Why it matters:
US involvement with Iraq has become the leading symbol of all that is right or wrong - depending on your viewpoint - with US foreign policy. The clash of opinions over the US-led invasion has given way to a complex debate over how best to proceed with rebuilding the unstable country. The massive costs of the occupation - and the deeper ideological rift it exposes over America's role in the world - make Iraq an emotionally charged issue.
Where they stand:
Carol Moseley Braun
Braun opposed the war in Iraq and opposes the Bush administration's policy of preemptive military action. But she supports continued funding for the rebuilding of Iraq and Afghanistan, saying it is "critical that we not cut and run." Braun emphasizes the need to engage a multinational force to properly secure the Iraq.
George W. Bush
Despite failing to secure as broad an international coalition as his father had going into the first Gulf War, George W. Bush pushed a resolution through Congress allowing the US to launch a preemptive war in Iraq based on the country's alleged possession of weapons of mass destruction. He also passed a proposal for $87 billion to fund operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Wesley Clark
Though his initial position was not always clear, Clark claims he opposed the Iraq war on the grounds that he did not believe Saddam Hussein posed an imminent threat. He also opposed Bush's proposal for $87 billion to fund operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. He wants the UN or another "international authority" to lead the rebuilding of Iraq.
Howard Dean
Dean opposed the war in Iraq and would pull out troops as soon as Iraq is stabilized. He said he believes the US must allow Iraq to hold its own elections to choose delegates to draft a new constitution.
John Edwards
Edwards supported the resolution to go to war in Iraq, but pushed for early sharing of postwar authority with the UN. He voted against Bush's request for $87 billion to rebuild Iraq and Afghanistan.
Dick Gephardt
In 2002, Gephardt supported and worked for the congressional resolution allowing the US to go to war in Iraq. He was critical of President Bush's inability or unwillingness to get more international help in Iraq. Last fall, he supported Bush's proposal for $87 billion to fund Iraq and Afghanistan operations.
John Kerry
Kerry voted to give President Bush the authority to go to war in Iraq, but has since sought to clarify his position by blaming the Bush administration for misleading Congress and the public by exaggerating the threat of Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction. He voted against Bush's request for $87 billion to help fund reconstruction, and has criticized the administration for a lack of "diplomacy." He calls for a gradual withdrawal of US troops.
Dennis Kucinich
Kucinich led the Congressional Progressive Caucus in vigorous opposition to the war in Iraq and urged President Bush in July to withdraw all American soldiers from Iraq and cede control to the UN. He opposed Bush's proposal for $87 billion to fund operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and continues to call for the US to take its troops out of Iraq.
Joe Lieberman
Lieberman favored toppling Saddam Hussein's regime long before George W. Bush became president. He backed Bush's decision to go to war in Iraq and supported the president's proposal to send $87 billion to fund Iraq and Afghanistan operations.
Al Sharpton
Sharpton opposes the US-led war in Iraq. He opposes the doctrine of preemption, calling it un-American. He did not support Bush's proposal for $87 billion to fund operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
