Posted on 03/31/2008 12:38:08 PM PDT by april15Bendovr
Hagel: Who says we have to win Iraq? Sat, 29 Mar 2008 19:19:47
Republican Senator Chuck Hagel says some of the top politicians in Washington hold regrettable views on how the Iraq war should end.
In a Thursday interview with CNN, Hagel criticized Republican nominee-in-waiting John McCain for framing the situation in Iraq as one that the US must 'win'.
"John (McCain), the President and the others have put the Iraqi situation in the wrong context. This isn't a win or lose," said Hagel.
"We shouldn't frame this up as a win-or-lose because, when we do that - and this is where I have a major disagreement with McCain, then on that basis we'll be there forever," expounded the Nebraska senator.
According to Hagel, it is up to the Iraqi people to decide what kind of government they want, not Washington.
The prominent lawmaker concluded that the next US president should feel bound to unite Washington and said Democratic candidate Barack Obama stands the best chance in this regard.
what a loathsome puke
I saw that interview. This guy has completely lost his way
Errrrr... where have you been Mr. Asshat? The Iraqis already formed the type of government that they want and the people of Iraq voted on it.
What a nut!
Guess it all depends on how you define “win”.
Why do we have to win the war on drugs?
Why do we have to win the war on poverty?
Why do we have to win the war on religion?
Why do we have to win the war on culture?
Why do we have to win the war on Terrorism?
Why even bother saving America from annihilation? After all, we've got "better" things to do, like universal Hellth care, glow-bull warming, etc.
Hagel is a dim bulb, a rather bizarre character. In choosing a foreign policy I would tend to do the exact opposite of whatever that guy suggests.
I'm glad Harry Truman did not subscribe to this philosophy.
With that kind of attitude during World War II, Hitler and Tojo would have shook hands at the Mississippi River.
We’ve gone from
“America loves a winner, and will not tolerate a loser, this is why America has never, and will never, lose a war.”
to
“This isn’t a win or lose”
WTH?
There was something on FR a long time ago about the guy Hagel chose to be his #1 staff member on foreign policy - it was some Harvard liberal puke a lot like Obama’s Samantha Power - so of course a dim bulb like Hagel is having his head constantly filled with memos and talking points from the left, and can’t think past it. Of course, a real conservative never would have selected the guy Hagel chose, so it already showed how far Hagel had lost his way to be making his foreign policy recommendations from a liberal out of Harvard’s Kennedy School of Govt.
I'd like to make a point about these other victories and places we stayed in. We stayed in Germany and Korea and won the peace even though Germany was divided with half in enemy hands for over half a century, Korea still so. Yet both became secure economic powerhouses and allies.
We didn’t really go there to conquer Iraq, just to depose their leader, and bring them democracy. This isn’t really a win-lose thing.
Your mention of Truman just made me realize the democrats never talk about president Truman's greatness. Why is that?
I am ashamed to admit that I voted for Hagel when I lived in Nebraska. I hope conservatives can forgive me for this transgression (I am having enough trouble forgiving myself).
;))
The problem is many people around the world, and almost everyone throughout history, has NOT been able to choose their government.
The Government has always been the STRONGMAN who had the most guns and weapons. That is how Saddam came to rule Iraq in the first place.
Schumer is a complete idiot if he does not understand that the human race has moved beyond the days of the strongman, the King, the tyrant, the dictator and the regime.
Democracy is the future of the human race and America had a great deal to do with that future.
Hagel needs to change parties...officially.
ahh the intelligence of Washington DC. I wonder how he plays chess? See how many of your opponents you can keep on the board?
Mike Gravel switched to the Libertarian, maybe Hagel and Paul can join him.
What a freaking moron.
"Give 'em hell" Harry would be considered too conservative for the GOP nomination.
Whoever helped elect this self-serving dufus needs to have their heads examined.
GET HIM OUTTA THERE.
Chuck Hagel: proof that terminal stupidity is no roadblock to becoming a US Senator.
