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Scott Kleeb on War & Peace
Democratic Challenger
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Draw down US troops, but no timetables
Washington cannot be expected to micromanage Iraq's future. To end the war in Iraq, Scott believes that the Iraqi government must be compelled to take charge of its own future, but also:- Draw down US troops. While Scott has consistently rejected
timetables for withdrawal in Iraq, he strongly believes that with the recommendations of our military leaders we must begin to draw down our military presence in Iraq.
- No permanent military bases. A prolonged presence in Iraq does not serve our
national security, nor does it accomplish our top priority of destroying al-Qaeda terrorist cells.
- Compel Iraq to invest in its own future. By year's end, Iraq could see a cumulative projected budget surplus of up to $79 billion. Further, history has
shown us that the principles of democracy only take root when a society is invested in its development. That's why Scott believes the time has come for the Iraqi government to invest in the long-term stability and growth of the country.
Source: Campaign booklet, Nebraska's Brand of Change, p.26-27
Aug 19, 2008
Make it clear there will be no US permanent bases in Iraq
To honor our soldiers, their service, and their sacrifice we must demand a clear plan to give the Iraqi government the military control of their own country. We must make it clear that we have no designs to build permanent bases in
Iraq and instead begin a phased redeployment so that we can more effectively target al Qaeda and global terrorism.
Source: Campaign website, www.ScottKleeb.com
May 14, 2008
Pursue a new accord on Iraq's Constitution and governance
We must press Iraq's political leaders & encourage the larger civil society to seek a new accord on Iraq's Constitution & governance; and redouble our efforts to develop a strong, multilateral regional diplomatic framework to address difficult questions
like federalism and oil revenue-sharing within Iraq. This renewed diplomacy will simultaneously further isolate al Qaeda, support reconciliation among Iraq's sectarian groups, and allow the US to bring the money home and invest it where it's needed.
Source: Campaign website, www.ScottKleeb.com
May 14, 2008
Address the humanitarian crisis of 2,000,000 Iraqi refugees
Address the growing humanitarian crisis of two million Iraqi refugees and two million more internally-displaced persons.
We have an obligation, for both moral and regional security reasons, to ensure that the joint sacrifices of our troops and the Iraqi people lead to a new and more stable Iraq.
Source: Campaign website, www.ScottKleeb.com
May 14, 2008
Deal strongly and effectively with Iran
Iran has sought nuclear weapons, supports militias inside Iraq and terror across the region, and its leaders threaten Israel and deny the Holocaust. Clearly this is a regime with whom we must deal strongly and effectively as one mistake threatens not onl
regional security but very possibly our own national security as well. But we must not repeat the mistakes of Iraq by excluding any possible options for securing our interests in the region. Our strength, unrecognized by the Bush administration, is
that we do have tremendous leverage over the regime in power. Iran's major economic troubles coupled with its own desperate need for more and cheaper energy open an opportunity to deal with the regime smartly and from a position of strength.
We must demand Iran give up its nuclear ambitions and support for terrorism in exchange for membership in the World Trade Organization. If Iran refuses, we must increase our economic pressure and political isolation and thus further weaken the regime.
Source: Campaign website, www.ScottKleeb.com
May 14, 2008
More diplomacy; start drawdown of troops now
Kleeb on the Iraq war: Would place greater emphasis on diplomacy to end the war. Supports a drawdown of troops to send the message that the Iraqis must assume responsibility for their country.
Says complete troop withdrawal cannot come until Iraq is secure and stable. We need to find a way to replace our unilateral presence there.
Source: By Robynn Tysver, Omaha World-Herald
May 4, 2008
Iraq was a mistake, but don't destabilize further by leaving
If a nation poses a threat to the safety of the American people, then we must act immediately, and decisively, to neutralize that threat.As we now know, however, the threat posed to Americans and the world by Saddam Hussein was not as dire & immediate
as it was portrayed. The decision to go to war was made on faulty intelligence. Even more serious, our civilian leadership exercised poor judgment in making the decision to invade. They failed to anticipate and plan for a prolonged guerilla war.
It is disgraceful to see Washington politicians trying to score political points by calling Iraq an abject failure (which it is not) or by suggesting that it will be a beacon of Western Democracy in the Middle East the day after tomorrow (which it will
not).
Let's not have civilian politicians standing up saying we ought to withdraw 20,000 troops by the end of the year. Such a move runs the risk of destabilizing Iraq further just when we are seeing real signs of progress.
Source: Campaign website for Congress, scottkleeb.com, "Issues"
Nov 1, 2006
Page last updated: Dec 03, 2008