Sam Farr Leads Superdelegate Unity - on Iraq

Democratic superdelegates are beginning to make a historic decision about the future of their party and our country - coming together to embrace change and a wise foreign policy. No, they're not yet ready to settle the nomination, but Sam Farr and a group of superdelegates are instead providing leadership on bringing the war in Iraq to an end. Their goal is to unite the superdelegates - regardless of who they have endorsed - to support a party platform plank calling for complete withdrawal of US troops and a diplomatic effort to bring peace to the region.

On a conference call last week cosponsored by the Win Without War Coalition Farr explained the new initiative:

"Superdelegates may disagree on their support for the Democratic nomination, but we all agree that we must end the war in Iraq and end the bloodshed. It's time we give diplomacy a chance in the Middle East, and the best place to begin is with a new Democratic president. I remain uncommitted as the Democratic nominating process winds down but my desire to end the war in Iraq has never wavered. The only way to bring this war to a close is to put a Democrat in the White House, and this is the first step to ensure that voters know where Democrats stand."

Farr was joined on the call by Barack Obama supporters Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Jim Moran (D-VA) and Hillary Clinton supporters Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), Jim McGovern (D-MA) and Lynn Woolsey (D-CA).

The group's proposed platform language would include:

"An end to the war in Iraq by initiating the safe and secure withdrawal of all U.S. combat forces and private military security contractors, leaving no permanent military bases behind;

"A robust diplomatic surge in the Middle East and beyond, as recommended by the Iraq Study Group, that includes negotiations with the Iranian government; and

"An end to the use of torture and the closure of our prison at Guantanamo Bay."

As noted above, Farr remains uncommitted in the nomination battle, but he has reminded Democrats that either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama will have to face the issue of Iraq and our (mis)conduct of the war on terror once they take office - and that a strong stand for withdrawal of troops and a peaceful, diplomatic solution to the Iraq conflict is at the core of a Democratic Party's foreign policy. Let's hope that other Democrats, in Congress and on the campaign trail, embrace Farr's vision.