Edwards: Less Time on Hair, More Time on Foreign Affairs

John Edwards made a major speech today on the role of the military in foreign policy. He went beyond the usual Democratic stance on Iraq ("get out of Iraq now") and framed the issue in a way that resonated more clearly than the rhetoric I've heard from other major candidates. Some select quotes:

The core of this presidency has been a political doctrine that George Bush calls the "Global War on Terror." He has used this doctrine like a sledgehammer to justify the worst abuses and biggest mistakes of his administration, from Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib, to the war in Iraq. The worst thing about the Global War on Terror approach is that it has backfired—our military has been strained to the breaking point and the threat from terrorism has grown. We need a post-Bush, post-9/11, post-Iraq American military that is mission-focused on protecting Americans from 21st century threats, not misused for discredited ideological pursuits.

. . .

The war on terror is a slogan designed only for politics, not a strategy to make America safe. It's a bumper sticker, not a plan. It has damaged our alliances and weakened our standing in the world. As a political "frame," it's been used to justify everything from the Iraq War to Guantanamo to illegal spying on the American people. It's even been used by this White House as a partisan weapon to bludgeon their political opponents. Whether by manipulating threat levels leading up to elections, or by deeming opponents "weak on terror," they have shown no hesitation whatsoever about using fear to divide.

. . .

As president, I will close Guantanamo Bay, restore habeas corpus, and ban torture.

Read the entire speech here.