~ Our opinion ~ Biden’s proposed federal system is best hope to end war, stabilize Iraq

The call by Sen. Joe Biden for a solution in the Iraq war grows louder. The Democratic presidential contender and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is an advocate of establishing a federal system in Iraq. Others are joining him in supporting the concept.

This past week, Biden took part in a debate at Johns Hopkins University in which the war, the principal issue in the 2008 campaign, was the only subject. It allowed Biden to stress that how the war in Iraq comes to an end is just as important as ending it.

“Each Democrat running for president agrees: The war in Iraq must end. But it matters profoundly how we end it. It matters to our men and women on the front lines. It matters to Iraqis. And it matters to America’s future security.”

Which is why Biden’s approach to stabilizing Iraq must be considered. There will be no negotiating with certain terror elements in Iraq, but they are fighting primarily just to kill Americans. With most Iraqis, establishing a system whereby everyone “wins” could mean an end to civil war.

Joined by GOP presidential candidate Sam Brownback of Kansas, Biden and others have introduced a resolution calling for the United States and the international community – including the U.N. Security Council and Iraq’s neighbors – to support an Iraqi political settlement based on federalism.

“The president’s policy in Iraq is based on a fundamentally and fatally flawed premise: that Iraq can be governed from the center. The last best chance for a stable Iraq is federalism – giving the warring factions breathing room in regions with control over the fabric of their daily lives,” Biden said.

Specifically, the resolution calls for the United States to actively support a political settlement among Iraqis based on the provisions of Iraq’s constitution that call for creating a federal system of government, with strong regions and a limited central government. It calls for convening a conference with Iraqis to help them reach that settlement.

Biden first championed the idea for a federal system in Iraq (under which oil wealth would be shared) over a year ago with Council on Foreign Relations President Emeritus Leslie H. Gelb. Since that time, the idea has sparked much interest and support from political leaders, foreign policy experts and opinion leaders.

The senator has experience in formulating such a plan. In 1995, a U.S.-devised plan that Biden helped create allowed Serbs, Croats and Bosniaks their autonomy with power-sharing.

It is a model that makes sense for Iraq today.

[GrumpyGreg]

1. It's the only plan that makes sense.

[bling bling]

2. Some Republicans I know were talking favorably about Biden's plan.

It's actually how I had first heard about it awhile ago.

[snowbear]

3. Brownback used it in the GOP debates.. but never mentioned Biden..

Of course..

[bling bling]

4. Yes, of course.

I've been keeping my eye on Biden for a few weeks after a friend of mine made the case for him, insisting that he would be the best candidate. It would take a lot for me to switch to anyone from Obama but I had been watching him and wondering if he would be a good VP candidate for Obama. A lot of people seem to respect him in terms of foreign policy. That will be an important element in the upcoming election.

[justinrr1]

5. Joe's numbers will rise

when people start looking for leadership on ending the Iraq war responsibly.

[Tom Joad]

9. who knows, maybe the solid double-digits???

[StudentsMustUniteNow]

8. Biden as Obama's VP?

:rofl:

[blm]

6. Biden is definitely the most prepared candidate - and a shame the media pushes the lie that Hillary

is best prepared when she absolutely has done nothing of significance in regard to military strategy.

People should actually READ the Iraq Study Group discussions with all the Dems who participated - Hillary only offers her help with furthering whatever decision they make and offers NO IDEAS or solutions of her own.

Contrast her nothingness with Biden and Kerry's discussions with the group where both laid out doable, detailed scenarios for withdrawing from Iraq.

[Tom Joad]

7. Biden has a plan for how Iraq should be governed? Isn't that a decision

that should be made by .... Iraqis?

Biden also supports the oil privatization law... so that the rights of Exxon/Mobil are recognized.