This anniversary, don’t let the candidates off the hook

The tragic fifth anniversary of the war in Iraq falls in the middle of one of the most exciting election years we have seen in decades. The war in Iraq—its costs in human lives and taxpayer dollars, its implications for the future of US foreign policy—must continue to be a central issue in the 2008 presidential election.

Click here to tell the candidates to withdraw ALL US troops from Iraq and implement a political and diplomatic solution. Then, download a sign that you can print out and display in a window, on your wall at work, or anywhere else, calling for a complete withdrawal of troops.

Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain has said he would be comfortable leaving US troops in Iraq for 100 years or more.  The Wall Street Journal reported that Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama both have plans that would leave an unspecified number of troops in Iraq that could number in the tens of thousands.

While some candidates have positions that are a welcome improvement from President Bush’s disastrous Iraq policy, we need to continue to push the candidates to take a better stance.  A quarter of an occupation is still an occupation, and carries with it the same obstacles to creating peace and stability in Iraq.  Stephen Biddle, military adviser to General Petraeus, called a residual force in Iraq “the worst of both worlds: continuing casualties but even less chance of stability in exchange.” The presidential election offers an opportunity to encourage the debate about a real political solution for Iraq, including regional diplomacy, funding for reconstruction, aid to refugees and an international peacekeeping force if requested by the Iraqi people.

The impact of this message is even greater in states that have upcoming presidential primaries.  Please forward this action to your friends and family in Pennsylvania, Oregon, Indiana, North Carolina, West Virginia, Kentucky, Montana, South Dakota, Florida and Michigan.

Thank you for helping us create a peace mandate in the 2008 presidential election.