Pacific Lutheran University student Ingrid Stegemoeller interviewed former Vice President Walter Mondale during his stop on campus. The Minnesota Democrat spoke about Iraq, political partisanship and the 2008 presidential race.
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BY INGRID STEGEMOELLER

TACOMA - Former Vice President Walter Mondale, who served under Jimmy Carter and often is credited with transforming that office from a largely ceremonial post to a position of significant influence, says it has become quite clear the U.S. didn't know what it was getting in to when it invaded Iraq.

"The more you stay, the worse violence becomes," Mondale said Friday during an interview in Tacoma.

Mondale, the 1984 Democratic Party presidential nominee who later became ambassador to Japan during the Clinton administration, was in the Pacific Northwest to speak at Pacific Lutheran University.

The situation in Iraq today looks similar to what happened in Vietnam 40 years ago, Mondale said.

The same "toxic quality of occupation" that dominated the Vietnam War now permeates Iraq, he said. Rather than encouraging Iraqis to take responsibility for managing their own affairs, the presence of U.S. and coalition troops stifles chances for long-term Iraqi success.

"America has tended to think of itself as special, like a city on a hill," Mondale said. "We want to go in and help other nations; but we don't understand what we are getting in to."

In Vietnam, for instance, the U.S. failed to understand the history and culture of the country, Mondale explained. In Iraq, we were similarly unaware of the deep divide that exists between Islamic factions.

Unilateral decisions aren't going to be the way of the future, said Mondale. All of the major problems facing future generations "require working with others," and increasing our understanding of each other, both domestically and internationally.

The U.S. House of Representatives took a solid "first step" toward a policy change by recently passing a non-binding, troop withdrawal resolution on Iraq, the former vice president said.

But Mondale also noted that the Senate's failure to debate the issue means many important problems and decisions remain hidden.

Mondale also voiced concern about the partisanship that has invaded Washington, D.C. and the rest of the country. According to Mondale, a major problem is redistricting, which has become a process through which "politicians pick people instead of people picking politicians."

The overall result has been long-term political incumbency for many members of Congress. Mondale said he would like to see more competitive political races. In his home state of Minnesota, Mondale, is working on legislation to make redistricting less partisan process.

The 2008 race for the White House also concerns Mondale, noting that serious campaigning and fundraising is beginning to start earlier and earlier.

"I'm worried about it," Mondale said about increasing coarseness of political rhetoric. "It's early, and the bark is already coming off," Mondale said.

Mondale also said he is concerned about environmental issues, particularly global climate change. In coming years, the U.S. must work with other countries and lead the way to better environmental policies.

"We need to set an example," said Mondale, which would include the U.S. updating and formally joining the Kyoto Protocol.

"We have to do something," Mondale said. "If we don't solve these problems, we'll all be worse off."