This woman is truly unbelievable. Her positions maybe be principled but they have nothing to do with my principles and the majority of this country. Recently she said she wouldn't have voted for the war if 'she knew now what she didn't know then' but did not apologize for her vote. Personally I find it hard to believe that such a smart person could not have used common sense when the initial vote came up and saw through Bush's lies, but that's just me.
Now the facts are on the table for all to see and most Americans want out of Iraq ASAP. Unfortunately, Hillary wants to keep troops there not just this year, not just next year, but into 2009 and possibly beyond on a more limited basis.
From the NY Times:
Mrs. Clinton’s plans carry some political risk. Although she has been extremely critical of the Bush administration’s handling of the war, some liberal Democrats are deeply suspicious of her intentions on Iraq, given that she voted in 2002 to authorize the use of force there and, unlike some of her rivals for the Democratic nomination, has not apologized for having done so.
Senator Clinton’s proposal is also likely to stir up debate among military specialists. Some counterinsurgency experts say the plan is unrealistic because Iraqis are unlikely to provide useful tips about Al Qaeda if American troops end their efforts to protect Iraqi neighborhoods.
But a former Pentagon official argued that such an approach would minimize American casualties and thus make it easier politically to sustain a long-term military presence that might prevent the fighting from spreading throughout the region.
I don't know about you, but a long-term military presence in Iraq is the exact opposite of what American foreign policy in the Middle East should look like. We need to get out of there and stop acting like everyone's big brother or schoolyard bully. It would be a smart move to look inward and fix the problems at home before we stay on the road that has weakened our military and our worldwide image. Bush has done enough damage, the next President (hopefully a Democrat) should start repairing it.
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