Fierce congressional battle brings out Iraq war differences

Democrat Dan Seals called out U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk for supporting the Iraq war Friday, while the Republican incumbent said he was misled by "faulty intelligence."

"The fact is you were a lead advocate on this war," Seals said to Kirk at Friday's Daily Herald editorial board interview. "This war was the greatest disaster in our nation's foreign policy history. We have risked too many lives, too much money."

When asked if the Iraq war was a mistake, Kirk said numerous Democrats supported it.

"It was based on faulty intelligence," Kirk said of his initial support for the war.

Kirk also insisted the United States is now safer. He said America has ramped up security efforts at home and terrorist eradication abroad.

"We have kept the other side playing away games instead of home games," the Highland Park Republican said.

Moving forward, Seals, a Wilmette marketing consultant, supports a timeline for withdrawal.

Kirk says action is winding down, but he doesn't support withdrawing before Iraq is "stable," which would mean the country is free, not controlled by terrorists and not a threat to Israel.

"We should wind it up in a careful way in which we never have to go back," Kirk said. "Things have gone much better in Iraq in the last 12 months."

On Afghanistan, Kirk - a Naval Reserve intelligence officer - said he would not support increasing troops in the country without a dedication to wipeout the heroin trade that fuels terrorists.

Seals supports adding more troops in Afghanistan.

"We have seen a backslide there in terms of the Taliban," he said. "I think we do need to build up our troop strength there."

Seals is making his second run at Kirk after garnering 47 percent of the vote in 2006.

The 10th District stretches from Arlington Heights in the southwest, the north shore in the southeast, Waukegan in the northeast and Libertyville in the northwest.