Jan. 15 Democratic debate transcript

Russert: Thirty seconds for Senator Edwards.

Former Sen. Edwards:  I just want to say, it is dishonest to suggest that you're not going to have troops there to protect the embassy. That's just not the truth.

It may be great political theater and political rhetoric, but it's not the truth.
There is, however, a difference between us on this issue. And I don't think it's subtle. The difference is, I will have all combat troops out in the first year that I'm president, and there will be no further combat missions, and there will be no permanent military bases.

Williams: Senator Obama.

Sen. Obama:  I just want to pick up on what John said, because we've had this discussion before. John, are you saying that you're -- I don't know if I'm using my question here, but...

Williams: I think you are.

Sen. Obama:  Well, I've got to be careful, then.
Instead of phrasing it that way...

Williams: Oh, no, no, no, no.

Sen. Obama:  Let me...

Williams: That sounded like the start of a question to me.

Obama: Look, I think it's important to understand that either you are willing to say that you may go after terrorist bases inside of Iraq if they should form, in which case there would potentially be a combat aspect to that, obviously, or you're not.

And, you know, if you're not, then that could present some problems in terms of the long-term safety and security of the United States of America. So I just wanted to make sure that we got that clarification.

Former Sen. Edwards:  Is that a question?

Williams: Yes, I think we've ruled it a question.

Former Sen. Edwards:  My answer to that is, as long as you keep combat troops in Iraq, you continue the occupation. If you keep military bases in Iraq, you're continuing the occupation. The occupation must end. As respects Al Qaida, public enemy number one, they're responsible for about 10 percent of the violence inside Iraq according to the reports.

I would keep a quick reaction force in Kuwait in case it became necessary, but that is different, Barack, than keeping troops stationed inside.

Sen. Obama:  John...

Former Sen. Edwards:  Excuse -- let me finish, please.

Sen. Obama:  I'm sorry.

Former Sen. Edwards:  That is different than keeping troops stationed inside Iraq, because keeping troops stationed inside Iraq -- combat troops -- and continuing combat missions, whether it's against Al Qaida or anyone else, at least from my perspective, is a continuation of the occupation. And I think a continuation of the occupation continues the problem, not just in reality, but in perception that America's occupying the country.

Sen. Obama:  Let me suggest, I think there's a distinction without a difference here. If it is appropriate for us to keep that strike force outside of Iraq, then that obviously would be preferable.

The point is, at some point you might have that capacity, and that's the -- that's the clarification I want to make sure...

Williams: Having come close to settling that, we're going to take another one of our breaks.
When we come back, we'll get to some more domestic issues, when we continue live from Las Vegas.

(Commercial break)

Williams: And we are back, live, in Las Vegas. We promised going into the break that we would return with a discussion on domestic issues.

This is of a type -- and just before the break, we got onto things military. We're going to start this off with a continuation of the questioning by Tim Russert.

Russert: Senator Clinton, I'll start with you. The volunteer Army, many believe, disproportionate in terms of poor and minority who participate in our armed forces.

There's a federal statute on the books which says that, if a college or university does not provide space for military recruiters or provide a ROTC program for its students, it can lose its federal funding.

Will you vigorously enforce that statute?

Sen. Clinton:  Yes, I will. You know, I think that the young men and women who voluntarily join our all-volunteer military are among the best of our country.

I want to do everything I can, as president, to make sure that they get the resources and the help that they deserve. I want a new, 21st-century G.I. Bill of Rights so that our young veterans can get the money to get to college and to buy a home and start a business.

And I've worked very hard, on the Senate Armed Services Committee, to, you know, try to make up for some of the negligence that we've seen from the Bush administration.

You know, Tim, the Bush administration sends mixed messages. They want to recruit and retain these young people to serve our country and then they have the Pentagon trying to take away the signing bonuses when a soldier gets wounded and ends up in the hospital, something that I'm working with a Republican senator to try to make sure never can happen again.

So I think we should recognize that national service of all kinds is honorable and it’s essential to the future of our country. I want to expand civilian national service.

But I think that everyone should make available an opportunity for a young man or woman to be in ROTC, to be able to join the military and I'm going to do everything I can to support the men and women in the military and their families.