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January 5, 2008

Has the Surge in Iraq Been Successful?

Clinton said the surge was meant to give the government of Iraq an opportunity for progress and "political reconciliation."

"I don't see any reason why they should remain beyond, you know, today. I think George Bush doesn't intend to bring them home, but certainly I have said when I'm president I will. Within 60 days, I'll start that withdrawal," she said.

Bill Richardson said there has been little progress in Iraq and the war needs to end. "This is why I'm running for president; because until we end this war, we cannot talk about the issues that need to be dealt with here -- universal health care, improving schools, bringing people together. You can't have change until you end the war, and that means bringing all of our troops home," he said.

Obama said, "It was a mistake to go in from the start and that's why I have opposed this war from the start." Much of the violence has been reduced in Iraq, where, he said, violence was reaching incredible levels a year ago. "We have gone full circle at enormous cost to the American people," he said.

Gibson posed a slightly different question to John Edwards. If his generals told him that he shouldn't leave Iraq, would he still do it? "There will not be political progress until we make it clear that we're going to stop propping the Sunni and Shi'a up with American lives and with the American taxpayer dollars," he said. Edwards will end the war in Iraq within a year, he said.

-Andrew Restuccia

Posted by The Sun Newsroom at January 5, 2008 9:42 PM