September 15, 2007
Posted: 03:58 PM ET

Sen. Biden says his plan for Iraq would keep America safer.

(CNN)–Senator Joe Biden says his plan to divide Iraq into regional governments along sectarian lines is the best way forward for the country.

"This week, America found out what I have been saying for over a year is true. President Bush has no intention of ending this war in Iraq on his watch," Biden said.

"Too many people are saying we don't want to impose a political settlement on Iraq, but the fact is that a federal system, where the tribes and religious leaders can form their own states, is called for in their constitution," the Democratic presidential hopeful from Delaware said Saturday in a release from his campaign. "What they need is our help in bringing the international community and the neighboring states to the table to enforce their own laws. They can't do it themselves and our soldiers can't enforce them either."

"We must get our soldiers out of this civil war where they become justification for the Bush-fulfilling prophecy of Al-Qaeda in Iraq to flourish," he said. "We must legislate a new mission for our troops to secure the borders and focus on Al-Qaeda. That is the only way, short of a sea change among Republicans in Congress, to force the President to draw down troops this year.”

Biden added, "by pulling our troops out of Iraq we will be strengthening the U.S. military by allowing them to resume normal rotations and we will have the flexibility to focus on the real Al-Qaeda threat to the U.S. which is fomenting along the Afghan-Pakistan border where Osama bin Laden is still in hiding."

Biden's plan would maintain a unified country, but decentralizing it into three autonomous regions run by Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds respectively. A central government in Baghdad would handle issues such as border security and distribution of oil revenue.

Biden campaigned in Iowa on Saturday.

– CNN Political Desk Editor Jamie Crawford

Filed under: Iraq • Joe Biden • Race to '08


frank carter Pharr tex   September 18th, 2007 2:20 pm ET

Sen Biden, you will never get elected, so have a sit and enjoy the other candidates make fools of themselves.

Tony C., Arvada   September 18th, 2007 12:31 pm ET

Joe Biden is the best candidate in 08. He has my support.

Jon, San Diego, CA   September 17th, 2007 11:02 am ET

Are you kidding, Ron?

Biden as Secretary of State? Well, I guess the problem with Joe is that he'd make an excellent president, secretary of state, etc., etc., etc. But Obama? I wouldn't vote for Obama if he ran for city council.

Good Old Joe seems to have a firm hold on reality and, I don't know, that just seems to be a special quality for a presidential candidate to possess.

If you guys are worried that Joe's qualifications only apply to foreign policy, I offer these two points:

1) Read through his site as I did and you'll see a variety of comprehensive plans addressing many issues that matter to us dems.

2) What was the last significant piece of promised domestic legislation that you can remember that was successfully implemented? Universal health care promised in the 60s? No. I'm no expert but it was probably the Civil Rights Acts. A long time ago.

So candidates who run primarily on domestic fixes are rarely able to get things done. What we've learned is that foreign policy is the most significant asset of the Executive and I see Biden as THE leader with that asset and I see him as a reasonable man who will stand up for citizens' rights, universal health care, and all of the other promises democrats have made to us over the last fifty years.

Vote with your heads this time, not with your hearts.

B.C., Canada   September 17th, 2007 10:50 am ET

What a ridiculous plan. Prior to the invasion and occupation Sunnis and Shites lived side by side and intermarried. This dates back over a thousand years. It would be akin to separating Democrats into Blue States, Republicans into Red and Independents into Purple ones.

Unfortunately, the Pandora's Box was opened with this invasion and tragically for the Iraqi people the adminstration's lack of planning and callous indifference to the suffering of these largely innocent people.

P. Sebree   September 17th, 2007 7:14 am ET

No body wants to hear the truth. But the fact is, this is one of the canididates that really understands what is necessary to get out of Iraq, and best of all he actually has a plan. Plus it makes sense if you really think about it.

Ron Nebraska   September 16th, 2007 8:45 pm ET

Really very simple folkls, if you like the Biden plan then elect Obama President and I am sure you will see Biden as secretary of state or some other important policy making position. See, with Obama we'll get the best people in place and not just more frat buddies out of their depths.

Dan, TX   September 16th, 2007 5:27 pm ET

Iraqi on Iraqi terrorism is here to stay. Nothing we can do about it. Shia vs. Sunni. Think Protestant vs. Catholic in Northern Ireland….

Farrell, Houston, Tx   September 16th, 2007 2:49 pm ET

Sen. Biden is correct and Americans need to listen regardless of any political affiliation. This is a religious war that is going to turn on us with a vengance like we've never seen and continuing in Iraq is not is not the answer. Focusing on our Homeland Security I believe is most important and Giuliani all candidates should be addressing this.

badgerinthevan   September 16th, 2007 11:56 am ET

Here we go with another hack. Biden like the rest of the spineless are now coming out with their solutions when in fact their solution should have been to remove the chimp and his cronies. The sectarian violence is there because of the lack of intelligence and the resident idiot who did not know there were different groups in Iraq. Where are those flowers? Those flowers are on the graves of the thousands of soldiers killed and innocent people who were caught in the middle of this invasion.

