Huckabee Warns of Strains on U.S. Military

ABC News’ Paul Fidalgo Reports: In an interview on MSNBC, presidential hopeful Gov. Mike Huckabee, R-Ark., told NBC’s Tim Russert on Monday that the American public was not sufficiently prepared for the strains of a long-term war in Iraq, and warned that the U.S. military is now being stretched too thin.

The former governor Huckabee said, "Rather than being told this is going to be an intense war. . .we were told ‘go back and live your lives, do your own thing.’ And you know what? We did," adding, "as a result, we’re paying for it."

Huckabee said that the military was being "pressed beyond the limits," and cautioned that the U.S. is "stretching the boundaries" of military production.

"We can’t stretch all of our troops in one place," said Huckabee, and quoting a lesson from one of his teachers, said, "Don’t use all your water on just one fire."

Huckabee also addressed his exclusion from what is commonly known as the "top tier" of GOP presidential candidates, widely considered to include Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., Mayor Rudy Giuliani, R-N.Y., and Gov. Mitt Romney, R-Mass.  ". . .the race hasn’t really engaged," he said, adding, "I’m waiting for the real America."

"Ordinary Americans don’t want an election determined by either the pundits or the people with big checkbooks," he said, and contrasted his credentials as a conservative with his rivals’, claiming to offer "an authentic kind of conservative leadership."

"I’m optimistic my campaign and candidacy has some real juice," said Huckabee. "If I didn’t think there was room for me in the race. . .I would bow out now."