GOP Senator Says War Is Absurd And May Be 'Criminal'- Calls For Rapid Withdrawal

[Jcrowley]

GOP senator says war may be 'criminal'
By MATTHEW DALY, Associated Press Writer Fri Dec 8, 5:47 PM ET

WASHINGTON - Oregon Sen. Gordon Smith (news, bio, voting record), a Republican who voted in favor of the Iraq war in 2002 and has supported it ever since, now says the current U.S. war effort is "absurd" and "may even be criminal."

In an emotional speech on the Senate floor Thursday night, Smith called for changes in U.S. policy that could include rapid pullouts of U.S. troops from Iraq. He said he never would have voted for the conflict if he had known the intelligence that President Bush gave the American people was inaccurate.

"I for one am at the end of my rope when it comes to supporting a policy that has our soldiers patrolling the same streets in the same way, being blown up by the same bombs day after day," Smith said. "That is absurd. It may even be criminal. I cannot support that anymore. ... So either we clear and hold and build, or let's go home."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061208/ap_on_go_co/iraq_republican_senator

[AnnInLa]

1. He has already backtracked

and said he didn't mean "criminal" in the criminal sense. (?)

[AlinPA]

2. OR DUers: How does this guy look for '08? Any good Dem challengers?