Edwards: Congress should use all tools to demand troop withdrawal

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Associated Press

By Holly Ramer, Associated Press Writer

MANCHESTER, N.H. --Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards said Sunday that Congress should continue to push for the withdrawal of troops from Iraq regardless of what top military advisers say in their progress report next month.

The former North Carolina senator started the last day of his four-day bus tour of New Hampshire outside Manchester's City Hall, where he told several hundred people that they should ask themselves two key questions when the report is released. First, has Iraq made progress toward a political solution? And second, how long will troops be deployed if there is no progress?

Edwards has said if he were president, he would remove about 50,000 American troops immediately, with the rest redeployed over about nine months.

"Although they haven't done squat yet, I would give (Iraq prime minister Nouri al-Maliki) and the Sunnis at least few months to reach a compromise. But they've got to know there's a deadline," he said.



Read more: http://www.boston.com/news/local/new_hampshire/articles/2007/08/26/edwards_congress_should_use_all_tools_to_demand_troop_withdrawal/

[rodeodance]

1. 50,000 is much better than the 5,000 'suggested' by Warner

[Mnpaul]

2. Even better

"Congress, get off your lazy butts and demand a timetable."