Sen. Richard Lugar (R-Indiana), former chairman and current ranking member on Senate Foreign Relations Committee, says a course change should happen now because waiting any longer will limit US options.
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.”
Lugar has privately expressed his reservations to Bush in the past but has remained publicly supportive of the administration’s war policy. CNN is reporting that his hometown paper has lately begun calling him out on that support. I guess a combination of pressure and reality has finally forced him to speak out. Any chance Bush will listen?
Any chance Bush will listen?
You’re talking about George W. Bush?
Senator Lugar is one of those few members of Congress who, even though I usually disagree with him, I have always admired for intelligence, integrity and (shall I say) a lack of political buffonery so common this day. This just makes me respect him more.
Well, Dan, I suppose there’s a miniscule chance. Maybe 1 in 100 million.
Yeah, Bill, when I heard this on CNN, the reporters and commentators kept talking about how well-respected Lugar is and how that makes his comments more of a blow to the president’s policy. Of course, as Dan says, this is GWB, and he’s extremely reality-challenged.
If Bush would listen to the public we wouldn’t be be having a cloture vote on the immigration bill today.
Yeah, Don, you’re right. I don’t know when I’ve seen so much across-the-board opposition to a bill. For lots of different reasons, which should indicate a big problem with the legislation.