Republicans sharply question Iraq policy

[babylonsister]

Source: AP

Republicans sharply question Iraq policy

By ANNE FLAHERTY, Associated Press Writer 4 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - Senate Republicans sharply challenged President Bush's top military general and ambassador in Iraq on Tuesday in a blatant demonstration of misgivings within the GOP about the protracted war.

"Are we going to continue to invest blood and treasure at the same rate we're doing now? For what?" asked Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., who supports legislation setting a deadline to bring troops home.

The deep-seated doubt expressed at the hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee reflected just how far Congress had come since the war began over four years ago. And Republican senators raised questions that rivaled those asked by several Democratic presidential hopefuls there.

The exchanges came just a day after the top U.S. war commander, Gen. David Petraeus, recommended keeping the bulk of U.S. forces in Iraq — some 130,000 troops — deployed there through next summer.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A prominent Republican on Tuesday said he remains deeply skeptical of the U.S. war strategy in Iraq, comparing the long and bloody military campaign to a farmer risking his savings to plant on a flood plain.

"In my judgment, some type of success in Iraq is possible, but as policymakers, we should acknowledge that we are facing extraordinarily narrow margins for achieving our goals," Sen. Richard Lugar, the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told the top U.S. military commander and the American ambassador there.

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Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070911/ap_on_go_co/us_iraq;_ylt=ApklguqM6Lz45wC8N9XB1q.s0NUE

[OwnedByFerrets]

1. I dont trust anything they do or say

as anything more than political posturing. They are feeling the swing and want to make sure not to miss the opportunities it presents.

[TwilightGardener]

3. Not Hagel. He's getting out of politics--he speaks the truth as he sees it.

[babylonsister]

4. I don't trust them either, and you can be sure they will do what's

politically expedient for themselves, not the country.
I don't understand how the rethugs and conservatives (Buchanan as a for-instance) can rub their hands in glee when they think this war will now go on for another 10 months at least. How many people will die in the interim, and why don't they care? It's beyond my comprehension, politics aside.

[bluestateguy]

6. When it comes time to vote--and that's what counts--they all fall into line with the White House

Perhaps not Hagel, but the rest of them are just bloviating. When it comes time to vote, they are no different than McConnell and Lott.

[TwilightGardener]

7. Yes, Lugar, Warner--most refuse to do anything but talk.

[Inuca]

10. My feeling is that Warner at least

may match his votes with his words. Not a timetable for withdrawal, I do not think he will vote for that, but for some other alternatives that still have meaning. We shall see...

[knight_of_the_star]

2. Only one I'll consider as possible truth is Hagel

And that's because this is his last term by his own admission. Even then I'd like to see him vote to back up his words.

[TwilightGardener]

5. He's voted SEVERAL times to end the war--what more do you want from him?

[Inuca]

11. I guess that

no D after his name ==> evil :-)

[Xipe Totec]

8. Because it only maters to the MSM, when Republicans say something.

[Inuca]

12. It's not only the MSM

it's that for anything significant to actually happen, we need a few more republicans to change positions and votes. In this perspective, yes, right now, what the republicans say DOES matter more.

[ClintonTyree]

9. Yeah, they'll "sharply question" Bush's policy.....

and then fall right in line with said policy after they're finished with those "sharp" questions.

Elections coming up. Gotta' have something to tell the constituents. :eyes:

[Doctor_J]

13. Yawn

this is about the 10th rerun of this stupid farce.