Whose position on Iraq withdrawal *timelines* do you share?

[Adelante]

I'm really curious about this.

[Solo_in_MD]

1. Way too limited in your choices

[Adelante]

3. There's only two positions on timelines

Either you want a timeline or you don't, right? There's room for permutations on withdrawal, I would agree, but I don't see it on timelines.

[saltpoint]

2. choice 2

[GodlessBiker]

Wait. What are the choices again?

[Adelante]

6. 1) No timeline; 2) Yes timeline

[mike_c]

4. I want immediate and unconditional withdrawal....

I will not support any "timeline" that doesn't either articulate specific objectives to be achieved during the remaining time occupying Iraq-- not vague platitudes about exporting democracy, but specific goals with recognizable milestones, or which doesn't call for immediate withdrawal. If there's no reason other than the cowardice of politicians for staying in Iraq, we should get out now, not later.

[Vincardog]

5. Can we agree that ending the occupation is the most important thing?

[Adelante]

7. I sure agree with that

I think most everybody does. The issue in the way of agreement on how to bring it about is timelines or no timelines.

[mike_c]

8. what do you mean by "no timelines"-- specifically does that include...

...a call for immediate withdrawal? That ought to be a third alternative on your poll, IMO, because your first alternative could include both immediate withdrawal and no withdrawal anytime soon. That's a ludicrous "alternative." Or was that intentional?

[Adelante]

9. In another thread I was told immediate withdrawal

Counted as a yes for a timeline. I'm not sure I see it that way, but this poll addresses the merit of the use of *timelines* within the context of withdrawal/redeployment plans of any kind. Do you have to have dates or not? That's all.

[mike_c]

10. then this poll is flawed and I for one cannot cast a vote....

I do not want a date. I want immediate withdrawal. That is NOT the same as indefinite occupation.

[Adelante]

13. Who said it's the same?

The names are grouped according to their positions on *timelines* - nothing else. There is no third choice. Either timelines are okay or they're not okay. You want a different poll.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

11. Timeline? How about as soon as they can pack up and leave?

Bring 'em home, discharge them, and help them find real jobs.

[Warren DeMontague]

12. Can you post a link to back up the position that you stuck Al Gore in?

I'm curious. I thought he was for getting us out of there ASAP.

[Adelante]

15. I thought it was in this interview

But I don't see it now. I heard him say it, so I will look further.

-snip

KING: How do you end Iraq? Do you leave?

GORE: Well, yes, we need to get our troops back...

KING: Now?

GORE: ...as quickly as we can but we have to recognize that however bad I believe the mistake was in invading Iraq under these pretenses that turned out to be based on completely false impressions however big the mistake was in getting there, we now all of us, whether we thought it was wise or not, have a moral obligation to look at the situation as it is and try not to make the mess that's been created worse than it would otherwise be.

And we need to follow twin objectives, get our troops back home as quickly as we can. But secondly, we need to avoid the moral mistake of just getting out in a way that enhances the already high risk of anarchy and/or civil war.

KING: That's a thin line.

GORE: It is a thin line, and I said earlier in the program the unfortunate reality is we do not have good options now. We have to choose among the least bad options.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0606/13/lkl.01.html

[Adelante]

16. I found this

But I don't think I saw this interview, so there might be another link. Maybe tomorrow :hi:

-snip

MR. STEPHANOPOULOS: John Kerry says there should be a complete pull-out by the end of this year. Do you agree with that?

MR. GORE: Well, not necessarily. Maybe it could come sooner than that.

MR. STEPHANOPOULOS: Sooner?

MR. GORE: Well, maybe. Maybe sometime after that. I think that we need to pursue these twin objectives.

MR. STEPHANOPOULOS: Without a deadline, though?

MR. GORE: Probably without a deadline. I think the setting of the deadline is intended to -- sometimes it's described as a way to set in motion forces that will make -- improve our options and improve the situation on the ground. It's possible that setting a deadline could set in place, in motion, forces that would make it even worse. I think that we should analyze that very carefully. My guess is that a deadline is probably not the right approach. But again, you have to weigh that question in the context of how the political decisions are made between the Congress and the Executive Branch. Sometimes the Congress itself has blunt instruments and limited options to play a role in matters like this. But --

MR. STEPHANOPOULOS: Like cutting off funding?

MR. GORE: Well, I don't think anybody will be talking about that ever. But in terms of meeting these twin objectives, getting our troops home as quickly as possible without making the moral mistake of worsening an already bad situation, that's delicate, it's difficult.

http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Gore_Maybe_troops_should_pullout_from_0604.html

[Warren DeMontague]

17. Thanks. If he "officially" gets back into politics, I suspect he'll need

to clarify what he means there.

I do know he's been pretty consistently outspoken against the war, and he did endorse Howard Dean in the '04 primaries.

We shall see.

[Adelante]

18. Gore is certainly against the war

And has been from the beginning. There's no question about it. The question is whether or not a timeline/deadline/date-certain is the way to go.

[Adelante]

19. Here's the link I was thinking of

"...Gore, however, disagreed with Sen. John Kerry's, D-Mass., call to withdraw all U.S. troops from Iraq by the end of the year.

"I would pursue the twin objectives of trying to withdraw our forces as quickly as we possibly can, while at the same time minimizing the risk that we'll make the mess over there even worse and raise even higher the danger of civil war," Gore said.

Dismissing calls for any deadline, Gore added, "It's possible that setting a deadline could set in motion forces that would make it even worse. I think that we should analyze that very carefully. My guess is that a deadline is probably not the right approach; but again, you have to weigh that question in the context of how the political decisions are made between the Congress and the executive branch. Sometimes the Congress itself has blunt instruments and limited options to play a role in matters like this."

http://abcnews.go.com/ThisWeek/Politics/story?id=2037158&page=3

[FloridaPat]

14. Mine - withdraw now. Today. Get the ships over there and get

them out. Then start the impeachment and war crimes trials.

[B Calm]

20. George Bush lost the war, immediate withdraw!