Imagine if a leadind Senator would have taken that line in World War II with say France. Oh it should not be about win or lose, something can be worked out or the French can decide for themselves etc........
What silly nonsense.
In a world war you either win a battle or you lose a battle. There are no other options....
If Hagel does not understand that this is a world war then he has no right to be a Senator in America
SAD SACK Hagel!! What a pathetic man. Is he MARRIED???
He should be buried alongside Marx!
I am sure Ahmadinejad could find him a wife in Iran after this story.
Hagel is way wrong about that. The USA will be there in the Gulf only until the oil is no longer important to civilization.
He IS married and has a son named ZILLER. He also has some Iranian Group with Dennis Kuchinich!
Gee! I wonder why you aren’t running for reelection this year Hagel?
You don't spend much time in Iraq, do you, Senator Idiot?
Ok, this one is a stunner. And he got into office....how?? What is the matter with voters who would vote for such a dunce?
While we're on the subject, where does it say you have to win elections?
No one.
How post-modern and PC of Hagel. Maybe we could get Honorable Mention just for showing up?
Speechless.
What does ‘winning in Iraq’ actually mean?
When we fought the Second World War, winning was clearly defined (unconditional surrender of the Nazi Regime and the Tojo Regime).
We have the same problem in Iraq that we had in Vietnam - fuzzily defined objectives in a War of choice. We never fully outlined what ‘winning in Vietnam’ meant. We used metrics such as ‘number of enemies killed’ etc.
FDR had his fireside chats where he explained to the American people what exactly was being done. Churchill explained why the war had to be fought.
There has been a failure of communication, competence and imagination by this adminstration. How do we explain to the American people that five years of American occupation have tipped the strategic balance in favour of the Iranians? How do we explain to the American people that while senior American politicians sneak into Iraq unannounced, Ahmadinejad visits Iraq with full fanfare?
How do we explain to the American people that American blood has been shed to support a constitution that blatantly supports Islam as the source of law, that discriminates against Iraqi christians and Iraqi women? How do we explain to them that the ruling party in Iraq are allies of the Iranian regime?
Yes Saddam is gone, good. But did we bite off more than we could chew?
Now those who imagine that we will stay in Iraq the same way we stayed in Korea and Japan - forget it. Arabs are neither Koreans nor Japanese. Arabs do not like to be occupied by anyone for an extended period of time (just ask the Israelis).
We need to find a way to resolve this situation, quickly (use proxies if necessary) and get the hell out. Arabia is a ‘tar baby’.
Here it is
Senator Chuck Hagel Interviewed On CNN - Discusses Iraq
Senator Hagel was brought on Wolf Blitzer’s show on March 27, 2008 to discuss the war in Iraq and the 2008 election.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qh0P7C5dCg
Damn good question there.
Quick retreat or "cut and run" means victory to Islamic radical jihadists and would only re-energize their recruitment.
Liberals are still proud of themselves after the Vietnam war for bringing big bad America down to our knees via their power in the press and college campus. Its ashame they are still in denial and unwilling to admit that 4 million people were murdered in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia when we left.
Liberals and Democrats act impulsively because they are ruled by their emotion and are incapable of logic. Everything is "ends justify the means" (Socialism)
Its pathetic that we have a Republican Senator that also thinks in a similar fashion
hagel is a walking rino-vagina.
LLS
Perhaps Sen. Hagel should consider the consequences of IED’s exploding in Omaha streets or a suicide bomber attacking a University of Nebraska football game. We either fight the terrorists in Iraq or fight them on our own streets.
“hagel is a walking rino-vagina.”
I could do a photoshop of that but I’m sure that image would get me in trouble here.
I hope not. My brother sat two rows behind him at a Nebraska football game.
I tried to encourage my brother to dump a beer on his dumb head.
I meant to suggest that we were talking about a different Chuckie, but I realized that there really isn't that much difference between them.
It must be a Senate thing.
Michael Frazier
Chuck was
No doubt! :-)
LLS
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