Comparisons between the Iraq War and that yardstick of American failed wars Vietnam usually come from the left or center left — but now a top GOPer is warning that there seem to be similarities:
WASHINGTON (AP) — A leading Republican senator and prospective presidential candidate said Sunday that the war in Iraq has destabilized the Middle East and is looking more like the Vietnam conflict from a generation ago.
Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel, who received two Purple Hearts and other military honors for his service in Vietnam, reiterated his position that the United States needs to develop a strategy to leave Iraq. Hagel scoffed at the idea that U.S. troops could be in Iraq four years from now at levels above 100,000, a contingency for which the Pentagon is preparing.
“We should start figuring out how we get out of there,” Hagel said on “This Week” on ABC. “But with this understanding, we cannot leave a vacuum that further destabilizes the Middle East. I think our involvement there has destabilized the Middle East. And the longer we stay there, I think the further destabilization will occur.”
Hagel said “stay the course” is not a policy. “By any standard, when you analyze 2 1/2 years in Iraq … we’re not winning,” he said.
And, this AP story notes, his remarks come at a timely moment:
President Bush was preparing for separate speeches this week to reaffirm his plan to help Iraq train its security forces while its leaders build a democratic government. In his weekly Saturday radio address, Bush said the fighting there protected Americans at home.
Polls show the public growing more skeptical about Bush’s handling of the war.
A couple of things are notable about Hagel’s remarks:
- Hagel has been a critic of the adminisration for some time now. But the fact he is increasingly articulating this view indicates (a)he has made an educated guess that the situation won’t get better but will get worse, (b)the clout of the administration is starting to wane since he feels he can speak out as forcefully as he is, (c)he’s likely reflecting the views of not just some of his constituents but perhaps some other GOPers who for a variety of reasons may not feel they can publicly say what he’s saying.
- The Vietnam comparison is always a bit iffy since support weakened at home for the war due to various factors. LBJ’s biggest loss was due to strong opposition within his OWN party. And the fact that there was a draft made the war as an issue personally compelling for many college students and their families.
- Hagel’s increasing criticism of the adminstration and dire predictions help create a new “conventional wisdom” among the media. It’ll influence media coverage in the sense that’ll it’ll shift some of the “givens” the media believes exist on the war to a newer perpsective — to the war being a parallel to Vietnam and the turbulent 60s.
- If its previous response is any indication, look for there to be direct White House or indirect (via surrogates) refutations of Hagel in coming days — and even perhaps an attempt via talk radio and other infosources to discredit him.
- A GOP anti-war voice (even someone who is known to have blasted the administration in the past) won’t go unnoticed by anti-war activists. This will encourage their efforts.
SOME OTHER VOICES ON THIS STORY
—Crooks And Liars has an excellent video of Hagel making his case.
—Americablog:”Another Republican calling for an exit strategy. Clearly Hagel didn’t get the talking points. Now, the White House is going to have to develop a smear strategy to deal with Hagel. He’s a decorated war veteran, just the kind of target this White House loves.”
–Crooked Timber belives Hagel is already under GOP fire and shows you an example.
—Powerline:
What exactly makes Chuck Hagel a “leading Republican senator”? Not seniority; he is a second-termer. Not any official responsibilities; Hagel is not a member of the Senate leadership, nor does he chair a Senate committee. Not legislative accomplishment or influence; Hagel has little noteworthy legislation to his name, and is more often an eccentric voice–e.g., in his call for reinstatement of the draft–than an influence on his fellow Senators. It is hard to escape the conclusion that for the Associated Press, any Republican who attacks the Bush administration and claims that we’re losing in Iraq is automatically promoted to “leading Republican senator” status. And “prospective presidential candidate”? Not as a Republican.”
—Outside The Beltway:”He may have earned two Purple Hearts for his service in Vietnam, but this comparison is both ridiculous and ahistorical — the insurgency in Iraq is not at all similar to what we faced in Vietnam, in organization, strategy, or ideology. The obvious difference in terrain makes Hagel’s statements even more ludicrous. The only way the analogy makes any sense whatsoever is if Hagel believes that we are enmeshed in a necessary conflict in which we see only tactical victory, but we retreat anyway because politicians fear losing the hippie vote.”
—My DD:”I’m beginning to believe that the best way to end the war in Iraq is not so much as the Democrats uniting against it (sorta late for that), but for the Republican Party to have a division over staying or getting out of Iraq. It’s likely going to take an election loss to make that happen, so, 15 months of more of the same?”
—Tim Graham:”I hate to sound snarky on a Sunday, but precisely where is the “news” in this story? “Hagel Says Iraq War Looking Like Vietnam.” He’s been saying that for two years.”
—Polipundit:”Brain Dead.”
Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.