Anyone watching the SFRC hearings on Troops levels in Iraq. Hagel is amazing.

[TayTay]

http://inside.c-spanarchives.org:8080/cspan/schedule.csp

Sen. Hagel has been just amazing in this hearing. He has been attacking the war and the Bush Admin from a number of very emotional points. The testimony is available on C-Span 3.

The SFRC is debating the various Resolutions that will try and express Congressional disapproval of the troop escalation.

[harveyc]

1. If Congress and Sen. Hagel ...

disapprove of the Iraq war, why don't they end it and save US soldier lives?

[TayTay]

2. tune in, watch, listen to the argument

and get the answer to your question.

[John Q. Citizen]

3. I'm glad Hagel has decided he was wrong to support the war from the beginning.

But Hagel himeself, regardless of his political conversion in the face of polls showing voters are now opposed to the war, is a pig.

[TayTay]

4. Sens Biden and Dodd

are having a vigorous argument over whether or not to have a binding or non-binding resolution on disapproving of the troop escalation. Sen. Biden is arguing that this should be a non-binding vote. He doesn't see this as something that should trap the military into false numbers.

Sen. Dodd is arguing very strongly that 'this is the moment, right now' to send the message that we have to start to get out of Iraq. He is offering real action, not a symbolic protest.

[Auntie Bush]

5. Sounds very interesting. Damn. I wish we could get C-SPAN 3.

[karynnj]

6. Tay Tay has the link in the op

to get it online. (Apologies if you saw that and don't have the connection needed)

This is an explosive hearing - last week, the SFRC was replayed on either CSPAN 1 or 2 later in the day. I hope they do it this time - Hagel, Dodd , and especially Kerry need to be heard. (Yeah I know, I always say Kerry - but he used the 1971 question and is asking for a re-authorization of Iraq and calling for a deadline.)

[Pithy Cherub]

7. Someone just paraphrased a passionate Kerry

and he was dynamic, commanding and forceful. This committee is especially interesting as there are about 6 presidential aspirants on it.

[karynnj]

8. I would use all those adjectives,

it was also, almost conversational, personal and intense. If you have a chance to see it - if they replay it - it is clearly worth it.