What is Hillary's plan for Iraq?

[JDPriestly]

In the debate last night, it seemed to me she is giving herself a lot of wiggle room. I do not believe that she is thinking in terms of a real withdrawal from Iraq -- ever. Did anyone else get that impression from her remarks?

Has she ever really clearly outlined her vision for Iraq over the next four years?

[rinsd]

1. Here ya go

http://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/iraq/

[JDPriestly]

4. Thanks. Here is the language that troubles me.

Hillary opposes permanent bases in Iraq. She believes we may need a vastly reduced residual force to train Iraqi troops, provide logistical support, and conduct counterterrorism operations. But that is not a permanent force, and she has been clear that she does not plan a permanent occupation.

Your link

http://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/iraq/

That "reduced residual force." It makes me think of the what is "is" language question, the "I did not have sex with that woman" question. How are we going to maintain a "reduced residual force" in Iraq. That is absolute nonsense. There will be no such thing. That's like thinking that revolutionary America would have allowed a residual British force. I do not trust Hillary on this issue at all.

[zbdent]

2. Several years into it and the US still doesn't know Bush's plan for

victory in Iraq ...

Edited to add:

Oh, wait a minute ... "We plan to win!"

there you go ...

[JDPriestly]

3. How right you are.

What concerns me about Hillary is that she seems to be talking out of one side of her mouth to those of us who want to get out completely albeit safely and those hawks who think we have long-term interests in Iraq and should "keep a presence there." My problem with the "keep a presence there" theory is that we will not be able to maintain a presence there safely for any length of time unless it is sizable, extremely well armed. That is why I believe that the effort to force the Iraqis into oil contracts to the liking of the multi-national oil companies is a waste of time. Who is going to enforce those contracts? We have made too many enemies in Iraq. The contracts will not be worth the paper they are written on without massive military intervention. It is a crazy design.

Let's face it. We had plenty of oil, and we squandered it. We are going to have to live with that. Oil is an essential raw product for pharmaceuticals, agricultural products, housewares, appliances, cars, more things than can be imagined. And we don't have it. And what we can afford to buy from those who do have it, we waste. We allow our citizens to burn it in SUVs and refuse to build transportation that can use alternative energy sources. Hillary is just way, way off on her Iraq policy. We should completely forget about Iraq and face reality. Iraqi oil is not going to save us. We have to save ourselves, and we had better do it right now, not next year. We have to live without using oil for fuel.

I want some answers from Hillary on where she stands on the Iraq oil contracts. That is the underlying question that will reveal where she really stands on getting out of Iraq.

[amandabeech]

5. Yup, oil.

Can't do business without it.

If it was one of the reasons we went in, and I think it is, then why would we really get out until we sucked Iraq dry?

I heard that the Kurds are willing to go with the oil law we want. I guess that means that they want us in Iraqi Kurdistan to fend off Turks, Shiites and Sunni Arabs and build a pipeline through Jordan to Israel and the sea. I hear that the Israelis really like the area, too.

On edit: We will look the other way while they reverse Saddam's attempt to turn Kirkuk into much more of a multi-ethnic city.