Palin: 'We cannot afford to lose' in Iraq

ST. LOUIS, Oct. 2 (UPI) -- Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin said during a debate Thursday night the United States "cannot afford to lose" in Iraq.

Without giving specifics, the Alaska governor said: "We do have a plan for withdrawal. We don't need ... early withdrawal out of Iraq. We cannot afford to lose there or we're going to be no better off in the war in Afghanistan, either. We have got to win in Iraq, and with the surge that has worked ... ."

She added, "We cannot afford to lose against al-Qaida and the (Shiite) extremists who are still there, still fighting us, but we're getting closer and closer to victory and it would be a travesty if we quit now in Iraq."

"With all due respect, I didn't hear a plan," Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Biden said in response.

The Delaware senator said: "(Democratic presidential nominee) Barack Obama's offered a clear plan -- shift responsibility to the Iraqis (and) over the next 16 months draw down our combat troops. Ironically, the same plan that (Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki) ... and (U.S. President) George Bush are now negotiating. The only odd man out here, only one left out, is (Republican presidential nominee) John McCain."

Biden said the United States is "spending $10 billion a month while the Iraqis have an $80 billion (oil) surplus. Barack says it's time for them to spend their own money, have the 400,000 (Iraqi) military we've trained for them begin to take their own responsibility and gradually, over ... 16 months, withdraw."