Candidates' positions are categorized as Pro (Yes), Con (No), Not Clearly Pro or Con, or None Found.
Candidates who have changed their positions are listed as Now their most recent position.
(Candidates are listed in alphabetical order by party; black & white photos indicate candidates who have withdrawn or who no longer meet our criteria.)
Chuck Baldwin, Founder and Minister of the Crossroad Baptist Church in Pensacola, FL, issued the following statement through his Communications Director, Mary Starrett, in an Aug. 18, 2008 email to ProCon.org:
Bob Barr, former US House Representative (R-GA), in a May 9, 2008 Village Voice article titled "Bob Barr: Libertarian Presidential Hopeful on Barack, Borat, and Spoiling for McCain," stated:
"My plan for Iraq is to signal immediately to the Iraqi government that they are going to have to start taking responsibility for their own security, their own economy, their own political development. That I, unlike President Bush but like candidate Bush, do not believe the responsibility of the United States government and military is to nation build and it is not to occupy foreign nations. And we will begin immediately a withdrawal. I would not set a timetable, I don't believe in telling your adversaries when you're going to do certain things, I think that's foolhardy and irresponsible." May 9, 2008 Bob Barr
John McCain, US Senator (R-AZ), stated in a May 13, 2007 interview with Tim Russert on MSNBC's Meet the Press:
"Look, this is long and hard and difficult, and I've said it for a long time. And it's no last throes, it's no mission accomplished, it's no few dead-enders. It's long and hard and tough. We are experiencing some successes. Do we have to experience more? Yes. But to do what the Democrats want to do, and that's set a date for withdrawal, even those who opposed the war from the beginning don't think that that would lead to anything but an enormously challenging situation as a result.
MR. [TIM] RUSSERT: But, senator, the Iraqi parliament, a majority of the Iraqi parliament, has signed a petition asking for a date certain for withdrawal of American troops. If the Iraqi parliament wants it, a majority in the Congress want it...
SEN. McCAIN: Mm-hmm.
MR. RUSSERT: ...then why do you stand there and say, "No, you can't have it"?
SEN. McCAIN: Because it's my job to give my best estimate to the American people, no matter what the political calculations may be, as to what's the best in our nation's national security interest. Young men and women are risking their lives as we speak in, in, in Iraq. And I know that they will be in greater harm's way if we withdraw from Iraq, as we keep debating over and over and over again. And I know what's best, in my mind, in my experience, in my knowledge, in my inspiration, as to what's best for this country. So political calculations such as polls, I understand that if the American people don't continue to support this effort that we will be forced to withdraw. But it's also my obligation to tell the American people and my constituents in Arizona that I represent, what the consequences of failure will be; and I believe they will be catastrophic." May 13, 2007 John McCain
Cynthia McKinney, former US House Representative (D-GA),was quoted in a Mar. 24, 2008 article titled "A Conscientious Objection," written by Chris Hedges and published by TruthDig.com:
"Not only do we need an immediate, orderly withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan, we need an end to the militarism that has placed US troops on the soil of over 100 countries." Mar. 24, 2008 Cynthia McKinney
Ralph Nader, attorney, author, and political activist, stated in an article titled "Middle East" on his official candidate website (accessed Aug. 18, 2008):
"Nader/Gonzalez would reverse the current policy in the Middle East.
The current political strategy of pre-emptive war in the Middle East is a disaster for both the American people and the people of the Middle East. It has bloated the already wasteful military budget and has cost at present over 4,000 American lives, nearly 100,000 American injuries, and over a million Iraqi civilian lives, plus the destruction of their country.
Nader/Gonzalez propose a rapid withdrawal of troops from Iraq. A target of withdrawing troops in six months will be set." Aug. 18, 2008 Ralph Nader
Barack Obama, US Senator (D-IL), stated in a Nov. 20, 2006 article titled "A Way Forward in Iraq" on his official candidate website:
"The first part of this strategy [in Iraq] begins by exerting the greatest leverage we have on the Iraqi government - a phased redeployment of US troops from Iraq on a timetable that would begin in four to six months.
