John Kerry, the Democratic presidential nominee, said Sunday he would pursue a major reduction of US military forces overseas if elected in November, with Iraq the first priority.
Speaking on ABC's "This Week" and other television programs, the Massachusetts senator suggested the drawdown would not stop at Iraq. Successful diplomacy, he argued, could reshape deployments across the Korean peninsula and parts of Europe as well.
Kerry acknowledged that some US presence in the broader region would likely continue after an Iraqi withdrawal, though he offered no timeline or troop figures.
On defense, he pushed back against any perception of weakness, citing his military service. "I will not hesitate to use force wherever necessary," he told interviewers.
The remarks came shortly after the Democratic National Convention in Boston, where Kerry was formally nominated and the party placed national security at the center of its platform.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this AFP wire report, first published in August 2004, in its own words.