What's the big deal? Cheap talk from Luger...

[babylonsister]

http://matthewyglesias.theatlantic.com/archives/2007/06/cheap_talk.php

Cheap Talk

26 Jun 2007 09:23 am

With regard to the Dick Lugar question discussed below, the AP's coverage of his speech clarifies that Senator Lugar doesn't intend to do anything about his qualms with Bush's Iraq policy:

"In my judgment, the costs and risks of continuing down the current path outweigh the potential benefits that might be achieved," Lugar, R-Ind., said in a Senate floor speech. "Persisting indefinitely with the surge strategy will delay policy adjustments that have a better chance of protecting our vital interests over the long term." . . .

However, {Lugar spokesman Andy} Fisher said the speech does not mean Lugar would switch his vote on the war or embrace Democratic measures setting a deadline for troop withdrawals.

Bush can at least say that he's implementing a massively wrongheaded Iraq policy, leading to untold deaths and the trashing of American interests, because he doesn't know any better -- Lugar's doing it because, what, it would be impolite to do otherwise? Because he's just a bad person and doesn't give a damn? This stuff makes me angry.

[Virginia Dare]

1. Repubs will want their cake and eat it too this fall I see...

typical bullshit from them. I can only hope that the Democrats will not let them try and hand this whole mess off to them.

[Vinca]

2. Why is it when Republicans start talking about a different course

in Iraq they're being "statesmen," yet Democrats are continually berated as "cut and run traitors" when they make proposals? And why doesn't anyone (oh H-a-a-a-a-r-r-r-y, Harry Reid) call them on it?:mad:

[notadmblnd]

3. lip service to his constituents

nothing to see there folks.. move along

[Strawman]

4. Just shoring up his rep as a "foreign policy expert" with talk

That is apparently all that he feels is at stake here.

[blogslut]

5. Free yourself, Senator Lugar

Call for a pullout. Call for re-deploying the troops as security and then phasing them out over time. Call for something. Anything. Trust me. Your constituents will support you. Free yourself of the Bush/Cheney albatross. You'll be glad you did.