Chris Dodd for President

WASHINGTON — Senator and Presidential Candidate Chris Dodd will lay out his foreign policy vision in a major address tonight at the U.S. Center for Citizen Diplomacy in Des Moines. Some excerpts from the speech, "Beyond Iraq and Into An Era of Bold Engagement":

Contrasting Dodd's position with that of Senator John McCain:

"Just today, my Republican colleague who also seeks the presidency spoke about our involvement there. I understand that while he acknowledged setbacks in our efforts in Iraq, he reiterated his support for the president's troop surge strategy, arguing that it is succeeding and that we cannot afford to redeploy our troops out of Iraq.

No one questions Senator McCain's patriotism. He is a war hero and a friend. But like the president, he is wrong.

According to a news report, the day after Senator McCain toured a Baghdad marketplace—a visit guarded by 100 American soldiers, three Blackhawk helicopters, and two Apache gunships—21 Shia workers from that same market were ambushed, bound and shot to death north of the capital.

Senator McCain's market visit makes clear the point many of us have made for some time. We don't need a surge of troops in Iraq - we need a surge of diplomacy. The Bush/McCain Doctrine is not succeeding - it is failing."

Calling for decisive action to end the war in Iraq:

"I am calling on all the candidates in this race to join me in clearly standing up to the president once and for all by stating their support for the Feingold-Reid legislation that sets a firm timetable to end this war by March 31st, 2008. After more than 3,200 lives lost, tens of thousands wounded and $400 billion spent, it is time to bring an end to a war that at every turn has failed to make America safer. The hour is late. It is time to begin putting our country on a more secure path."

Recognizing the need for experienced leadership:

"Let me be clear - hope alone will not wipe away the damage to America's moral authority these last 6 years. Hope alone will not bring our allies back to our side. Hope alone will not restore America's leadership. Like never before, we need a president who is ready to lead from day one. There will not be a single day, a single moment for on-the-job training. Not one."

Holding America's strategic allies accountable for their actions:

"The fact is, our real challenges in all of these areas lie not alone with our enemies - we know who they are. Our challenges also lie with those we call our friends or strategic allies - nations like Saudi Arabia and Russia who continue to suppress freedom and democracy and permit conditions that allow our enemies to thrive.

What America needs is a president who will insist the House of Saud stop sending money to terrorists to take up residence elsewhere and start using their resources and efforts to bring stability and peace to the Middle East.

What America needs is a president who will look into Vladimir Putin's eyes not to get a sense of his soul - but to tell him America wants to work together with Russia, not against her, but cannot in the face of his blatant disregard for a free press and suppression of political dissent."

Using energy technology to free America and the world from foreign oil dependence:

"Energy policy is a critical component of bold engagement in the 21st Century. A Dodd presidency would insist upon sharing with our allies the same renewable energy technology that will allow America to achieve energy independence - rendering the oil bribes offered by Iran's Ahmadinejad and Venezuela's Chavez irrelevant, opening new markets for American goods and services, and creating conditions for democratic principles to take hold.

It is time we help countries end their alliances of necessity with dictators simply because they are desperate for oil and aid. An America that leads on energy opens new doors in its relationship with nations from Latin America to Africa to Asia."

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