Richardson: Redeploy U.S. troops now

Mon, Jul. 16, 2007

The Associated Press

CONCORD, N.H. -- Democratic presidential hopeful Bill Richardson said Monday he has little faith in military leaders' assessments of the war in Iraq and doesn't understand why the architects of "this morass" get to write their own report cards.

Richardson, on a New Hampshire Public Radio talk show, repeated his call for promptly redeploying all U.S. troops from Iraq to neighboring countries. He said it's up to Iraqi leaders to patch together an internal reconciliation plan.

"It's been these military experts, with all due respect to the generals, who have gotten us into this mess," Richardson said. "Our troops have become targets. What we need is a full withdrawal, no residual forces."

The New Mexico governor and former U.N. ambassador said Bush's policy has been haphazard from its beginning.

"It's been this misguided political and military strategy that has gotten us into this morass. ... This is an indefensible policy," he said. "We have gone it alone in Iraq. This policy is just not working. The only answer the president has is a surge, more troops."

That, he said, is a mistake.

"What you do is redirect your policy. You don't give up. You find a way to get our troops out of the region," he said. "I'm not calling for a total withdrawal from the region. I'd put more troops in Afghanistan, where we are weak."


http://www.thestate.com/365/story/119863.html