What the Candidates Will Do in Iraq: Special 5th Anniversary Edition
From ABC News comes a summary of what Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Barack Obama (Ill.) pledge to do in Iraq if elected president.
The short versions:
McCain: "emphasize his commitment to keeping U.S. troops in the country to secure it."
Obama: "go beyond his plan to pull troops out of Iraq and "outline a strategic vision for our country" to make the United States more secure."
Clinton: "renewed her pledge to begin withdrawing troops within 60 days of becoming president, using her platform to attack both McCain and Obama."
From surveys collected by the American Enterprise Insititute, a look at current U.S. opinion:
Strong majorities, 59 percent in Gallup's latest survey, say that the war in Iraq was a mistake. Virtually the same percentage of Americans, 60 percent from the same late February 2008 Gallup survey, also say that we should set a timetable for removing troops from Iraq. Policymakers should not jump the gun though. Only a small fraction of Americans—around 20 percent in most polls—support immediate withdrawal.
Coming later today: reason staffers reflect on the fifth anniversary of the Iraq War.