In response to President Bush's announcement that he will withdraw 30,000 troops from Iraq by next summer, Senator John Edwards released the following statement:

"President Bush has stated that he will withdraw 30,000 troops by next summer. The truth is that because the president's Iraq policy has brought our military close to the breaking point, these forces would have been withdrawn anyway—unless the president planned to extend tours to an unconscionable 18 months. The president taking credit for this withdrawal is like taking credit for gravity. "It's time to end this sad game of excuses and Beltway double-talk. Last November, the American people voted for real change in Iraq, but instead the president has clung to the status quo and Congress has caved. For over a year, I have called for an immediate withdrawal of 40-50,000 troops—not by next summer, but today—to jump-start the comprehensive political solution that will end the violence in Iraq and allow a complete troop withdrawal within a year. In the face of the president's irresponsible tactics, Congress must stand united and say with one voice: No timetable, no funding. No excuses."

Edwards Response To Troop Withdrawal Announcement

We will be to where we were in January, 2007, by June or July 2008. And it was not good enough last January!

John Edwards was right in January. Alone among the top three, he supported the Kennedy Bill to defund the escalation:

Jan 23, 2007 Chapel Hill, North Carolina –

Tomorrow, Senator John Edwards will run a full-page ad in Roll Call, the newspaper read by all of Congress, calling on members of Congress to use their power to stop President Bush from escalating the war in Iraq. (Click here to view a PDF copy of the ad.) The ad will include the names of thousands of Americans who have signed Edwards’ petition demanding that Congress block funds for an escalation of troops in Iraq. Over 80,000 Americans from across the country have joined Edwards in speaking out and urging Congress to use its power of the purse to stop the President from escalating the war, as it has in the past, including in Vietnam, Lebanon, Nicaragua and Colombia. The text of the ad will read: "LAST NIGHT, YOU HEARD THE PRESIDENT SPEAK. TODAY, LISTEN TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. The names printed here represent a sample of more than 80,000 people who have joined John Edwards in calling on Congress to block funding of Bush’s escalation of the war in Iraq. Members of Congress: You have the power to block this escalation. Use it.

Edwards And Over 80,000 Americans Call On Congress To Block Funds

And in May, Edwards led the campaign to SEND THE SAME BILL BACK:

Now he is leading an effort to help Congress learn how to stand up to Bush.

"In 2006, the American people elected a Democratic Congress to change course and end this war. It's the whole reason the American people voted for change. Yet, 10 months after the election, we still have the status quo and Congress has still failed to do the people's will. That might be the way they do it inside the Beltway, but it's not the American way. It's time to stand up for the American people and against President Bush's failed, stubborn policy. Without a firm deadline, a small withdrawal of only some of the surge troops won't cut it--that's not a solution, it's an excuse. Congress must not send President Bush any funding bill without a timeline to end this war. No timeline, no funding. No excuses."

Edwards Statement On Report That Congress May Cave

We need to pressure Congress and mobilize people to end the occupation of Iraq.

NO TIMETABLE, NO FUNDING. NO EXCUSES!!!