Debates Reveal Significant Differences On Iraq, More Debate Needed
By
Stefan 08/20/2007 12:54:53 PM EST
There are significant differences between Democrats and Republicans on Iraq. But there are also important differences among the Democrats that are too quickly brushed aside because their proposals are all elements of a broader policy of withdrawal.
These differences are significant because choosing one approach over another may determine whether or not Iraq collapses into a full-blown civil war, requiring the U.S. to return to the region. If a Democratic proposal results in a U.S. return to the region, the policy become consequentially indistinguishable from Republican approaches.
Most significantly, in Sunday's debate Bill Richardson endorsed withdrawing all U.S. troops, claiming that "none of this peace and peace building can begin until all of our troops are out." He claimed that the withdrawal can be accomplished "within six to eight months."
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: iraq, iowa, democrats
First of Its Kind Online "Debate" Tonight
While there has been alot of news of Democrats refusing to take part in debates on Fox, tonight's online debate on Iraq, sponsored by MoveOn.org, will be "attended" by all of the Democratic contenders (save Gravel, if you want to call him a contender).
The Boston Globe has an excellent article.
While this event may slip under the radar of all but the most obsessed, the event is significant in a number of respects:
- The subject matter is focused on the Iraq war.
- It's the first ever live, national event of its kind where questions are answered in real time.
- Questions come entirely from the listeners who are, in this case, also highly active citizens who can make a difference "on the ground" in campaigns.
- The audience votes on the winner. No one spin room, just 100's of living rooms where MoveOn members gather to listen, plus the internet.
While this is
not a debate (MoveOn calls it a "Virtual Town Hall") because candidates will not be directly responding to one another's arguments (each candidate gives an opening statement then answers all of his/her questions at once, then hangs up), candidates who are later in the order will be in a position to respond to the answers the others give. It will be interesting to see if any are flexible and adept enough to do so.
Debates do test ones ability to respond extemporaneously, and the live, phone-in method will do what on-line "debates" via keyboard cannot (who can even know if the candidate is the one typing?).
Future MoveOn "Town Halls" will cover health care and energy.
I'll use the comments to discuss and liveblog the event.
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: debates, Democrats, 2008, Moveon.org, Iraq, online debate
McCain paints himself into Iraq corner
Iraq is likely to be the number one issue in the upcoming primary debates and, it seems, in the general election. Of all the candidates, John McCain may be in the most difficult rhetorical position with regard to Iraq.
He painted himself into this corner at the November 16, 2006 GOPAC dinner with these remarks:
As troubling as it is, I can ask a young Marine to go back to Iraq. And he will go, not happily perhaps, but he will go because he and his comrades are the first patriots among us, and he will fight his hardest there for his country to prevail. Of that, I have no doubt. But I can only ask him if I share his commitment to victory.
"What I cannot do is ask him to return to Iraq, to risk life and limb, so that we might delay our defeat for a few months or a year. That is more to ask than patriotism requires. It would not be in the interest of the country, and it surely would be an intolerable sacrifice for so poor an accomplishment. It would be immoral, and I could not do it.
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: John McCain, Iraq
