No matter how Hagel voted in the past, his op-ed in today's WaPo is a good thing. Instead of taking John McCain's "more troops" approach or General Abizaid's recent statements that maybe we need just a few more troops or conveniently waiting to hear from the Iraq Study Group so he can have some cover for suggestions, Hagel steps out on his own and says it is time to leave.
While it may be viewed as politically convenient for Hagel to do this -- after all, the Republicans lost control of Congress over the unforgivable lack of oversight of the conduct of this war -- the fact is, it creates an avenue for withdrawal without it being assigned entirely to "cut and run" liberals. Pelosi and Reid can work with Senator Hagel and other similar minded Repubs to bring what is painfully obvious to the President - and that is we've lost control over Iraq, whether we stay or go.
2 comments:
Yeah, Schmog, I had spot-lit Senator Hagel here and here. I always counted on him as one vote for impeachment for George Bush, should a case ever get to the Senate. He'd be the most conspicuous anti-McCain nominee for the GOP in 2008, but the nomination will never come to him. (He's a latter-day Nelson Rockefeller.) Republicans have never liked smart guys as presidents, thinking for themselves..
But you make a perceptive comment here: Hagel stands up and speaks out before he has cover. I hope that's noticed. Not like Biden, huh?
LOL, yeah I still can't tell what Biden says about anything 80% of the time. But nice call out of Hagel way back in the earlier days. Pink also noticed, I recall conversations with her about Hagel quite some time ago, and she was saying that she thought Hagel would come to his senses.
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