Proposed Democratic platform

Delegates to the Democratic Party's national convention in Boston will be asked to approve certain positions. These are party positions but are not binding on the presidential candidate. Among them:

Iraq

* Persuade Nato and other nations to contribute additional forces and reduce the US military presence.

* Conduct a huge effort to train Iraqi security forces.

* Create an international high commissioner to work with the Iraqi Government.

Security

* Reform intelligence services and train more analysts in languages spoken by terrorists.

* Strengthen laws against money laundering and impose tough sanctions on nations and banks that finance terrorism.

* End production of enriched uranium and plutonium that can be used to make bombs and lock away existing stockpiles.

* End North Korea's nuclear weapons programme and prevent Iran from developing one.

* Strengthen security at airports, seaports, mass transit systems and chemical plants.

* Expand active duty military by 40,000 troops and double the capacity of special forces.

* Safeguard the right to own guns but renew ban on assault weapons.

Economy

* Cut the deficit in half over four years and set tough caps on spending.

* Eliminate tax cuts for families earning more than US$200,000 ($303,000) a year.

* Raise the minimum wage to US$7 an hour from US$5.15 now.

* End tax breaks for companies that move jobs overseas.

* Require companies to give employees three months' notice before planned shutdowns.

* Add or increase tax credits for children, college tuition and private investment in renewable energy.

* Stop adding to oil reserve stockpile and push Opec to boost production.

Health care

* Give tax credits to individuals and businesses to help them afford health insurance.

* Use Medicare's purchasing power to negotiate lower prices for prescription drugs.

* Allow safe reimportation of prescription drugs.

* Reverse restrictions on embryonic stem cell research.

Civil rights

* Oppose the Federal Marriage Amendment banning same-sex marriage.

* Offer citizenship to undocumented immigrants already in the US if they clear checks.