Lugar On Afghan War: Americans Are Wondering 'Where Does This Stop?'

[unhappycamper]

Lugar On Afghan War: Americans Are Wondering 'Where Does This Stop?'
Amanda Terkel
[e-mail] | HuffPost Reporting
First Posted: 01/18/11 12:42 PM Updated: 01/18/11 12:42 PM

WASHINGTON -- The war in Afghanistan is reaching a "critical juncture," according to Sen. Richard Lugar (R-Ind.), a former chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and American taxpayers are going to have to decide they want to continue spending billions of dollars for many years to come.

"For ordinary Americans looking at all this, they wonder, where does this stop?" said Lugar told reporters at an event sponsored by the Christian Science Monitor on Tuesday. "Here, American taxpayers have been generous. Billions of dollars are going to Afghanistan to try to improve the standard of living of people, apart from the military side. But we're running into real problems with regard to Afghan law and administration, and even humanitarian matters."

Lugar has argued before that the administration needs to more clearly outline what would qualify as success in Afghanistan, but he resisted taking a position Tuesday on what that means for the U.S. withdrawal from the country.

"Well, this is constantly being rephrased by the president, as to how much withdrawal or whether we think about it then," Lugar told The Huffington Post. "This is a debate we're going to have the next five months or so. No definition right now."

Lugar also broke down the changing U.S. politics on the war, saying that the country was moving toward a "critical juncture" with an increasing proportion of Americans looking for it to end. More and more Democratic lawmakers are calling for withdrawal, Lugar said, and even some Republicans are eyeing defense issues as a prime target for spending cuts. The Indiana senator said it remains to be seen whether there's a "preeminence of the budget questions as opposed to the war question."

[old mark]

1. K&R- Yes, its about time we see some congressperson speak against this idiotic war...

we can never "win", and we are throwing lives and money at it as if there were some point to it all...


mark

[tinymontgomery]

2. Why don't you ask the ass

that started it? Now your concerned? What about when your bud was running the show. Stop funding it then it will stop, ever thought of that? Gee, isn't questioning the President in time of war concerned being a traitor.

[RegieRocker]

3. What about all those that were in congress at the time?

Was he in congress at the time they invaded and stayed there during bush's presidency? If so why do you listen to these pickle brained dummies when they don't remember what they did the previous day?

[tinymontgomery]

4. Yes he was in congress at the time

I don't listen to them, I read the articles (sometimes miss something), don't watch political shows any more, made me want to put my hammer through the tv, except for the Daily Show.

And I do blame all those that voted for the idiots son's wars.

[RegieRocker]

5. The world is nuts and the insanity keeps growing.

I just don't get it.

[tinymontgomery]

7. I'm with you

how does that saying go, something like "the dogs of war have been let loose"

[Erose999]

8. Yes, Dick Lugar was in congress during the Bush years. He's a lifer. Been in since '77

[Faryn Balyncd]

6. K and R

[Erose999]

9. For what its worth he asked the same question in 4 years ago:

Via AP 6/26/07

"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."

http://web.archive.org/web/20070629100431/http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1153AP_Lugar_Iraq.html

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

10. It's way, way, past time for congress to defund Bush/Obama's "necessary" war. K&R

[Octafish]

11. Our longest war.

Empire. It's a Capitalist Thing.

[NuclearDem]

12. For what it's worth, Dick Lugar isn't one of those pols to switch positions when it's convenient

He speaks out against the Afghan War, you better believe he means it.

[gratuitous]

13. You know, Mr. Lugar

Some of us were asking that question even before your pal George W. Bush launched his most excellent invasion. You're a little late to the party, pal. So, not accounting for your slowness of intellect, the question remains: What are you going to do about it, Senator? I'd venture a guess that a new edition of JFK's Pulitzer-winning work would not include Richard Lugar of Indiana.

[NuclearDem]

15. Lugar was arguably the driving force behind getting ANY Republicans to vote for START

He's seen as an elder statesman in the Senate...people listen to him. He starts to oppose Afghanistan, I can guarantee we'll see plenty of his colleagues follow in his footsteps.

[Solly Mack]

14. My head hurts

[RegieRocker]

16. LOL