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The Great Presidential MashupThe Democrats on Iraq.

Posted Friday, Sept. 7, 2007, at 10:23 AM ET

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This is George Bush's war. He rushed us to war, he has mismanaged the war. But these are our sons and daughters who are serving in this war, and I had to think very long and hard, because clearly I do not want to do anything that undercuts our support for them.

Sen. Chris Dodd

South Carolina Debate, April 26, 2007

I don't think the stakes have ever been higher for us as a country. We're more vulnerable today. We're far less secure. We're more isolated in the world as a result of this policy. This is a failed policy.

We need to understand that we've got to move beyond this policy. We need bolder, experienced leadership that will take us in a different direction.

I'm proud to support the Feingold-Reid legislation, which does exactly as you've described it. It would impart an end date, begin immediately—an end date at the end of next March.

[The Iraqis] now have to assume the responsibility of their own future. We've given them that opportunity.

I then believe, also, that we need to engage in the robust diplomacy that we haven't been engaged in. This administration treats diplomacy as if it were a gift to our opponents; a sign of weakness, not a sign of strength.

Stateless terrorism is a multinational problem. It's a tactic. It requires a multinational response. This administration has walked away from that. The very institutions we need to build to have us effectively engage and fight back against terrorism, this administration seems to take the other track and move in another direction.

New Hampshire Debate, June 3, 2007

It seems to me then it's incumbent upon us—given the fact that we are less safe, less secure, more vulnerable, weaker today, not stronger as a result of this policy—that we ought to try to bring it to a close. So, I thought the right thing to do was to pursue and push this issue of having a date certain or [of having] it tied to funding.

CNN/YouTube Debate, July 23, 2007

It has been said from the very beginning: There is no military solution to this civil war in Iraq. I think it's incumbent upon the Congress.

Iraq is related to Darfur. It's because we're bogged down there at $10 billion a month, we've lost our moral leadership in the world. No one listens to us when it comes to foreign policy. That has to change in this country.

I have advocated, again, that we have our troops out by April of next year. I believe that the time frame is appropriate to do that. I would urge simultaneously that we do the things we've talked about here, and that is pursue the diplomatic efforts in the region to at least provide Iraq the opportunity to get on its feet. But I believe our military ought to be out before that.

If I'm president in January, I'd be advocating a responsible withdrawal that's safe for our troops who are there, to provide the resources for them to do it.

AFL-CIO Debate, Aug. 7, 2007

I happen to believe that putting our country back to work begins by cutting the funding for the war in Iraq. Spending $12 billion every month, spending $2 billion every week, has got to stop if we're going to have a different set of priorities in our country.

[The troops] haven't failed; the policy has.

I believe, and have led on this over the last number of months here, to begin redeploying immediately. We can do so with two and a half divisions coming out each month, done safely and reasonably well. We then need to have a robust approach on diplomacy. This administration has treated statecraft and diplomacy as if it were a gift to our opponents, a sign of weakness.

To make a difference around the world, we shouldn't be selling arms to Saudi Arabia while they're refusing to support us in Iraq.

We need to have a clear message to everybody in the region that we want them to be part of the solution.

I've spent 26 years on the foreign relations committee dealing with these matters here on almost every major foreign policy debate; words mean things. We've got to be very careful about language that's used in terms of the danger and harm it can do to our nation.

I've certainly said I made a mistake in that vote in 2002. I don't deny that.

I happen to believe that we're not safer today, even though we have not had an attack on our own soil. Tell that to the people in Iraq, tell that to the people in Afghanistan, tell that to the people around the world. Terrorism's a real issue. It's going to require a collective effort on behalf of our nation working with others to make a difference. Terrorism is a tactic, it's not a philosophy, and it's going to require an inordinate amount of cooperation to solve that. Having the kind of first responders at home like the firefighters and police and EMS services that have the tools and the ability to stand up and defend our country has not been funded.

Sen. John Edwards

South Carolina Debate, April 26, 2007

Sen. Obama spoke just a minute ago about the White House, agreeing that the parliament, the Iraqi parliament, could take a monthlong vacation because it was too hot, while our men and women are putting their lives on the line every day. Here's my question: While the Iraqi parliament is on vacation, is George Bush going to be on vacation in Crawford, Texas? What we need to do is turn up the heat on George Bush and hold him responsible and make this president change course.

New Hampshire Debate, June 3, 2007

I reject this bumper sticker, Wolf. And that's exactly what [the war on terror] is. It's a bumper sticker. As president of the United States, I will do absolutely everything to find terrorists where they are, to stop them before they can do harm to us, before they can do harm to America or to its allies. Every tool available—military alliances, intelligence—I will use.

What this global war on terror bumper sticker—political slogan, that's all it is, all it's ever been—was intended to do was for George Bush to use it to justify everything he does: the ongoing war in Iraq, Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib, spying on Americans, torture. None of those things are OK. They are not the United States of America.

I said throughout the lead-up to this vote that I was against a funding bill that did not have a timetable for withdrawal, that it was critical for the Congress to stand firm.

There is a difference between leadership and legislating.

I don't think Sen. Clinton was, but I was on the intelligence committee. I received direct information from that. I met with former high-level people in the Clinton administration who gave me additional information. And I read the summary of the NIE. I think I had the information I needed. I don't think that was the question. I think one difference we do have is, I think I was wrong. I should never have voted for this war. And this goes to the issue that Sen. Obama raised a few minutes ago. He deserves credit for being against this war from the beginning. He was right. I was wrong.

AFL-CIO Debate, Aug.t 7, 2007

As president, I'd draw 40 to 50,000 troops out today. I would engage the Iraqi government and the Sunni leadership, the Sunni and Shi'a leadership, into trying to reach some kind of political reconciliation. Because without that, there cannot be security in Iraq. And then we need to make a serious, intense diplomatic effort to bring the Iranians and the Syrians and the others in the region into helping provide stability in Iraq.