Editing Tom Vilsack (section)

===Views on Iraq===
Vilsack was critical of President [[George W. Bush|Bush]]'s execution of the war in [[Iraq]], but he hesitated to call for an immediate and complete pullout of U.S. forces: "I don't think we're losing in Iraq. It appears to be a draw. People are upset by the fact that their kids are over there and there doesn't seem to be any end to this whole process. It's not pacifism that makes people think this way. They're questioning the credibility and competence of the Commander-in-Chief."<ref>{{cite news |last=Goldberg |first=Jeffrey |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2006/05/29/central-casting |title=Central Casting |magazine=The New Yorker |date=May 29, 2006 |access-date=July 20, 2016 |archive-date=October 6, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161006001541/http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2006/05/29/central-casting |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[File:Tom Vilsack withdrawal.jpg|thumb|left|Vilsack announces his withdrawal from the 2008 presidential race]]
On December 5, Vilsack announced that he favored withdrawing most U.S. forces from Iraq and leaving a small force in the northern region for a limited period. He said U.S. forces provided the Iraqi government with "both a crutch and an excuse" for inaction. He said U.S. withdrawal "may very well require them to go through some chaotic and very difficult times", but that he believed it the only way to force the Iraqi government to take control of the country.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://apnews.com/852a34fe45bf28898f8296657431bab5| title=Vilsack wants smaller U.S. force in Iraq| access-date=July 20, 2016| date=December 5, 2006| first=Beth| last=Fouey| work=Associated Press News| publisher=Associated Press Archive| archive-date=August 15, 2016| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160815122127/http://www.apnewsarchive.com/2006/Vilsack-Wants-Smaller-U-S-Force-in-Iraq/id-852a34fe45bf28898f8296657431bab5| url-status=live}}</ref>