Tommy Thompson: Iraqi Violence Increasing, My Plan Must Be Implemented Quickly

Calls on Romney to get off the fence and support the Thompson plan

(Washington, D.C.) – Saying the bombings this week of the Shiite shrine and the three Sunni Mosques is evidence that a military solution is not in sight, former Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson called on the Bush Administration and Iraqi leaders to move aggressively to divide the country into eighteen regional governments with democratically-elected leaders and autonomous decision making.

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“The sectarian violence in Iraq is threatening to completely destabilize the country. It's becoming increasingly clear that a military solution is unlikely; a political solution must be implemented. The United States must bring all the power it has to bear on the Iraqi government to empower each of the eighteen regions to elect local governments with autonomous decision making ability,” said Thompson.

“Oil revenues need to be split amongst the federal government, newly-empowered state governments, and the people. We need to change the framework quickly for hope in Iraq; failure to do this will lead to more chaos, more sectarian violence, and more American deaths,” said Thompson.

Thompson also called on Republican presidential candidate, Mitt Romney to “get off the fence and support my plan for winning the peace in Iraq.”

According to Romney's web site, the only substantive reference to solving the problem in Iraq was to support President Bush's military buildup and oppose a time limit for withdrawal.

“The military buildup Governor Romney supported isn't working. His web site says he should be elected because he will provide 'true strength for America's future,' but that only can begin with leadership on our nation's most difficult problems,” said Thompson.

Romney's web site lists these statements on Iraq:

https://www.mittromney.com/News/Press-Releases/Iraq_Statement_1_10_07
https://www.mittromney.com/News/Press-Releases/Iraq_Vote_Response
https://www.mittromney.com/News/Press-Releases/Iraq_Vote

“Mitt Romney has a lot of words on his Web site about Iraq, but not a single plank of a plan other than more troops,” said Steve Grubbs, senior campaign advisor. “Romney wants people to believe he is a strong leader, but failure to put forth a plan on Iraq is the opposite of that. We would encourage Governor Romney to follow Governor Thompson's lead on Iraq as so many did on welfare reform.”

Source: Tommy Thompson campaign