North Carolina Senator John Edwards, a potential Democrat presidential candidate in 2004 who traveled in Iowa this weekend, says President Bush needs to do more groundwork in this country before attacking Iraq. Edwards says Bush needs to explain to the American people what he intends to do, andmore “coalition building” in the region to ensure important allies like the Saudis will support U-S military action against Iraq. Edwards says Bush also must outline his objectives for the long term. The Bush administration’s topofficials say the U-S has no choice but to wage war on Iraq to get rid of Saddam Hussein. Edwards, too, says it’s time for Hussein to go. Edwards says the prospect of an escalated and expanded war on terrorism has no bearing on whether he’ll decide to run for President.
