Thompson would phase out U.S. troops from Iraq
By Dolly A. Butz Journal staff writer | Posted: Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Former Wisconsin governor and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson said Monday U.S. troops cannot be withdrawn from Iraq until the country can stand on its own.
Thompson spoke to the Journal Monday before joining Republican Party activists for lunch at the Victorian Opera Company in Sioux City.
Although he has not officially announced his candidacy, Thompson is considered a contender for the Republican presidential nomination.
"The issue should be whether or not we're going to be able to make sure that it is safe, and then we should develop my plan," Thompson said. "My plan would set it up so that you would be able to phase out the American troops, but you don't set a timeline."
Under his plan, Thompson said, the U.S. should require the Iraqi government to vote on whether they want a U.S. presence in their country. He said he would split up the 18 territories in Iraq and allow them to elect their own governments at the state level.
"I would allow those territories to elect their governments at a state level just like they do in the United States, just like Iowa has a state government, Nebraska has a state government," he said. "I would allow Shiites to elect Shiites, Sunnis elect Sunnis and Kurds elect Kurds."
Thompson said he would also divide the country's oil revenue, allowing every man, woman and child to receive a check from oil resources.
"My plan actually builds Iraq and makes it strong and allows it to be independent on its own," he said. "Then you can withdraw the troops."
Thompson called for diplomatic pressure on Iran in an effort to end the proliferation of weapons.
"We should bring all of the force we can diplomatically to our friends in NATO and SEATO, and be able to put the necessary pressures on Iran to stop developing nuclear weapons and stop sending weapons that they already have into Iraq," he said. "We can do that by applying a concerted effort and diplomatic pressure by bringing not only America, but all of our allies together and have all of our allies develop one concerted plan that's going to put pressure on Iran to disarm."
Thompson, who has formed a presidential exploratory committee, will join several other candidates if he chooses to run. Thompson touted his experience at both state and federal levels of government and his work on health care, welfare, pharmaceutical and economic reform.
Of the $2 trillion allocated for health care in America, Thompson said 93 percent is used to treat people after they become ill and 7 percent is used to help keep them healthy.
"What I'm trying to do is change the philosophy and go to a wellness system from a curative system," he said.
Thompson said spending money on preventative health care, managing disease and using information technology will drive down costs.
"There's money there if you do it right," he said. "I would cover all of the uninsured by requiring states to pass laws to make people have health insurance and set up a system where you have all of the uninsured in Iowa in a pool. It would be bid out to all of the health insurance companies in Iowa."
Under his plan Thompson said he would split Medicaid, with the state handling acute care and the federal government handling adult care. He said he would also cap liability insurance.
"Then you've got a health insurance system that is holistic and it is well thought out," he said. "I'm certain I'm the only candidate on both sides of the aisle who would take care of all of the uninsured and all of the other factors."
Thompson, of Elroy, Wis., was a state lawmaker before he was elected governor of Wisconsin. After serving an unprecedented four terms in office, he served four years as the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in the Bush administration.
Thompson spoke to the Journal Monday before joining Republican Party activists for lunch at the Victorian Opera Company in Sioux City.
Although he has not officially announced his candidacy, Thompson is considered a contender for the Republican presidential nomination.
"The issue should be whether or not we're going to be able to make sure that it is safe, and then we should develop my plan," Thompson said. "My plan would set it up so that you would be able to phase out the American troops, but you don't set a timeline."
Under his plan, Thompson said, the U.S. should require the Iraqi government to vote on whether they want a U.S. presence in their country. He said he would split up the 18 territories in Iraq and allow them to elect their own governments at the state level.
"I would allow those territories to elect their governments at a state level just like they do in the United States, just like Iowa has a state government, Nebraska has a state government," he said. "I would allow Shiites to elect Shiites, Sunnis elect Sunnis and Kurds elect Kurds."
Thompson said he would also divide the country's oil revenue, allowing every man, woman and child to receive a check from oil resources.
"My plan actually builds Iraq and makes it strong and allows it to be independent on its own," he said. "Then you can withdraw the troops."
Thompson called for diplomatic pressure on Iran in an effort to end the proliferation of weapons.
"We should bring all of the force we can diplomatically to our friends in NATO and SEATO, and be able to put the necessary pressures on Iran to stop developing nuclear weapons and stop sending weapons that they already have into Iraq," he said. "We can do that by applying a concerted effort and diplomatic pressure by bringing not only America, but all of our allies together and have all of our allies develop one concerted plan that's going to put pressure on Iran to disarm."
Thompson, who has formed a presidential exploratory committee, will join several other candidates if he chooses to run. Thompson touted his experience at both state and federal levels of government and his work on health care, welfare, pharmaceutical and economic reform.
Of the $2 trillion allocated for health care in America, Thompson said 93 percent is used to treat people after they become ill and 7 percent is used to help keep them healthy.
"What I'm trying to do is change the philosophy and go to a wellness system from a curative system," he said.
Thompson said spending money on preventative health care, managing disease and using information technology will drive down costs.
"There's money there if you do it right," he said. "I would cover all of the uninsured by requiring states to pass laws to make people have health insurance and set up a system where you have all of the uninsured in Iowa in a pool. It would be bid out to all of the health insurance companies in Iowa."
Under his plan Thompson said he would split Medicaid, with the state handling acute care and the federal government handling adult care. He said he would also cap liability insurance.
"Then you've got a health insurance system that is holistic and it is well thought out," he said. "I'm certain I'm the only candidate on both sides of the aisle who would take care of all of the uninsured and all of the other factors."
Thompson, of Elroy, Wis., was a state lawmaker before he was elected governor of Wisconsin. After serving an unprecedented four terms in office, he served four years as the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in the Bush administration.
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Chandler Bell wrote on Mar 19, 2007 9:47 AM:
Torey wrote on Mar 5, 2007 10:40 PM: