US Democrat presidential hopefuls clash on Iraq war in debate
The candidates clashed on the war and war-funding. Senator Hillary Clinton was attacked on this after she voted for it, then voted for all but the last funding bill. That bill removed a timeline for troop withdrawal after it was vetoed by President George W Bush. Senator John Edwards attacked Ms Clinton for her failure to admit she was wrong in voting for the war in 2002, while Congressman Dennis Kucinich attacked her for labelling it “Bush’s War” because Democrats in Congress were complicit by voting yes. Former Senator Mike Gravel accused all candidates who voted for the war and latest funding as lacking in moral judgement. Mr Edwards criticised Ms Clinton and Senator Barack Obama for quietly voting on the funding bill instead of making their position clear. He called it the difference between “leadership and legislating.” Mr Obama who always opposed the war lashed back at Mr Edwards who supported it, saying he was “four and a half years late on leadership on this issue.” All candidates agreed the war needed to end but Democrats who hold 50 seats in the US Senate need 67 to override a veto.
Mr Obama disagreed that America was safer since 9/11, saying the war in Iraq was a distraction from the real war against al-Qaida. Ms Clinton in a surprise statement said the country was “safer but not safe enough”.
