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http://www.omniture.com --> Sections Home Page Local News AP News Archives Business Classifieds Event Calendar Forums Life Opinion Obituaries Photo Gallery Readers Photo Gallery Sports Tempo Weather Special Coverage 2006 Britt Festivals --> Shop Our Valley AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Search Our Valley Special Sections Homelife Magazine Joy Magazine Readers Choice 2006 Oregon Golf Info Oregon Wine Info Our Valley Other Publications Local Links Ashland News eSouthernOregon Newspapers In Education Personals Moving Here Movie Listings TV Listings Volunteer Customer Service Advertise With Us Media Kit Place Classified Ad Contact Us FAQ's Home Delivery Site Map --> Email Story to a Friend October 2, 2006 Candidates agree to disagree about Iraq Voisin, Walden don't see eye to eye on how to end the conflict By Paul Fattig Mail Tribune Both 2nd Congressional District candidates agree that the Iraq war has triggered heated debate across the vast district this year. But incumbent Greg Walden, a Republican from Hood River, and Democratic nominee Carol Voisin of Ashland adamantly disagree on how to end the debate. "Unfortunately, it was something we needed to do," Walden said of invading Iraq in 2003. "It may have been handled differently in the beginning but the bottom line is we are there. Now we have to see what can we do to bring stability to the country. "If you leave too soon you risk turning the country over to the terrorists," he said. "If we do that, we leave terrorists with oil and a place to work out of." The result, he said, would be financially-armed terrorists with a base of operations in a region that is already volatile. Advertisement "What I call Bush's war is feeding and energizing the jihadists," Voisin said. "Recent polls in Iraq show the Iraqis want us out. They are encouraging the jihadists to kill Americans. "Walden is for Bush's war," she added. "He wants to stay the course and he's wrong." The point, she said, is that the war has been a waste in lives, in tax dollars at a cost of roughly $250 million a day and in the United States' global reputation. Although neither Walden, 49, nor Voisin, 59, have served in the military, the strategies of war is on both their minds this election year. Walden, who visited troops from Oregon in Iraq three years ago this month, is sticking by his guns. "I'd like to see our troops come home sooner rather than later," he said. "But we need to get the Iraq military and police forces fully trained and operational so they can take over the security of communities and country to protect their newly won constitutional freedoms and democratically elected governor. Then we can bring our troops home." He takes exception to conclusions based on portions of the classified National Intelligence Estimate released last week that there is a growing threat of terrorism five years after the Sept. 11 attacks. His view coincides with the Bush administration that the report provides more evidence that remaining in Iraq and achieving victory there is vital to the war on terrorism. "It says that, if we are successful there, they (terrorists) would go away with a defeatist attitude," he said. "It also talks about bolstering democracies in the region." Walden, saying that he has met with wounded troops who have returned from Iraq and has spoken at three services for Oregonians killed there, said the soldiers and their families are very supportive of the mission. As a congressman, he has also visited training facilities to make sure that troops were receiving everything they needed to fight in Iraq. "There were a lot of unmet needs," he said, saying he has supported adequate funding to ensure those needs were met. "One of the roles of Congress is to fund the troops," he said. "I'm not about to abandon our troops while they are serving our country in this war. And that is an area where my opponent and I differ." Opposing the Iraq war doesn't mean you don't support the troops or lack the guts to stop terrorism, Voisin counters. The invasion into Iraq had nothing to do with terrorism and staying the course merely gives the terrorists more ammunition to recruit like-minded people, she said. She noted the classified document did conclude that Iraq has become a "cause célèbre" for jihadists. "We need to get out but we need to get out responsibly," she said. "We need to think through how to withdraw and redeploy our troops in a responsible way." Not only have more than 2,700 Americans been killed there, including more than 60 from Oregon or with a strong connection to the state, but thousands of innocent Iraqis have also been killed, including countless children, she said. "We need to set a timetable for leaving," she said. "The Iraqis won't take us seriously until we do that. We need to speak clearly on what we are going to do. We haven't been doing that in Washington." Reach reporter Paul Fattig at 776-4496 or at [email protected] Would you like to respond to this story? If so Click Here to visit our forums. Advertisement Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback online casinos news Home Security Systems Windermere Van Vleet Men's Clothing Southern Oregon Loans --> GMAT Prep Fundraisers Send Flowers Texas Electric Choice Entertainment Guide --> Casinos Canada Trunks, Footlocker Online Casino Reviews Online poker at AbsolutePoker.com