Gore: Maybe US troops should be pulled out from Iraq sooner than the end of the year

RAW STORY
Published: Sunday June 4, 2006

On a Sunday morning talk show, former Vice President Al Gore suggested that U.S. troops should pull out from Iraq sooner than the end of the year.

"John Kerry says there should be a complete pull-out by the end of this year, do you agree with that?" asked ABC's George Stephanopoulos.

"Well, not necessarily," Gore responded. "Maybe it could come sooner than that."

Excerpts from ABC'S This Week with George Stephanopoulos show:

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MR. STEPHANOPOULOS: How about the broader issue? It's no secret you were against the war early and strongly. What would you do now? Right now?

MR. GORE: Well, I would pursue the twin objectives of trying to withdraw our forces as quickly as we possibly can, while at the same time minimizing the risk that will make the mess over there even worse and raise even higher the danger of civil war and/or anarchy.

MR. STEPHANOPOULOS: John Kerry says there should be a complete pull-out by the end of this year. Do you agree with that?

MR. GORE: Well, not necessarily. Maybe it could come sooner than that.

MR. STEPHANOPOULOS: Sooner?

MR. GORE: Well, maybe. Maybe sometime after that. I think that we need to pursue these twin objectives.

MR. STEPHANOPOULOS: Without a deadline, though?

MR. GORE: Probably without a deadline. I think the setting of the deadline is intended to -- sometimes it's described as a way to set in motion forces that will make -- improve our options and improve the situation on the ground. It's possible that setting a deadline could set in place, in motion, forces that would make it even worse. I think that we should analyze that very carefully. My guess is that a deadline is probably not the right approach. But again, you have to weigh that question in the context of how the political decisions are made between the Congress and the Executive Branch. Sometimes the Congress itself has blunt instruments and limited options to play a role in matters like this. But --

MR. STEPHANOPOULOS: Like cutting off funding?

MR. GORE: Well, I don't think anybody will be talking about that ever. But in terms of meeting these twin objectives, getting our troops home as quickly as possible without making the moral mistake of worsening an already bad situation, that's delicate, it's difficult.

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Video of the interview can be viewed at Crooks & Liars and at ABC's Website.