When I first advocated steps along these lines over a year ago, I had hoped that this phased redeployment could begin by the end of 2006. Such a timetable may now need to begin in 2007, but begin it must. For only through this phased redeployment can we send a clear message to the Iraqi factions that the US is not going to hold together this country indefinitely - that it will be up to them to form a viable government that can effectively run and secure Iraq." Nov. 20, 2006 Barack Obama
INACTIVE CANDIDATES
(Candidates who have withdrawn or who no longer meet our criteria appear
below in black and white and in alphabetical order by party.)
Joe Biden, US Senator (D-DE), stated in an article titled "Iraq: A Way Forward" on his official candidate website (accessed Nov. 2, 2007):
"...[M]ore and more Americans understandably want a rapid withdrawal, even at the risk of trading a dictator for chaos and a civil war that could become a regional war. Both are bad alternatives.
There is a third way that can achieve the two objectives most Americans share: to bring our troops home without leaving chaos behind. 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 call on the US military to withdraw most US troops from Iraq by the summer of 2008, with a residual force to keep Iraqis and their neighbors honest." Nov. 2, 2007Joe Biden
Hillary Clinton, US Senator (D-NY), voted yes on the "US Troop Readiness, Veterans' Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act, 2007" (H.R. 1591) "Making emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2007, and for other purposes" on Apr. 26, 2007:
"TITLE I GLOBAL WAR ON TERROR SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS- CHAPTER 9 GENERAL PROVISIONS-THIS TITLE- SEC. 1904...
(b) If the President fails to make any of the determinations specified in subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall commence the redeployment of the Armed Forces from Iraq no later than July 1, 2007, with a goal of completing such redeployment within 180 days.
(c) If the President makes the determinations specified in subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall commence the redeployment of the Armed Forces from Iraq not later than October 1, 2007, with a goal of completing such redeployment within 180 days." Apr. 26, 2007 US Troop Readiness, Veterans' Care, Katrina Recovery, and Iraq Accountability Appropriations Act, 2007 (H.R. 1591) (249 KB)
[Editor's Note: Prior to Hillary Clinton's Apr. 26, 2007 Pro position statement, her position was Con a timetable for troop withdrawal as indicated in her Nov. 29, 2005 "Letter to Constituents on Iraq Policy" on her US Senate website]
"It is time for the President to stop serving up platitudes and present us with a plan for finishing this war with success and honor - not a rigid timetable that terrorists can exploit, but a public plan for winning and concluding the war." Nov. 29, 2005 Hillary Clinton
Chris Dodd, US Senator (D-CT), in a Sep. 20, 2007 article titled "Iraq Redeployment Legislation Must Have Firm Deadline, Enforceable Cut Off of Funds" on his US Senate website, stated:
"I believe the only way to achieve real change in Iraq is to insist on a firm and enforceable deadline for redeploying US combat troops that is tied to funding which is the only way we can end this war." Sep. 26, 2007 Chris Dodd
John Edwards, former US Senator (D-NC), stated in an Apr. 30, 2007 article titled "Strong Iraq War Remarks of John Edwards at California Democratic Party Convention" on the California Progress Report website:
"And we need the Congress to stand firm and strong. If the President vetoes this bill [H.R. 1591] establishing a timetable for withdrawal], they should send him back another bill with a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq. If he vetoes that, they should send him another one back with a timetable for withdrawal. They should not back down from this President and let him continue from this. We have to show strength and courage." Apr. 30, 2007John Edwards
Rudy Giuliani, former Mayor of New York City, stated in a Dec. 9, 2007 interview on Meet the Press with Tim Russert:
