Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico has a prodigious foreign policy portfolio — he was ambassador to the U.N. under Pres. Clinton and continues to negotiate in hotspots like Darfur today. His bona fides in foreign affairs make this exchange on CNN very interesting:
WOLF BLITZER: Are you in favor of using the power of the purse that Congress has to try to stop this war?
GOV. BILL RICHARDSON (D), NEW MEXICO: Yes. I believe because the president has not listened to the Congress, he hasn’t listened to the bipartisan Iraq Study Group and to the American people, that overwhelmingly want a change of course, I believe that’s the function of the Congress, to deal with the appropriations process, find ways to at least this surge, to deny the funds to make it happen, because this is going to add to sectarian violence.
I would support a phased withdrawal, tie it to a political solution. There is no military solution. I would also organize a regional conference to get other states to help with the security and civil administration. I would talk to Iran and Syria to try to get the situation to at least a stable level.
I just believe that this is an ultimate decision by the Congress. But since the president doesn’t listen, he’s off in, I think, his own bubble. Unfortunately, that’s the course I believe the Congress needs to take.
BLITZER: What do you say to those who would then come back and say you know what, you’re going to undermine the U.S. fighting men and women in Iraq by denying them the bullets, the military equipment they need, by cutting off funds?
RICHARDSON: Well, I would say that you don’t cut off the military equipment. You don’t cut off the armor or their weapons. But you basically say to the 20,000 surge of troops that it can’t happen without an adequate explanation and that it shouldn’t happen because the American people don’t believe this is the right course of action.
Again, Wolf, I do believe that what is important is to redeploy those troops that are in Iraq. Use them in Afghanistan, where al Qaeda and the Taliban are getting stronger. Use them against the fight on international terrorism. Use them to deal with nuclear proliferation and a loose nuclear weapon on the black market.
Use it for our ports. Use it for our subways. Use it in homeland security protection in this country.
Whether or not cutting the funding turns out to be the right strategy, it’s refreshing to hear a knowledgeable politician make a declarative statement about the Democrats’ available options.
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