2008 Presidential Candidates on Iraq

Monday February 5, 2007 4:01 PM

The 2008 presidential candidates on Iraq:

DEMOCRATS:

-Delaware Sen. Joe Biden: Wants to withdraw most U.S. troops by end of year, leaving about 20,000 in or near Iraq, as part of plan to see Iraq governed as largely autonomous Sunni, Shiite and Kurdish regions. Opposes deployment of 21,500 more troops. Led Senate effort to pass resolution declaring war is against U.S. interest.

-New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton: Opposes troop increase, favors cap on troop levels, has not specified timetable for staged withdrawal but says U.S. should extricate itself from Iraq by 2009. Has opposed using congressional spending power to end war.

-Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd: Opposes troop increase, would cap force at about 130,000 unless Congress approves more, has not specified withdrawal timetable, would not cut off money.

-Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards: Favors immediate withdrawal of 40,000-50,000 troops, would block money for troop increase.

-Former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel: Favors immediate withdrawal.

-Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich: Opposed U.S. invasion, favors troop withdrawal and cutting off additional money to continue the war.

-Illinois Sen. Barack Obama: Supports capping troop levels at 130,000, beginning withdrawal May 1 and completing pullout of combat brigades by March 31, 2008.

-New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson: Says U.S. troops should be redeployed by the end of the year to Afghanistan and other regions in the Persian Gulf.

-Former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack: Calls on Congress to cut off funds to end the war.

WAR AUTHORIZATION: Democrats who were in the Senate when the war was authorized - Biden, Clinton, Dodd and Edwards - voted in favor of the authorization, and now say they would not have voted that way in retrospect. Obama, who was not in the Senate then, opposed war at the start.

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REPUBLICANS:

-Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback: Opposes 21,500-troop increase, says ethnic partition of Iraq might have to occur.

-Former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore: Supports troop increase.

-Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani: Supports troop increase.

-Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee: Opposes abrupt withdrawal.

-California Rep. Duncan Hunter: Opposes immediate withdrawal and opposes cutting additional money for the war.

-Arizona Sen. John McCain: Supports troop increase, opposes scheduling a withdrawal.

-Texas Rep. Ron Paul: Among the few Republicans to vote against the war in 2002.

-Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney: Supports troop increase, favors adding five brigades in Baghdad and two regiments in Al-Anbar province.

-Colorado Rep. Tom Tancredo: Voted last year to reject timetable for withdrawal.

-Former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson: Skeptical that troop increase will work, favors splitting Iraq into three separate states if unity not achieved soon.