GOP senator says Iraq plan not working (Richard Lugar)

[RamboLiberal]

Source: Star-Telegram

Sen. Richard Lugar, a senior Republican and a reliable vote for President Bush on the war, said Monday that Bush's Iraq strategy was not working and that the U.S. should downsize the military's role.

The unusually blunt assessment deals a political blow to Bush, who has relied heavily on GOP support to stave off anti-war legislation.

It also comes as a surprise. Most Republicans have said they were willing to wait until September to see if Bush's recently ordered troop buildup in Iraq was working.

"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."


Read more: http://www.star-telegram.com/190/story/149008.html

[BrotherBuzz]

1. He's facing a 2008 re-election campaign and needs to unhitch his horse

I'm just saying :shrug:

[IndianaGreen]

3. No, Lugar was reelected in 2006 because Democrats did not run anyone against him!

To the great shock and horror of the rank-and-file, none of the Democratic office holders wanted to challenge Lugar.

Decrepit old fool, and perennial apologist for Republican war crimes.

BTW, I voted for the Libertarian candidate because he was against the war.

[BrotherBuzz]

6. Oops, and thanks

I did a quick Google to see his status for reelection. I found an article where he was quoted about someone else's re-election bid in 2008, not his. :crazy:

[IndyOp]

17. I voted for the Libertarian candidate, too! I hate to write him in and

I know that no one bothered to tally his votes here in Monroe County - I don't think that they even bother looking unless the write-in votes could have an impact on who won the race.

I completely believe that Lugar could have prevented the Iraq war and he did not. He spoke in Europe before the 2003 invasion and said that it was wrong and should be avoided, then he returned to the states and kissed military-industrial-complex ass.

:grr:

[IndianaGreen]

24. Let's hope the Democrats field a candidate against "Not-my-man" Daniels

I think we got a good chance to retake the governorship in '08.

[sellitman]

2. The ship is sinking fast if this vermin is a jumping.

junior is in trouble now!

:nopity:

[saltpoint]

4. Evidently someone on Lugar's staff shook the old fool awake and

persuaded him to say something about the war.

People are willing to acknowledge Dick Lugar's foreign policy chops but people also get damned sick waiting for years at a time for him to take a principled stand.

[babylonsister]

16. Did anyone ever consider he's doing this admin's bidding in a roundabout,

rethug way? Maybe this is the underhanded, opening salvo by this admin, compliments of Luger, to finally get out because they know it's a lost cause. Just heard this being discussed by Stephanopolous, and it sounds logical to me.

OT: Good morning, OC!

[saltpoint]

20. Hey there, babylonsister, and a good mornin' right back atcha.

Yes, it could be. Lugar is such a tool. Very popular in Indiana and of no real consequence anyplace else. Shoved aside on Foreign Relations by Jesse Helms for years and a waste-of-time run for the White House somewhere in between. His silence this long I had attributed to his thinking he'd be appointed Sec. of State -- or even vice president -- but Daddy Bush picked Dan Quayle over Lugar. So much for Lugar's stature in Indiana, huh.

Your theory has resonance because it sets up a smoke-screen for the administration to withdraw without taking 100% of the heat.

[Tarheel_Dem]

21. I've thought this all along Babylon.....

We all know we're getting out of Iraq, but if the WH and the Republicans in Congress can manage to come up with an exit (PR)strategy that gives them the credit for withdrawal, and of course Dems will have no choice but to sign on to the Repub sponsored bill, thereby removing Iraq as a campaign issue for '08.

That probably sounds awfully cynical, especially since I want the troops out of Iraq like yesterday, but I have no faith in this administration or any of its enablers. They don't do anything out of conviction, unless it's politically expedient.

[PurityOfEssence]

23. Interesting, and possibly worse than that.

Since we're thinking in sneaky mode and bordering on conspiracy theorizing, how about this: it's a plan to strip away enough Republicans to allow Congress to de-fund the war. By doing this, the administration will be seen as forced by the Democrats to get out of Iraq, and then all that goes wrong is the fault of the obstructionist, cowardly liberals.

