“There is no strategy. This is a ping-pong game with American lives.”
This is why it was so important for Democrats to take back Congress in November. Checking and balancing. The American way. From the AP: “In a calculated snub of President Bush, the Democratic-controlled Senate Foreign Relations Committee dismissed plans for a troop buildup in Iraq on Wednesday as ‘not in the national interest’ of the United States.”
In other words, NO to the surge.
Bush asked for support, and specifically for more time, in yesterday’s State of the Union, but Democrats have rightly said that his time is up.
This particular measure, which should go to the full Senate for a vote next week, is non-binding. Which means it’s all bark and no bite. But some bark is better than no bark, and this bark could be followed with a bite: “Several of the panel’s 11 Democrats said they favored stronger legislation to register their opposition to the war.” And Committee Chair Joe Biden “said tougher measures were likely to follow”.
Democrats rolled over in 2002. It’s a bit too late, but at least they’re not rolling over now.
The vote of the Committee was 12-9. It was a party-line vote, with one notable exception: the admirable Chuck Hagel, who once again showed he is his party’s staunchest critic of the conduct of this disastrous war.
It was Hagel who said the words that are the title of this post. Speaking truth to power in response to the abuse of power, in opposition to a war that has taken so many lives and that has been so utterly devastating, he continues to be a voice of sanity in a time of madness.
(I’ve got the YouTube clip of Hagel’s remarks here.)
8 Responses to ““There is no strategy. This is a ping-pong game with American lives.””
Agreed Michael, Hagel was hugely impressive. Speaking truth to power is one thing, but delivered with the kind of conviction Hagel employed and its hard to ignore, even for someone as tone deaf as the president. Webb and Hagel for 2008? Or Hagel and Webb if you prefer.
One has to know the truth in order to speak it to power. This is NOT why I voted for Democrats in November.
truflo- I also continue to be impressed with Hagel and Webb- they are not your standard career politicians.
The non-binding resolution will serve as a helpful marker during the 2008 senatorial elections (is Hagel going to make an independent run?), but in the mean time has little other effect.
Especially since the
escalationsurge is apparently already on.I’ll go with Hagel’s truth since he knows more than you Holly, and that gives his words their power. And is exactly why I voted Democratic (didn’t matter here in warhawkhell tho) last November. And to see a Republican doing this makes me wish Hagel could make a good run for president as well, as my vote might be his if he gets the nomination.
Pyst – Hagel’s voting record is more conservative than McCains. This might be for his constituants, not his passionate beliefs. But I do see him as a real maveric. His speaches at think tanks reflect the ‘maverick’ label better than McCain.
I love Chuck Hagel’s stance on the war, BUT, if this info is correct (http://bobgeiger.blogspot.com/2007/01/who-wanted-to-eliminate-federal-minimum.html), Hagel voted to eliminate the Federal minimum wage. With over 80% of Americans, according to polls, supporting and INCREASE in the minimum wage, that vote puts him wildly outside of the mainstream. No way could I vote for him.
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