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 News from Around the Americas | July 2007 
Democrat Richardson Airs TV Ad Demanding Return of US Troops From Iraq
 Jim Kuhnhenn - Associated Press
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New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson aired a new ad in Iowa and New Hampshire on Wednesday, demanding that all U.S. troops come out of Iraq and calling on Congress “to stand up to this president.”
The ad opened as Senate Republicans sunk a Democratic plan that would have required troops to begin coming home within 120 days, with a complete pullout by April 20, 2008.
“Our troops have done everything we’ve asked and I don’t want to see any more die,” Richardson says in the ad, as he walks through the foothills of his home state.
Richardson asserts in the ad that “the one thing the Iraqis agree on is they want us to leave.” As supporting evidence, the campaign cited data from WorldPublicOpinion.org where 71 percent of Iraqis say they would like the Iraqi government to ask for U.S. led forces to be withdrawn within a year or less.
Another poll in March, however, was not as definitive. The poll, conducted for ABC News, USA Today and other news organization, found that 35 percent of Iraqis polled wanted troops to “leave now,” and 38 percent wanted troops to “remain until security is restored.” Twenty-five percent said they wanted troops to remain until the Iraqi government was stronger or until Iraqi forces could operate independently.
By calling for all troops to leave, Richardson is trying to distinguish himself from other Democratic presidential candidates who have envisioned leaving some soldiers in safer border areas to hunt for al-Qaida members, monitor civil unrest and train Iraqi troops. |
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