Tennessee 2006 Senate Debate: on War & Peace

Bob Corker: Can’t leave Iraq until they have the tools to move ahead

CORKER: Obviously, things are not going well in Iraq and we need a new strategy. We need to disarm the militias, to bring the country together behind the Iraqi security forces. We need to focus on the hotspots, like Baghdad, so people can go about creating an economy.

FORD: A month ago, Corker said we should stay the course. I don’t believe we should do that. Decentralization, modeled after Bosnia, would reduce the violence and let the people build the country their way.

CORKER: If we left Iraq tomorrow or next month, what would Iraq look like? We need to give commanders on the ground the tools they need to move ahead, so the country can be secure.

FORD: That sounds a lot like John Kerry saying he was for something before he was against something. Stay the course is stay the course. It’s not working. We cannot referee a civil war. In Bosnia, the ethnic groups live apart but together. That should be our goal in Iraq.

Harold Ford: Divide up Iraq into Sunni, Shia & Kurd regions

FORD: The stay-the-course strategy that Pres. Bush has pursued for 3 years is not working. There are other options, other than stay-the-course or cut-and-run. I believe that we can decentralize Iraq and still keep it together. Divide the country into three regions--Sunni, Shia, Kurd--give each regional autonomy, and help create a central government with authority over the borders and the ability to divide the oil revenue equally.

FORD: A month ago, Corker said we should stay the course. I don’t believe we should do that. Decentralization, modeled after Bosnia, would reduce the violence and let the people build the country their way

Harold Ford: If you want to stay the course, I’m not your guy