Hagel: "I'm absolutely opposed to sending any more troops to Iraq. It is folly."

[Sapphire Blue]

Against the 'Surge'
By Robert Novak

WASHINGTON -- Sen. John McCain, leading a blue-ribbon congressional delegation to Baghdad before Christmas, collected evidence that a "surge" of more U.S. troops is needed in Iraq. But not all his colleagues who accompanied him were convinced. What's more, he will find himself among a dwindling minority inside the Senate Republican caucus when Congress reconvenes this week.

President Bush and McCain, the front-runner for the next presidential nomination, in pressing for a surge of 30,000 more troops, will have trouble finding support from more than 12 out of 49 Republican senators. "It's Alice in Wonderland," Sen. Chuck Hagel, second-ranking Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee, told me in describing the proposed surge. "I'm absolutely opposed to sending any more troops to Iraq. It is folly."

(snip)

Among Democrats, Lieberman stands alone. Sen. Joseph Biden, as Foreign Relations Committee chairman, leads the rest of the Democrats not only to oppose a surge but to block it. Bush enters a new world of a Democratic majority where the big microphone he talks about is smaller because he must share the stage.

Just as the president is ready to address the nation on Iraq, Biden next week begins three weeks of hearings on the war. On the committee, Biden, Christopher Dodd, John Kerry, Russell Feingold and Barack Obama will compete for intensity in criticizing a troop surge. But on the Republican side of the committee, no less probing scrutiny of Bush's proposals will come from Chuck Hagel.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2007/01/against_the_surge.html

[William769]

1. Sen. John McCain is a bigger ass wipe than people think.

I remember here in 2004 when people liked him and wanted to recruit him to our side. :puke:

[aquart]

3. Don't count me with those people.

I always knew he was a worthless POS. NEVER could understand the bizarre idolatry. Yeah, he was a POW. Makes him a survivor, not a saint.

[senseandsensibility]

2. Good for Hagel

and unlike some on our side, I have no doubt he will stick to his guns about this. He is far from a favorite of mine, but on Iraq, we has been very consistent.