Republican presidential candidate Tommy Thompson says the war in Iraq has a "degree of insanity" about it.
Thompson has been advocating a new approach in Iraq that would see the creation of 18 strong regional governments within Iraq, divided along religious lines and a move to ensure oil revenues from the country are split three ways — to the Iraqi central government, Iraqi states and Iraqi citizens.
"If you keep doing the same thing and expecting different results, that has a degree of insanity stapled with it and that is exactly what we’re doing," Thompson says. "Eight and a half billion dollars a month and we still do not have a plan on how we’re going to win the war or win the peace."
Thompson says if he’s elected president, he’ll bring Colin Powell back as his Secretary of State.
Thompson delivered a foreign policy speech in Des Moines Tuesday night. An audience member asked Thompson who he’d want as his top diplomat. "Colin Powell," Thompson answered. "I think he’s fantastic."
A reporter later asked Thompson if he’s talked with Powell about a second tour as Secretary of State. "Haven’t talked to Colin since I left," Thompson said. "I just know, you know, that he was willing to, I think, serve and stay on with President Bush and I think that he would be the first person I’d call and would ask him if he would like to come into my administration."
Thompson served as President Bush’s Secretary of Health and Human Services, but left at the beginning of Bush’s second term.