Presidential hopeful John Edwards said Monday that Americans should speak out against the war in Iraq this Memorial Day weekend, renewing an anti-war call that has been criticized by the leader of the American Legion."There's another thing we need to do as patriots, to serve the men and women who are serving this country in Iraq, and that is to speak out this weekend," said Edwards, a former senator from North Carolina and 2004 vice presidential nominee. He said ending the war is key to repairing the damaged U.S. reputation abroad.
"America desperately needs to reclaim our moral position in the world, which has been so devastated," he said. "America has to be a force for good. ... The world thinks we're a bully and we're selfish." At a later campaign appearance in Claremont, Edwards repeated his frequent call for the next president to promote patriotism beyond war. He also said the next president should be prepared to be a realist when dealing with the conditions in Iraq, even after U.S. troops leave.