Guide Note

John Edwards made his foreign policy agenda a point of focus during his 2008 campaign for the Democratic nomination for president. Edwards advocates a multilateral approach to foreign affairs, and supports a swift end to the Iraq War.

Fast Facts¹

1. Voted in favor of the 2002 Iraq War resolution
2. In 2005 he apologized for his Iraq vote
3. A vocal critic of the 2007 troop surge
4. Has proposed several timetables for withdrawal from Iraq
5. Believes Russia has become an autocracy under Vladimir Putin
6. Supports strengthening sanctions on Iran

John Edwards has made it known that he no longer believes that there is a military solution to the situation in Iraq. Edwards supports a stop to the escalation of troops in Iraq, with a complete withdrawal over a 10 month span. Edwards would start with an immediate withdrawal of 40,000-50,000 troops.²