Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Candidate Review - The Iraq War - Joe Biden

And finally we get down to Joe Biden, who, coincidentally, has an editorial on Iraq at the top of his website.
I am seeking the Democratic Party's nomination for president because I believe the people of Iowa are looking for a president who reflects their values, who speaks the truth and who will restore America's moral leadership.

We must start by ending the war in Iraq.

Iraq is the boulder in the road. The billions we spent have prevented us from tackling critical issues at home - making health care affordable, providing access to quality education and ending our dependence on foreign oil and fossil fuels.

Last month, I convinced 74 of my Senate colleagues to adopt the Biden exit plan for Iraq. As you know, my plan would keep Iraq together by giving the warring parties local control over their daily lives - their jobs, their police and their religion.

My plan would allow our troops to come home without leaving chaos behind.
I don't think Biden's plan is perfect, but it is a starting point. And like Dodd, he seems dedicated to doing what he can, as a Senator, to stop the war.

His page on Iraq has more details on his plan. His plan is to Federalize Iraq, by creating three regions that would run their own affairs - Sunni Iraq, Shi'ite Iraq, and Kurdish Iraq.
The idea is to maintain a unified Iraq by federalizing it and giving Kurds, Shiites and Sunnis breathing room in their own regions. The central government would be responsible for common interests, like border security and the distribution of oil revenues. The plan would bind the Sunnis - who have no oil -- by guaranteeing them a proportionate share of oil revenues.
There's a lot to like about Biden's plan, although it has some detractors as well. I think the catch is what gives us to right to tell the Iraqis to federalize, as well as details about who actually owns what land. That said, this is one of Biden's strong points, in that he has a more detailed and seemingly realistic plan for Iraq.

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