Reply #6: ::::: Please read this - he has, in fact, not ignored this ::::::

[Coexist]

http://kerry.senate.gov/v3/cfm/record.cfm?id=248407
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Kerry, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Leahy, the ranking member of Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee, said that bringing 20,000 troops home by the holidays is the critical first part of a specific timetable for the transfer of political and security responsibility to Iraqis and a realignment of U.S. troop deployment. That timetable must be real and strict.

The goal of Kerry’s plan is to withdraw the bulk of American combat forces by the end of 2006.

http://kerry.senate.gov/v3/cfm/record.cfm?id=251617

Dear General Pace:
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For some time, a number of us have argued that it is vital to the success of our mission in Iraq for the United States to make clear in public that we seek no permanent military bases in Iraq. We know from General Casey that the insurgency in Iraq has fed on the sense of occupation. A simple declaration that the United States seeks no permanent military bases in Iraq, I believe, will help undermine the claims of some home-grown insurgents who argue that the United States seeks to steal Iraq’s oil and dominate its people.

In the interest of clarity, can you state unequivocally that the United States will not maintain any permanent U.S. military bases in Iraq? If Brigadier General Kimmmit’s statement is accurate, I urge you to personally state it clearly in public. I believe that doing so would be a great service to those brave Americans serving so well in Iraq and to the goals of American policy in the region.

http://kerry.senate.gov/v3/cfm/record.cfm?id=250172
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Below is a statement from John Kerry on the Administration's announcement that they will begin withdrawing 7,000 American combat forces from Iraq. In October, Kerry laid out a series of steps for success in Iraq, beginning with withdrawing 20,000 American forces after the successful Iraqi elections.
"I'm glad that the Administration has recognized that succesful elections in Iraq are the first benchmark toward transferring military responsibility to Iraqis and redeploying American combat forces. The question now is whether the Administration will use these coming days and months in this critical period to achieve a political reconciliation among Iraqis and make 2006 the year we turn the fight over to Iraqis and bring the vast majority of American troops home. There's no time to waste."

http://kerry.senate.gov/v3/cfm/record.cfm?id=248662
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Sen. Kerry’s Iraq plan lays out a comprehensive new strategy to complete the mission in Iraq and bring our troops home. Its goal is to undermine the insurgency by simultaneously pursing both a political settlement and the draw down of American forces linked to specific, responsible benchmarks – beginning with the draw down of 20,000 troops after successful Iraqi elections in December. If followed, the process will be completed in 12-15 months.

“The path forward in Iraq must defeat the insurgency and keep faith with our troops, rather than be driven by the politics of the Republican base or rigid adherence to President Bush’s aimless course. The plan I have offered would correct our course. The speech Sen. McCain delivered does not,” Kerry said today.

“I disagree with my friend Sen. McCain’s mischaracterization of my plan to succeed in Iraq and bring our troops home within a reasonable timeframe. The way forward in Iraq is not to pull out precipitously or merely promise to stay ‘as long as it takes.’ To undermine the insurgency, we need to pursue both a political settlement and the withdrawal of American combat forces linked to specific, responsible benchmarks – beginning with the completion of successful December elections. These additional troops are in Iraq only for the purpose of providing security for the upcoming elections. If they remain in Iraq after that benchmark is achieved, it only exacerbates the sense of American occupation,” said Kerry.

http://kerry.senate.gov/v3/cfm/record.cfm?id=248663
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Washington, D.C. -- This afternoon, Senator John Kerry introduced in the Senate his plan to succeed in Iraq and bring the vast majority of our combat troops home in a reasonable timeframe tied to specific, responsible benchmarks to transfer responsibility to Iraqis – beginning with the draw down of 20,000 U.S. troops after successful Iraqi elections in December. These additional troops are in Iraq only for the purpose of providing security for the upcoming elections. If they remain in Iraq after that benchmark is achieved, it only exacerbates the sense of American occupation.

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Kerry’s plan calls for:

• The U.S. to begin a phased draw down of American troops as a series of military and political benchmarks is met, starting with a reduction of 20,000 troops over the holidays as the first benchmark –the successful completion of the December elections – is met.

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• The Administration to immediately give Congress and the American people a detailed plan for the transfer of military and police responsibilities on a sector by sector basis to Iraqis so the majority of our combat forces can be withdrawn -- ideally by the end of next year.