Khazei takes gamble, calls for Obama to bring home troops

“We have lost our way in Afghanistan.’’ Khazei said in a 25-minute speech that drew a standing ovation from 75 students, aides, and supporters in a wood-paneled room at Harvard University.

“We’ve lost our way, strayed from our mission, and now we are asking our troops to build a nation in a place that is laden with corruption,’’ he said. “This isn’t in our interest as a nation, and it’s not fair to our troops.’’

The speech put Khazei definitively on record as opposing any troop buildup - and, in fact, calling for withdrawal - during a week when President Obama might announce his decision on whether to add as many as 40,000 troops in Afghanistan.

It could be a risky political move, potentially placing him at odds with the president, but Khazei vowed to be a vocal critic if the president calls for more troops in the region.

“If LBJ had listened to William Fulbright, we would have avoided Vietnam,’’ Khazei said, referring to the former president and the US senator who challenged his Vietnam policy in 1966. “I will stand firm on this.’’

The primary is just three weeks from today, and those who have not registered have until tomorrow to do so.

In a campaign that has been largely focused on the economy and health care, Khazei is also hoping to draw more attention to foreign policy and to Afghanistan, which he said yesterday “is the most important thing going on in our country right now; it’s war and peace.’’

Khazei’s three rivals in the Dec. 8 Democratic primary - US Representative Michael E. Capuano, Attorney General Martha Coakley, and Celtics co-owner Stephen Pagliuca - have all been skeptical of adding more troops in Afghanistan.

Capuano has aired a television ad focused on his stance against adding more troops there, as well as his vote in opposition to the Iraq war. During a debate last week on WTKK-FM he said: “Our mission has been complete. . . . It’s way past time for us to be getting our troops out of Afghanistan.’’

Pagliuca also called for bringing troops home, saying, “I’m supportive of bringing the troops back as soon as we possibly can.’’

But Coakley has been less clear about whether troops should be removed, instead saying she is wary of adding more. “Before we send more troops, we need to have a clearer idea of what we’re doing,’’ she said during last week’s debate. “I think the president understands that maybe more troops isn’t a good idea.’’

Khazei criticized Coakley yesterday in an interview, saying, “she’s been all over the place.’’

“My question to the attorney general is, ‘What is your position?’ ’’ Khazei said. “I’m curious. And I’m curious about what your plan is.’’

“The last thing we need to do is to be vague, or avoid. It’s politics as usual, trying to run out the clock,’’ he added. “It’s up to all of us as candidates to lay out what we think as specifically as possible.’’

Alex Zaroulis, a spokeswoman for Coakley, denied that there had been inconsistencies.

“Martha has been very clear on the fact that she believes that the military strategy in Afghanistan must include specific and measurable goals, and concrete plans to achieve them,’’ Zaroulis said. “These standards have not been met, and until they are, she would not support deploying additional troops to the region.’’

While Khazei contended yesterday that there should be a timetable for withdrawal, he declined to say what the timetable should be, saying the decision is one the president has to make.

He said the military should be focused more on Pakistan, a country with nuclear weapons, instead of on Afghanistan.

“We must defeat the terrorists,’’ he said. “I don’t believe we can best do that by putting so many resources into rebuilding one single country, halfway around the globe.’’

“For eight years, we have been losing our brave family members overseas in protracted wars in which often the rationale for, goals, and costs of war have not been clearly explained to the American people and the citizens of Massachusetts,’’ he added.

Meanwhile, Coakley released a proposal yesterday for energy reform, calling for a national cap-and-trade program to curtail greenhouse gas emissions; a greater emphasis on energy efficiency technology for vehicles, and an extension of tax incentives for hybrid and plug-in cars.

The four Democratic candidates are planning to attend a forum today on the environment at Boston University.

Matt Viser can be reached at maviser@globe.com.