It would be a shrewd way to pin all the disasters from their own actions on the Dems, but there's one problem here: the administration doesn't want to get out of Iraq and they don't realize that it's untenable in the long run.

[Theduckno2]

5. I believe Sen. Lugar 's opinion is much respected by Republicans.

This seems to be rather good news to me.

[saltpoint]

8. Agree. Lugar's dismissal of the "surge" offers political cover

for the other GOP folks to publicly throw in against the president's war plan, or lack of one.

The trend is now set in against Bush and against U.S. involvement in Iraq.

[Doctor_J]

7. Lugar is obviously a terr-symp

He's probably been listening to Snowjob prevaricate about the Sept checkpoint, and realizes that Cheney and Rove have no intention of honoring the commitment they made to the Sept assessment. The sane Senators, who have respect for their offices, are starting to face the fact that Smirk will NEVER abandon this folly unless congress FORCES him to.

[truthisfreedom]

9. But but but... who's going to support the troops?

It took these fools 6 years and trillions of our taxpayer dollars to realize that bush's gambling habit was never going to yield a winning streak, when we predicted it from the very first moment.

[qwlauren35]

22. You're watching the wrong game...

As far as Bush is concerned, all of the ***right*** people have been winning ever since we set foot in Iraq.

The man does not care about taxpayer dollars or the lives of the "inconsequential".

[Recursion]

10. Hmm... he did this after-hours, in an empty chamber

Which to me suggests either somebody in the leadership had just burned a bridge with him or vice versa. It will be interesting to see how much cover this gives the other Republicans wanting to spit out some of the flavor-aid

[IndianaGreen]

11. From what I hear, an editorial in the largest newspaper in Indiana lambasted Lugar for his support

of the war. Even conservative Hoosiers have given up on Bush, and think the war is a horrible mistake.

[salin]

13. Lugar is full of empty criticism.

Remember how harsh he was before the invasion per the lack of any post-war (or post collapse of Saddam's govt) planning? Has he ever voted on this criticism? No. Do I expect it now? No.

[IndianaGreen]

25. Lugar has always been a rubber stamp for Republican Presidents

What Lugar is saying is that certain elements of the ruling class are fearful of losing the whole enchilada as our military is bled dry by neocon wars in the Middle East. Why do you think that McCain has sounded the alarm about Latin America?

Capitalism cannot sustain itself except through force!

[autorank]

12. So Lugar's the guy...

...the Republican to say, "Abandon Ship!" right now, not many swift, I mean, life boats.

If all the Republicans disappeared, would our party vote against the war...ya never know, they might
come back, just like Michael Meyers in Halloween (the originals, 1 & 2, not the knock offs; but the
one with Ludacris is pretty good (in a really bad way) so is #3, although it's really not part of the series).

Lugar is a good pick for a non violent but effective Brutus...an honorable man. There will be NO
Marc Antony though. This sucker is headed for the laminate ranch to grow dental floss; if he's lucky.

[frogcycle]

14. back at the time of the 2006 election

one of the campaign slogans was "republicans think you're stupid" intending to get the masses to realize they were being jobbed and get them mad.

perhaps the republicans themselves are finally realizing they too have been jobbed. given their treatment of dems for the 6 years, i would not think they would be a crowd bushcheney would want to piss off totally. Unless, of course, they already know that the fix is in, and they plan to just declare congress irrelevant, complete the coup, and rock on.

[niceypoo]

15. Oh, they all know it...

and one by one they will jump off of the bandwagon as an election year draws closer..

[Nickster]

18. Sure could have used that dissent a few weeks ago when it would have meant something.

[Stinky The Clown]

19. May I say something to Senator Lugar ..... er ... Dick ...... Senator Dick ......

Fuck you, Senator Dick. Fuck you for impeding every investigation or attempt at oversight that went through the committee when you were in charge. Fuck you, Senator Dick, for being such a sycophant. I have seen bull nipples more useful than you, Senator Dick.

So, while this new view of yours may seen oh so significant to some, to me it is simply showvoting. Go back to Hoosierville and stick your own dick up your own ass ....... if you can. If not .... practice.