"For now-I, I don't think you put it-when has any country ever won a war with great pressure for time limits placed on the military while you are engaged in that war? I think there's been a counterproductive thing done here that-if we had gone into any war with, you know, 'You've got a year to do this, you got two years to do this, otherwise we're going to give the enemy a timetable of our retreat,' you almost can't succeed in that war. The enemy even figures out you can't succeed, and they outlast you. So I think you have to say, and I think we should learn that from this experience we've gone through, where we've seen a lot of Democrats, like, in three or four different positions on this. I think we should learn from this that we should set a strategic objective, and we should support that strategic objective. When it becomes obvious to the military that we can't succeed, or our review of it, then we shouldn't. But as long as there's a chance, we should support achieving that objective." Dec. 9, 2007 Rudy Giuliani
Mike Gravel, former US Senator (D-AK), issued the following statement through his press secretary, Alex Colvin, in a Oct. 19, 2007 email to ProCon.org:
"A complete withdrawal should commence immediately." Oct. 19, 2007 Mike Gravel
Mike Huckabee, former Governor of Arkansas, stated in an article titled "Issues: Iraq" on his official campaign website (accessed Oct. 31, 2007):
"Setting a timetable for withdrawal is a mistake. This country has never declared war until 'a week from Wednesday,' we have always declared war until victory." Oct. 31, 2007 Mike Huckabee
Duncan Hunter, US Representative (R-CA), voted NO on the "Responsible Redeployment from Iraq Act" (H.R.2956) on July 16, 2007:
"AN ACT
To require the Secretary of Defense to commence the reduction of the number of United States Armed Forces in Iraq to a limited presence by April 1, 2008, and for other purposes.
SEC. 3. REQUIREMENT TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF ARMED FORCES IN IRAQ AND TRANSITION TO A LIMITED PRESENCE OF THE ARMED FORCES IN IRAQ.
(a) Requirement- The Secretary of Defense shall commence the reduction of the number of Armed Forces in Iraq beginning not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act and shall complete the reduction and transition to a limited presence of the Armed Forces in Iraq by not later than April 1, 2008." July 16, 2007 "Responsible Redeployment from Iraq Act" (H.R.2956), THOMAS (Library of Congress) website
Daniel Imperato, an Independent candidate and business entrepreneur, issued the following statement through his press secretary, Joseph Oddo, in a Nov. 30, 2007 email to ProCon.org:
"It is likely that we will have to leave some troops in Iraq in order to secure enough oil to repay us for the cost of military intervention that disposed of the dictator Saddam Hussein." Nov. 30, 2007 Daniel Imperato
Alan Keyes, former Assistant US Secretary of State, stated in a May 13, 2007 interview on Meet the Press with Tim Russert:
"And some people actually think that we can just withdraw and forget about it, forgetting that we were attacked. And usually, when you withdraw from a war before your enemy stops fighting, you don't call that 'withdrawal.' You call it defeat and surrender...
And, in this case, defeat and surrender could mean the loss of American lives right here at home." May 13, 2007 Alan Keyes
Steve Kubby, founder of the American Medical Marijuana Association, stated in an Oct. 29, 2007 email to ProCon.org:
"If by 'timetable for withdrawal' you mean 'immediate, unconditional withdrawal as fast as can be accomplished consistent with the safety and security of the troops,' then yes. If by 'timetable for withdrawal' you mean some vague set of ill-defined goals drawn up to ensure a perpetual US military presence in Iraq, then no." Oct. 29, 2007 Steve Kubby
Dennis Kucinich, US Representative (D-OH), stated in an exchange with moderator and MSNBC host Tim Russert in the Sep. 26, 2007 Democratic Presidential Debate in Hanover, NH:
"Russert: ...You'll pledge to have all troops out by January of 2013.
Kucinich: By April of 2007. And you can mark that on your calendars, if you want to take a new direction...
Russert: Well, it's September of '07 now. So we're going to have a problem.
