Democratic presidential candidate Bill Richardson advocates replacing U.S. troops in Iraq with an all-Muslim "peace keeping" force.
That turn of events could be accomplished through direct talks with countries in the region, according to Richardson. "It’s called diplomacy. It’s called dialogue, something that we used to have in our foreign policy. Today, we shoot first (and) ask questions later," Richardson says. "We don’t mediate. We don’t talk. We don’t try to resolve problems."
According to Richardson, the billions of dollars being spent on the war could be better spent on domestic problems such as health care and education. "I will push for a minimum wage for teachers: $40,000 per year," Richardson says. "You know what a teacher makes…today? $26,000, $27,000. It’s one of the most pressurized professions. We need to do better for our teachers."
Richardson, a former U.N. Ambassador, is currently the governor of New Mexico. He made his comments during a campaign stop this morning in Bettendorf.
At nine o’clock Wednesday morning, Richardson plans to visit the "Field of Dreams" near Dyersville.