Iraq – Rebuilding: What should the U.S. role be in the political and economic rebuilding of Iraq?
John Edwards: We should rebuild Iraq with allies by our side, and with a real plan to win the peace. We should immediately take the American face off this occupation by giving civilian control to the United Nations; give the Iraqi people more control over their destinies; and seek allies for a larger security force in Iraq.
I believe that we have a responsibility to support our troops and help rebuild Iraq. The Bush administration's plan has failed to bring our allies into the effort and empower the Iraqi people.
To rebuild Iraq, I will immediately turn over oversight of the civilian authority to the United Nations and give our allies a seat at the table. The U.N. must play a central role in helping Iraq become safe and secure, as well as training Iraqi security forces.
I also believe that NATO must be involved - as I have argued for over a year.
I will establish specific timetables to transfer authority to the Iraqis to give them more control over their economy, civilian authority, and security, and to help them create a new government that defends their freedom and represents their diversity.
I will establish an independent oversight commission to ensure that the contract process is competitive, fair, and transparent.
Howard Dean: The situation in Iraq will remain tenuous so long as the reconstruction and stabilization efforts have a “made in America” label on them. We need to transfer sovereignty to credible and legitimate Iraqi leaders as soon as feasible and encourage the UN to take responsibility for this political transition.
Wesley Clark: America must have a central role in building a secure, democratic Iraq that is not a threat to its neighbors or the world, and we have to stay the course until the jobs is done. But we must internationalize the effort and provide a meaningful role for the U.N. and friends around the world in not only the humanitarian mission, but the political and economic reconstruction as well.
From the beginning, the Bush administration has insisted on exclusive control of the Iraqi reconstruction and occupation. This has cost us the financial and military support of other nations and made America a bigger target for terrorists.
Ending the American monopoly will change the way this enterprise is viewed-in Iraq and throughout the world. The Coalition Provisional Authority, which is the American-led de facto government of Iraq, should be replaced. But the United Nations is neither able nor willing to assume the daunting task of governing Iraq.
I would create a new international structure to govern Iraq – the Iraqi Reconstruction and Democracy Council – similar to the one formed in Bosnia.
The interim government would have representatives from the European Union, the United States, neighboring countries and others who support our efforts to build a democratic Iraq.
Fixing the administration's missteps will require skilled diplomacy at the highest levels. I will call a summit of leaders from Europe, the United Nations, Japan, and the Arab world to launch a new, internationalized effort in Iraq.
John Kerry: The United States must work with our allies and we should put Iraqi governance and reconstruction under U.N. authority. I believe the U.S. should immediately put together a concrete plan for the transfer of power to the Iraqi people.
We need to involve the international community in order to reduce America's financial and military burden, reduce the targeting of American soldiers, and maximize our ability to wage the war on terror around the world.
I will show that we understand real partnership by reaching out to our allies, rebuilding international good will, and asking the U.N. to put Iraqi governance and reconstruction under U.N. authority. It's not necessary for the U.S. to go it alone on rebuilding Iraq's institutions and meeting humanitarian needs.
I'll reach out to European nations by eliminating Bush's discriminatory contracting procedures and offering a genuine partnership of responsibility in return for a genuine partnership of burden sharing - troops and money.
I will immediately lay out my plan for the transfer of power to the Iraqi people by decoupling the establishment of an interim government from a constitutional process, and immediately putting the process under U.N. authority.
The Iraqi people's participation in rebuilding their country and shaping their new institutions is fundamental to the cause of a stable and independent Iraq.
