Posted on 11/26/2006 6:27:12 PM PST by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON - Congressional leaders displayed eroding patience in the Iraqi government on Sunday, adding pressure on President Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to find a faster path to peace when they meet this week.
"It is not too late. The United States can still extricate itself honorably from an impending disaster in Iraq," Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel (news, bio, voting record) of Nebraska, a potential presidential contender in 2008, said in urging for a planned withdrawal of U.S. troops.
"If the president fails to build a bipartisan foundation for an exit strategy, America will pay a high price for this blunder — one that we will have difficulty recovering from in the years ahead," Hagel wrote in Sunday's Washington Post.
As the U.S. involvement in Iraq surpassed the length of America's participation in World War II, lawmakers have dwindling confidence in the U.S.-supported Iraqi government. It was the deadliest week of sectarian fighting in Baghdad since the war began in March 2003.
"I think what we've got to do is go around the Maliki government in certain situations," said Republican Sen. Sam Brownback (news, bio, voting record) of Kansas, another possible presidential candidate. "Let's work with other groups, and let's get regional buy-in into this."
Bush, after a NATO summit in Europe, plans to meet with al-Maliki on Wednesday and Thursday in Jordan. That summit, coupled with Vice President Dick Cheney's trip to Saudi Arabia on Saturday, is evidence of the administration's stepped-up effort to bring stability to the region.
The host of the meeting, Jordan's King Abdullah, said Sunday the problems in the Middle East go beyond the war in Iraq. He said much of the region soon could become engulfed in violence unless the central issues are addressed quickly.
The king said he was hopeful the leaders will find a way to reduce the level of violence.
"We hope there will be something dramatic. The challenges, obviously, in front of both of them are immense," he said.
Iraq's leaders promised Sunday to track down those responsible for the recent attacks, and al-Maliki urged his national unity government of Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds to curb the violence by stopping their public disputes.
The Iraqi prime minister is under pressure from Shiite politicians loyal to the radical anti-American Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr who have threatened to boycott parliament and the Cabinet if al-Maliki meets with Bush.
"This is all political posturing. It's all red herring. It's an anti-threat. This is a very stable government," responded Iraq's national security adviser, Mouwafak al-Rubaie. He said he had no doubt the prime minister would meet with Bush in Jordan.
As for Bush, some of the toughest criticism is coming from within his own party.
"We have misunderstood, misread, misplanned and mismanaged our honorable intentions in Iraq with an arrogant self-delusion reminiscent of Vietnam," said Hagel, a combat veteran of that war. "Honorable intentions are not policies and plans."
Sen. Richard Durbin (news, bio, voting record) of Illinois, the No. 2 Senate Democrat, called Iraq the worst U.S. foreign policy decision since Vietnam. He said Democrats do not have a quick answer and any solution must be bipartisan.
"It is time to tell the Iraqis that unless they're willing to disband the militias and the death squads, unless they're willing to stand up and govern their country in a responsible fashion, America is not going to stay there indefinitely," Durbin said.
That theme — pressuring al-Maliki and his government — seemed to unify Republicans and Democrats.
"I think we're going to have to be very aggressive and specific with him," said Sen. Trent Lott (news, bio, voting record), R-Miss., the incoming No. 2 GOP leader. "And if he doesn't show real leadership, doesn't try to bring the situation under control — if, in fact, he becomes a part of the problem — we're going to have to make some tough decisions."
Yet Rep. Duncan Hunter (news, bio, voting record), the outgoing chairman of the Armed Services Committee, said the United States will win the conflict in the long run by supporting a free government in Iraq. Before any decisions are made on reducing U.S. troop levels, he said, more U.S.-trained Iraqi battalions should be moved into the heavy-fighting areas of Baghdad.
"Saddle those guys up," Hunter said. "Move them into the fight."
Durbin, Brownback and King Abdullah were on "This Week" on ABC. Lott appeared on "Fox News Sunday" and Hunter on "Meet the Press" on NBC. Al-Rubaie was on CNN's "Late Edition."
Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel listens as President Bush speaks about immigration reform in Omaha, Neb., in this Wednesday, June 7, 2006 file photo. 'If the president fails to build a bipartisan foundation for an exit strategy, America will pay a high price for this blunder, one that we will have difficulty recovering from in the years ahead,' Hagel wrote in the Sunday, Nov. 26, 2006 Washington Post. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
Who would vote for him?
This combination of file photos shows Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., left, on April 27, 2006, in Washington and Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., in Tokyo in this Jan. 7, 2004 photo. At a World AIDS Day conference in California in December 2006, two potential 2008 presidential rivals, Obama, and Brownback, will each take an HIV test and encourage others to do the same. (AP Photo/File)
Incoming U.S. Senate Assistant Majority leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) speaks alongside new Majority leader Harry Reid (D-NV) on Capitol Hill following their election to the positions November 14, 2006. Reid, a moderate Nevada Democrat, was elected by colleagues on Tuesday as U.S. Senate majority leader for the 110th Congress that will convene in January. REUTERS/Jason Reed (UNITED STATES)
Newly-elected Senate Republican Whip Trent Lott (R-MS) declines to answer a journalist's question as the new Republican Party Senate leadership present themselves to the press following secret voting on Capitol Hill in Washington November 15, 2006. (Jason Reed/Reuters)
Gotta be honest with ya. I'm not all that keen on the Iraqi government m'self. Maybe I'm ignorn't, but they seem to have a limitless capacity to let our people do their fighting and dying.
"The United States can still extricate itself honorably from an impending disaster in Iraq,"
Thanks for all your help, Chuckie. Will you switch parties next?
I guess Lott was afraid he'd put his foot in his mouth again.
This is in effect a threat.
What they are saying is that President Bush can figure a way out and take the rap for the cut and run or else the Democrats will force the cut and run.
I say let the Democrats do it and they can take their own blame when the whole Middle east is involved in a Nuclear war.
Yeppers.
I'm in agreement with you. Sadr's people being part of the govt is not helping one bit .. in fact I believe it has made it worse. There was talk that Sadr's people were going to pull out of the govt .. and I think that would be a good thing because then Mallaki would not be beholden to them anymore.
And for my money .. I would rather have Allawi. He's not Shia, Kurd or Shiite! Perfect! Allawi was much tougher and he was a staunch supporter of Bush and America.
Declare marshal law.
Anyone who forms a militia should be considered an enemy of Iraq.
No vehicle movements without express consent of US and Iraqi forces.
Any home or structure being used for sniper or hostile fire should be destroyed instantly.
Lock the country down, literally, for six months.
EXECUTE SADDAM HUSSEIN, if only for the purpose of squashing that little hope of former Bathists, Sunni militias, and Tikrit bedragglers who still think Hussein will make a triumphant return.
Stop pussyfooting around. If any Sunni or Shite religious leader so much as urges anything, declare their mosque to be part of the problem, and consider having it demolished.
Unfortuntely, weathervane Hagel will give them bipartisan cover. (Likely with help from Lindsey light loafer Grahm and the Maine duet.)
Well .. that looks good to me .. but there's just one big problem .. we're dealing with a sovereign nation and unless Mallaki agrees - then our hands are tied.
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