Let's send Bush and company to Iraq so they can fix it. How can any American sit by and bare witness to the continued atrocities caused by these people lying is beyond me. But yet you claim to be so religious. Hypocrites.

Mac, Severn, Md   September 16th, 2007 10:24 am ET

John R raises a couple of interesting points. Partitioning sounds like a reasonable solution, but, it wouldn't be easy. Oil revenues are not the only thing to consider. What about food, fresh water, etc.? Imagine partitioning the USA into 4 regions: Northeast, Midwest, South and West. Would the Midwest (our "breadbasket") share its harvest with the other regions, or choose to sell to other countries? Lots of fruit and vegetables grown in the West and South - would they trade with the Northeast Region? They may choose to NOT trade in order to overpower that Region (a trade "war" for political purposes). With Iraq, you have to throw in the religious differences (Sunni, Shia) on top of potential quests for political power. Partioning sounds fair, but it surely would not be easy.

charlotte, n.c.   September 16th, 2007 10:09 am ET

You go Joe. This is the only candidate with enough experience to get this job done

john r   September 16th, 2007 1:41 am ET

the turk will not agree to anindependent kurdish state on their borders.

a partioned iraq would merely created battle lines for hoistilities. where are they going to agree on oil revenues and electricity, water,etc.

Lee, Mays Landing NJ   September 16th, 2007 1:15 am ET

Sorry bprossersme, I haven't paid too much attention to politics over the last 30 years other than reading and voting, but the Bush-Rove years woke me up and radicalized me. They've committed outrage after outrage and I'll bet there are many other previously inactive people who are simlarly outraged.

bprossersme   September 16th, 2007 12:23 am ET

What's with this vitriolic rhetoric?
You sound like fanatical harpies. Take a leaf out of Biden's book. Keep your cool and maybe someone will take what you have to say seriously.

Lee, Mays Landing NJ   September 16th, 2007 12:20 am ET

It's really quite simple.

Any democrat over Hillary Clinton.

However if HRC wins nomination, it's easily HRC over any republican.

In fact in payment for the disaster after disaster these past 6 years, their hypocricy, their shameless use of fear, their shameless use of Terry Schiavo, let alone our crippling deficit and quagmire war, every republican from the President to your local dog catcher needs to swept out. That is the only accountability we can get. They commit crimes and Bush pardons them, treason and Bush keeps them as advisors or they plead guilty and then try to take it back.

Like Iraq was "de-Baathified", the ruinous republicans have all got to go.

Dan, Tx   September 16th, 2007 12:11 am ET

Biden has the most experience and it is too bad he doesn't have the advantages of name recognition and party favor that Clinton has.

erika morgan black dimond wa   September 15th, 2007 11:06 pm ET

I've always liked Biden, now I think we really need his intelligence, saneness, realism, and statesmen like measured response to help us climb out of the mess that is our involvement in Iraq!

Ed, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA   September 15th, 2007 9:02 pm ET

For those pathetic right wing loonies, the policy that he would like to implement has worked in kosovo. But you ignorant buffoons won't listen.. just like your pathetic President Bush.

FYI: Presiden Bush was never qualified for the job, the man can't even complete a sentence without %&*@ it up.

Sandy, Marquette, MI   September 15th, 2007 7:27 pm ET

If Biden did well in one of the early primaries, would he have a chance? He seems to have thought out the Iraq mess and has a plan that could move the tribes in Iraq forward and our country out.

Adam, Clearwater, FL   September 15th, 2007 7:22 pm ET

Senator Biden's experience, intelligence, and will to lead are evident.

As his popularity grows, so does my hope that he will be able to overcome the Clinton political juggernaut that is threatening to either put another Republican in the White House or initiate the New World Order that bprosersme correctly predicts.

RHubbs Baton Rouge, LA   September 15th, 2007 7:00 pm ET

Very much like Joe Biden. He has the experience in both domestic and foreign matters. Fair and competent. Loved his book too!

Don Fitzgerald, Chicago   September 15th, 2007 6:35 pm ET

Go, Joe! You're the sanest candidate out there and any strategy is better than the nightmarish strategy of the Republicans. It is a starting point in the discussion of our withdrawal from the occupation of a sovereign nation, Iraq
Run, Joe, Run.
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE. NOW.

bprosersme   September 15th, 2007 5:32 pm ET

There you go Biden, finally a sane voice. What's the truth behind the Clinton's plan to destroy America's military and enter us into A NEW WORLD ORDER where America is just part of a whole? Of course Russia and China would never join, but we'd be ruined?

Alan St Louis Mo   September 15th, 2007 3:58 pm ET

wow Im impressed. Thats the smartest thing i heard of in a long time. That is a down to earth and winnable strategy. If the rest of your policy are like this i hope you make it to the tier 1 rank. This dream strategy not working at all. Maybe becuse its a dream strategy. Exept people are dieing in that dream strategy.

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