Fort Madison, IA – One of the Democratic candidates for President says more must be done for troops fighting overseas and for their families back home.
Former North Carolina Senator John Edwards says every soldier returning from Iraq should receive full physical, mental, and emotional exams to determine needs for medical care.
He says they should also receive assistance with job training and additional education.
Edwards says the gap between civilian and military pay must also be narrowed and he feels student loan payments should be suspended for soldiers serving in Iraq.
At the same time, Edwards says Washington DC is letting down America when it comes to funding the war in Iraq.
He says Congress has a mandate to stop the war and he feels lawmakers should not have passed a bill that does not include time tables for troop withdrawal.
Edwards says he would also close the US military base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, his first day in office, if elected.
Edwards made his comments during a campaign stop in Fort Madison.
You can hear his speech and subsequent question and answer session by clicking the audio link above.
Additional Information
* Edwards will make more than a dozen stops throughout Southeast Iowa over the next three days.
* His stop in Fort Madison got underway at about 9:00, after a 45 minute delay.
* More than 100 people turned out to see Edwards speak in Fort Madison.