Candidate Review - The Iraq War - Mike Gravel

Gravel is the easiest to do. His position on the Iraq War, like all his other positions, is short and to the point.

Senator Gravel advocates an immediate and orderly withdrawal of all U.S. troops. His current plan, if enacted, would have all U.S. soldiers home within 120 days.

I have to say, given the prominence of this issue, that seems a little sketchy.

Gravel is in favor of a more aggressive congressional strategy towards ending the war, according to an article reprinted at his site.

When asked by moderator Tim Russert how Senator Gravel would overcome the deadlock on passing legislation to end the war, he responded: “You stop the debate [over ending the war] by voting every single day on cloture. Twenty days, and you’ll overcome cloture. The president vetoes the law. It comes back to the Congress. And in the House at noon every single day you vote to override the president’s veto. You tell me that the votes aren’t there-you go get them by the scruff of the neck, that’s what you do. You make them vote.”

That sounds better than our current strategy I have to say.