As anyone who has been following the infighting between gurufrisbee and myself about the Democratic Presidential nominee, you'll know that I support Bill Richardson and gurufrisbee supports "the front-runner" of the Democratic party. He hasn't yet declared, but he has told me on several occasions that it is pointless to support anyone but the "top tier" candidates because it will just pull the party apart and put a Republican in the White House.

Well, after hearing Bill Richardson speak at the Take Back America conference yesterday, I can only assume that gurufrisbee must be in favor of continuing the Iraq War because all of the "top tier" candidates are in favor staying in Iraq for years to come. Governor Richardson, alone, has pledged to get American troops out of Iraq, every single one, by the end of this year (or the first year of his presidency).

John Edwards wants the troops out of Iraq in 12 to 18 months and he says that Congress should send the supplemental Iraq spending bill up to the White House over and over again. The language in that bill says "leave troops in Iraq to train the Iraqi military and to leave troops to protect those troops." How exactly is that going to get us out of Iraq?

Barack Obama wants a phased re-deployment to have combat troops out of Iraq by March 31, 2008, but would leave residual troops to engage in counterterrorism and to train Iraqi forces (again, making them a target for sectarian violence).

Hillary Clinton wants to wait until October to end the war and leave residual troops. She has also told her military advisor that she sees American troops in Iraq for another decade.

All three of the top candidates support American troops staying longer. If 165,000 troops can't keep the peace or stay safe, how can 60,000, 30,000 or 20,000? This is just a stupid idea.

Richardson is no fool, he knows that when America pulls out something must be done. He is the only candidate talking about Day +1, when American troops are all out and Iraq is left to Iraqis. Governor Richardson is advocating a "new realism" in foreign policy. The key thing to do with a withdrawal of troops to Kuwait and Qatar, where they are welcomed and are close enough to engage in anti-terrorism activities, is to use that to pressure the al-Maliki government to figure out a diplomatic solution. Richardson would also convene a meeting of neighboring nations to figure out how to stop the violence and flow of foreigners into Iraq, as well as talk about rebuilding. He'd press for an all Muslim peacekeeping force to help establish peace to remove the Crusader propaganda that Al-Qaeda has used so effectively.

You know, as well as I know, that the military's mission in Iraq is over. Please sign the petition calling on Congress to end the war NOW and bring ALL the troops home.