Of the remaining candidates, the Iraq war remains an important, yet not central, part of their candidacy.

In his speech after the New Hampshire primary, Barack Obama had only this mention of the war, yet his reference excited his supporters.

... and when I am President, we will end this war in Iraq and bring the troops home ...

His troop home now message would remove up to 6000 troops per month, saying all combat troops would be out by the end of his first year in office. Under his strategic reduction, about 50,000 non-combat troops would still be in the country at the beginning of 2010, assisting in volatile regions with the intention of continuing reductions. Obama does not talk about removing the hundreds of thousands of American contractors in Iraq.

He would deploy at least 7,000 of those troops to Afghanistan and leave some in neighboring countries in case of an Al Qaeda insurgence.

Obama gave a speech as Illinois State Senator in 2002, just three weeks after the Senate gave President Bush war authorization. He called the war dumb, an predicted a long occupation that would drain US resources and lives.

Meanwhile, Democrat John Edwards, who voted for authorization for the war as US Senator in 2002, has since apologized for what he calls a mistake. He released a more aggressive withdrawal timetable in recent weeks.

... I will withdraw the troops with in 10 months. I will promise to do that because we have to win this war in Iraq ...

In his new plan, he calls an immediate withdrawal. He is the most specific on the number of troops that he says will stay in Iraq. 4 – 5000 troops will remain to protect the Embassy and possibly for humanitarian workers.

He too says troops will stay in the neighboring counties and some will be transferred to Afghanistan.

Hillary Clinton also supported the war and was the last of the democratic candidates to announce her opposition. She provides the fewest details on her Iraq plan. She says troops will start coming home with in 60 days. But she doesn't talk about an end game. She says she will listen to her military commanders to help guide the withdrawal. She implied a cautious Iraq agenda at this speech in New Hampshire.

... to deliver on the promise that we'll have the will and the wisdom to end the war in Iraq the right way ...

All the candidates talk about a diplomatic strategy. Edwards and Obama implicitly state they will work with Iran and Syria to help stabilize the country. Clinton's plan implies that she'll do so.

Meanwhile on the Republican side, Senator John McCain said he'd keep troops in Iraq for 100 years if he has to.

FSRN asked McCain if that position could hurt him in the general election if he were to be the nominee.

His response;

... I'd rather loose a political battle than give up my principles ...

Meanwhile, anti-war groups will continue to put pressure on candidates to make Iraq a central part of their campaign.

To look a bit deeper into the Democratic candidate's Iraq war policy. Life-long anti-war activist and author of "Ending the War in Iraq", Tom Hayden, talks about what the Democratic presidential candidates' don't talk about in their Iraq policies. Hayden begins by analyzing the political forces he feels are influencing the candidates. This interview was done by KPFK producer Suzi Weissman.