John Edwards: Withdraw from Iraq

In one of the strongest statements by a major political figure, former Sen. John Edwards (D) of North Carolina has declared that the U.S. should withdraw from Iraq in two stages:

The former senator from North Carolina told reporters America should "make it clear (to Iraqis) we are leaving, and the best way is to start leaving. We should take 40,000 combat troops out now."

Edwards, who has said he regretted his vote as a U.S. senator authorizing President Bush to invade Iraq, said he would ask the country's military leaders for a strategy "to have the (rest of the) troops out in roughly 12 to 18 months."

"There is no chance other countries in the world will help Iraq as long as we are an occupying force," he said.

That last sentence is an interesting rationale for withdrawal, suggesting that there's still a need for an international presence in Iraq, but that the troubled U.S. occupation is preventing world-wide involvement.

As for the latest Middle East conflict between Israel and Lebanon, Edwards was more accomodating to establishment views:

On the Israeli-Hezbollah fighting in the Middle East, Edwards noted he was on the Israel-Lebanon border only three weeks ago, and said Israel "has absolutely the right to defend itself," though he said there "needs to be an international security force in southern Lebanon."