I risk sounding like an Edwards campaigner. After all, I have already come to the defense of his campaign against the malicious attack from the Catholic League. I want it on record that Catholics for Democracy has not made an endorsement decision; nor, for that matter, even begun discussion around an endorsement for a Presidential candidate (it's waaaaayyyyy too early to begin endorsing candidates). I, myself, am holding back to study the policy initiatives of the respective candidates (slow in coming, by the way) and assess their ability to follow through with those initiatives.

Having said that, John Edwards must have been reading my blog at CfD. I had taken a position on whether and how we withdraw from Iraq. See this blog post in the archive: www.catholicsfordemocracy.org/archive/node/7355.

Check out this article at The Hill: Edwards stakes out his turf on Iraq policy. The article quotes John Edwards as saying:

"I believe we need to end the war in Iraq, but I believe it should be done in an orderly way, a smart way, so that we increase the chances of stability as we’re leaving,” Edwards told reporters. “So I’m not for immediate and total withdrawal."

Both issues -- pulling out of Iraq and ensuring we do not leave Iraqis' society in chaos after having invaded their country -- are very important and morally required. I am happy to see a Presidential candidate thinking about these issues and looking to achieve both objectives.