Frank McEnulty, President of Our Castle Homes, in an Oct. 30, 2007 email to ProCon.org, stated:
"No, although we went into the war based on some very fraudulent and misleading intelligence data and analysis, to set a timetable now would be a tremendous setback for all the things that have been accomplished and continue to be accomplished every day. It is up to the Iraqi people to ask us to leave. When that happens, or our commanders on the ground tell us that we should get out because further positive gains are not possible, then we should leave as soon as practical at that point." Oct. 30, 2007 Frank McEnulty
Ron Paul, US Representative (R-TX), on Jan. 31, 2007, voted YES on "Iraq War De-Escalation Act of 2007" (H.AMDT.297) to the "Arctic National Wildlife Refuge bill" (H.R.4):
"(1) US Armed Forces levels in Iraq after the date of enactment of this Act shall not exceed January 10, 2007, levels without specific statutory authority enacted by Congress after the date of the enactment of this Act; and (2) except as otherwise provided, the phased redeployment of US Armed Forces from Iraq shall begin by May 1, 2007." Jan. 31, 2007 "Iraq War De-Escalation Act of 2007" (H.R.787), THOMAS (Library of Congress) website
Bill Richardson, Governor of New Mexico, at the Aug. 19, 2007 Democratic Presidential Debate at Drake University in Iowa, stated:
"My plan is that, to end this war, we have to get all the troops out, all of them...
And it's critically important that we do this with an orderly timetable. But what is key is all of the troops out -- no residual forces. You leave residual forces behind, the peace cannot begin." Aug. 19, 2007 Bill Richardson
Mitt Romney, former Governor of Massachusetts, stated on ABC News' Good Morning America on April 3, 2007:
"There's no question that the president and Prime Minister al-Maliki [of Iraq] have to have a series of timetables and milestones that they speak about, but those shouldn't be for public pronouncement. You don't want the enemy to understand how long they have to wait in the weeds until you're going to be gone."
Apr. 3, 2007 >Mitt Romney
Christine Smith, founder and former President of Dreams of Freedom, Inc., stated in a Nov. 12, 2007 email to ProCon.org:
"Yes. And it should be immediate. My first act as President would be to order the immediate withdrawal of every single US troop and all US government personnel from Iraq. As fast as they can be safely loaded onto helicopters and other transport, I will have them withdrawn. Peace delayed is peace denied. I will stop the deaths and maiming of our men and women in Iraq, and end the continued deaths and maiming of Iraqi civilians resulting from our occupation. As for the equipment and munitions, I would have as much as can be safely be taken with our troops during their withdrawal retrieved, and the rest can be left as well as destroyed. I am for the safe and immediate withdrawal of all our troops, and will not allow more of their lives to be risked for the sake of equipment. " Nov. 12, 2007 Christine Smith
Tom Tancredo, US Representative (R-CO), in an article titled "Issues: Iraq" on his official congressional website (accessed Nov. 1, 2007), stated:
"America's noble sacrifice has purchased Iraqis a precious opportunity for democratic change; it is now up to them to ensure success. Setting the President's November benchmark for shifting control as an actual timetable for disengagement will let regional powers and Iraqi factions cooperate to forge a new balance of power." Nov. 1, 2007Tom Tancredo
[Editor's Note: Prior to his Nov. 1, 2007 Pro position, Congressman Tom Tancredo's position was Con as evidenced by his voting for House Resolution 861, to deny a timetable for US troop withdrawal from Iraq on June 16, 2006]
"Declaring that the United States will prevail in the Global War on Terror, the struggle to protect freedom from the terrorist adversary
Declares that: (1) it is not in the US national interest to set an arbitrary withdrawal or redeployment date for US Armed Forces from Iraq; and (2) the United States is committed to completion of the mission to create a sovereign, free, and united Iraq." June 16, 2006 "H. Res. 861," THOMAS (Library of Congress) website
Fred Thompson, former US Senator (R-TN), is quoted in an Oct. 3, 2007 Associated Press article titled "Thompson Urges More Military Spending" by Mike Glover::
"While backing the war, [Fred] Thompson said, 'No one wants to drill in a dry hole forever.' He has consistently opposed a timetable for withdrawal." Oct. 3, 2007 Fred Thompson