Edwards refers to troop increase as "McCain doctrine"

Sunday, December 31st 2006, 9:58 am

By: News On 6

WASHINGTON (AP) Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards says he opposes a U.S. troop increase in Iraq, as advocated forcefully by GOP Sen. John McCain and being considered by President Bush, and refers to the proposal as the ``McCain doctrine.''

Edwards, the 2004 vice presidential nominee, announced a repeat bid for the White House on Thursday. In an interview broadcast Sunday, he sounded like he was campaigning for the nomination and specifically against McCain, also a presidential contender, at the same time.

The Arizona Republican, Edwards said, was ``dead wrong'' in his support of a troop increase.

McCain has said the United States should deploy 15,000 to 30,000 more troops to Iraq to control its sectarian violence and give moderate Iraqi politicians the stability they need to take the country in the right direction.

Bush has been meeting with military and civilian aides and advisers to craft a new Iraq policy.

Edwards, who appeared with his wife, Elizabeth, on ABC's ``This Week,'' voted to authorize U.S. military action in Iraq when he was a North Carolina senator. Since leaving the Senate, Edwards has recanted his vote and now advocates a phased withdrawal.

``I actually, myself, believe that this idea of surging troops, and escalating the war, what Senator McCain has been talking about, what I would call now the McCain doctrine it's ...''

``McCain doctrine?'' interrupted host George Stephanopoulos.

``McCain doctrine,'' Edwards responded. ``He's been the most prominent spokesperson for this for some time. I'm just telling you it's his thing, and I know John McCain very well. He and I are friends, but I think he's dead wrong about this.''

Edwards said his foreign policy would include a major effort to fight violence and poverty in the Third World.

He said the United States could enforce a no-fly zone against the Sudanese government, to help starving refugees in the Darfur region. Edwards said he would be ``much tougher in imposing sanctions on the Sudanese government.''

``The genocide, global poverty, the spread of HIV/AIDS, the atrocities that are occurring in northern Uganda, there are a whole range of places that America would have basically universal support if we showed some leadership,'' he said.

``And the last thing I'll say about this, a lot of people would think, 'Well, this is a feel-good thing. He wants the world to feel good about America.'

``It's much more than that. Without America as the central stabilizing force in the world, there is no stability. There's chaos. There's no one else that can do this. We have to do it,'' Edwards said.

Domestically, Edwards said Americans must make sacrifices in energy use, including changing their personal vehicles.

``There has to be a willingness to give up some of the vehicles they drive, and I myself have driven,'' he said.

Edwards said he is not advocating a gasoline tax increase at this time but added, ``You can't take it off the table.''

The former senator acknowledged there is a tension between those who want to reduce the nation's budget deficit and advocates _ like himself _ of investing in universal health care, a million government housing vouchers and tax cuts for economically disadvantaged people.

``It means you cannot do about the deficit what you'd like to do, that's true,'' he said.

Edwards, 53, said he is not ready to take a position yet in gay marriage, saying his upbringing in the rural South makes this a troubling issue for him.

``It's easy for me to say, civil unions yes, partnership benefits, yes,'' he said. But on gay marriage, he said, ``I'm just not there yet.''