John Edwards: Straight Forward Answers on Iraq
Mr. Edwards spoke briefly and then seemed eager to take questions from the gathering which ranged in age from
young families to seniors.
I was impressed with John's honesty when said
he didn't know what will happen in Iraq but he did know that we need to start drawing down the troop levels and begin to engage in a political solution between the Sunnis and the Shiites. Once the Iraqis understand we are not there to participate in their civil war that things will start to change. He said, if a bloody conflict erupts we will
need to take measures to counteract it.
He also said that dissension will not be considered unpatriotic in his administration. I liked that mind set. I believe that dissension leads to better solutions. I heard he was not going to make promises he could not keep. He plans to change direction in Iraq and work to achieve a peaceful settlement.
Every question was answered with an articulate well researched response. He seems to have a passion for details. John Edwards is the first candidate I have seen this primary cycle. I will continue to see as many as I can. I was hopeful with his vision for the direction of this country.
Iraq War Vote Reveals a Core WeaknessSubmitted by gwkphoto on Thu, 10/18/2007 - 13:41.
I saw John Edwards at the Town Hall in Hopkinton, NH, last Saturday (10/13/07). It was not the first time I had seen him. His messages about Health Care, Education, the Economy, seemed to be deivered in a forthright way. I agree with his "platform," because I believe that he is passionate and committed to the middle/lower class, and dedicated to helping them as President.
His vote to authorize the President to go to war, however, remains a problem for me. He talks eloquently about American values. At one point he said "Can you believe that we are talking in America about various degrees of torture?" and looked incredulously around. Everyone applauded. Of course he is right. I never thought we'd be discussing "waterboarding" as an acceptable practice against prisoners of war. I never thought we'd forget the lessons of Vietnam either, or even Bush Sr's conviction that an Iraq invasion would put us in an impossible situation, and make it difficult to ever leave. But, you know what, Edwards did--and so did Hillary Clinton.
It seems to me that both ought to have known that Bush was considering invading a soverign nation, and understood that any encroachment on a soverign nation is a violation of International Law. Both Edwards and Hillary ought to have recognized as Senator Byrd did that "We (were) sleepwalking through history."
I tried to get recognized to ask Edwards what I am posing here but he passed me by--I wonder if he knew?
I am really worried that we have candidates who are going to do the expedient thing, and not the "right" thing for the country. I am a life long Democrat and will vote for the party's nominee--but I don't see any of the front runners having any sense of history. And that's scary.