Senator Hagel (R-IN) Compares Iraq To Vietnam; War Destabilized Mid East

[BamaLefty]

A Republican showing a backbone for a change. . . Thank you Senator Hagel.


Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel, who received two Purple Hearts and other military honors for his service in Vietnam, reiterated his position that the United States needs to develop a strategy to leave Iraq.

Hagel scoffed at the idea that U.S. troops could be in Iraq four years from now at levels above 100,000, a contingency for which the Pentagon is preparing.

"We should start figuring out how we get out of there," Hagel said on "This Week" on ABC. "But with this understanding, we cannot leave a vacuum that further destabilizes the Middle East. I think our involvement there has destabilized the Middle East. And the longer we stay there, I think the further destabilization will occur."

Hagel said "stay the course" is not a policy. "By any standard, when you analyze 2 1/2 years in Iraq ... we're not winning," he said.


MORE: http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/08/21/hagel.iraq.ap/index.html

[Warren Stupidity]

1. Where is the Democratic Leadership?

:hide: - ah there they are, too chicken to take a stand.

[still_one]

2. not russ feingold, he was there before it even happened

[Warren Stupidity]

6. oh there are exceptions

I didn't mean to imply that NO Democrats are speaking out.

[still_one]

10. i know, I just wanted to plug him

[BamaLefty]

3. They're Chicken

When it takes a REPUBLICAN to say this when a Democrat won't, then it is a sad day for our party.

There are exceptions, but by in large the Dem party is a lapdog. :(

[drummo]

8. Hagel was not enthusiastic about the war in 2002, either.

But he still voted for it. What on earth was he thinking?

But the Dems were not much better.

I remember a certain Daily Show in 2002. It was soon after the Iraq resolution passed. Judy Woodruff was the guest. She was talking about the Democrats who voted for the war and she said look, noone who thinks about running for president in 2004 opposed this resolution. Then she added but I doubt anyone noticed: well, Al Gore said he wouldn't have voted for it.

As I recall that episode nowadays I feel like..well..
:mad: :grr: :nuke: :banghead:

They say Gore lost.
Bullshit.
We lost him and therefore lost a war.

[gulfcoastliberal]

21. Yeap!

Business as usual for the dems - be as out of tune with the feelingsof the American populace as possible. In other words, do what they think is "politically smart" in beltway-think.

[indepat]

4. War has destabilized much more: energy prices, the value of the dollar,

international relations, the military, the stock and capital markets, alliances, et al ad nauseam. But such small prices to pay as a stay-the-course mentality screams.

[jillan]

5. Don't flame me for saying this, but if Hagel ran for president,

I would take a serious look at him.

I am 49 and have never voted for a republican president before.
If it came down to Hagel v Hillary, that could change.

But I honestly don't think the rw will let Hagel get that far. They'll use these very words to 'swift-boat' him. They will say he is unpatriotic ( of course they will call him that because he is a vet ).

[Warren Stupidity]

7. It would be a conundrum.

Republican antiwar vs Democratic prowar. Gack. Hopefully it will not come to that. Realistically we will get another duel of the War Party shitheads :-)

[elfin]

11. I agree - but I still want Clark

Hagel is staking out the middle ground to push McCain further to the right. I could live with him - especially if we controlled at least one of the branches of Congress.

[lumpy]

15. Take a seious look at his voting record.

Hagel is a Republican all the way. Easy enough to develope an instant 'backbone' when you are looking for votes; especially those aspiring to take up residence in the White House.

[BamaLefty]

16. No Way, I'd Go W/ Hillary

I imagine this is nothing but a vote buying scheme on Hagel's part. A courageous position, but a scheme nonethless.

I can't imagine voting for any Republican over Hillary-- that lady is made of stone.

[drummo]

17. Your stone lady managed to vote for this war

Hello?
She's an idiot. Or an opportunist. Which is better?

[BamaLefty]

23. Many Did

And don't get me wrong, she would be my near my last choice out of the potential 2008 Dem pack.

I was referring more to the conspiracies and undue heat she catches from the radical right wing. In all of this adversity, she always manages to come out on top. That is why she is made of stone in my mind.

[Kickin_Donkey]

18. If I remember correctly ...

they tried to smear him the first time around when he expressed objections to the war back in 2002.

The smear machine insinuated that he was "too European," "too intellectual."

[drummo]

19. Yeah

Republicans nowadays like to promote dumbness. The stupider the better, that's their message.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

9. Sad thing is.... Saddam was

our boy..... and we could have made him our boy again in other ways... bombs weren't necessarily necessary. <---- is that proper grammar??

Newbies.... take note of this fabulous piece of work.

http://www.ericblumrich.com/thanks.html

[tritsofme]

12. Isn't Hagel from Nebraska?

nt

[drummo]

14. He is.

n/t

[BamaLefty]

20. Yes

My bad.

[Zenlitened]

13. Raise your hand if you knew this would be the outcome...

... and warned about it... two-and-a-half years ago.

:hi:

[nadinbrzezinski]

22. Yep, we knew

nobody listened and nobody cared

[BamaLefty]

24. Raising Hand. . .

Oh but we were the loony left wing doves remember? BS! :grr:

Sad.........

:hi: