GOP Senator Rips Bush On Iraq, Terrorism (Lugar)

MEDFORD, Mass. (AP) - Republican Sen. Richard G. Lugar on Saturday said the United States isn't doing enough to stave off terrorism and criticized President Bush for failing to offer solid plans for Iraq's future.

Lugar, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the nation must prevent terrorism from taking root around the world by ``repairing and building alliances,'' increasing trade, supporting democracy, addressing regional conflicts and controlling weapons of mass destruction.

Unless the country commits itself to such measures, ``we are likely to experience acts of catastrophic terrorism that would undermine our economy, damage our society and kill hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people,'' the Indiana senator said during an appearance at the Fletcher School at Tufts University.

``To win the war against terrorism, the United States must assign U.S. economic and diplomatic capabilities the same strategic priority that we assign to military capabilities,'' he said.

He later added, ``Military action is necessary to defeat serious and immediate threats to our national security. But the war on terrorism will not be won through attrition - particularly since military action will often breed more terrorists and more resentment of the United States.''

Lugar, who was awarded the Dean's Medal for distinguished service in international affairs, said it's still unclear how much control the Iraqi people will have over their nation's security when power is transferred to them June 30.

``I am very hopeful that the president and his administration will articulate precisely what is going to happen as much as they can, day by day, as opposed to a generalization,'' he said.

It's not the first time that Lugar has criticized Bush, a fellow Republican. In 2003, Lugar and Sen. Joseph Biden, the committee's top Democrat, warned that the Bush administration had not given enough consideration to what would happen in Iraq after the fighting ended.

Also Saturday, Lugar blamed the Bush and Clinton administrations for not adequately funding the foreign affairs budget, noting that the military's budget is more than 13 times what the nation spends for diplomacy.

Send the GOP and Lugar a letter about this. This has ticked me off more than anything else that has been said about the war. Here are my letters:

Dear Chairman Gillespie-

I’m not a big contributor to the party, but I send in what I can. I am 100% behind the President, his policy in Iraq, and his re-election in November. I currently have friends in Iraq and my National Guard unit will eventually send me to Afghanistan or Iraq within the next year. However, the recent comments by Sen. Lugar concerning Iraq (http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/story/0,1282,-4121610,00.html) have depressed me more than any other in the litany of attacks on President Bush. I see the Democrats hoping for a failure in Iraq and now we have a Republican Senator playing into their hands.

Why do I bother to support the party and vote Republican when its leaders snipe at each other? This is a critical time. Our men and women in Iraq will do everything they can to stay strong and give us victory. However, I’m convinced that there are forces in Washington and in the media who will do everything they can to ensure a defeat. Defeat, if it comes, will happen in America, not in Iraq as our national will crumbles. Senator Lugar seems to be seeking political cover for himself, rather than providing the necessary support that we so critically need. He seems to be positioning himself to survive a loss of national will by making statements that will “wash” his hands of the Iraqi situation. The whole thing saddens me.

So I ask: Why should I send money to the GOP when its leadership is beginning to fracture and run for cover?

SIGNED

Dear Senator Lugar-

I saw the following article:

GOP Senator Rips Bush on Iraq, Terrorism
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uslatest/story/0,1282,-4121610,00.html

Now I know that President Bush’s plan for Iraq is doomed. While our boys are winning on the battlefields in Iraq, the war is being lost on the home front. It’s bad enough that the Democrats have politicized the war effort and are doing everything to rip the President over the war so as to win in November. Now we can’t even get Senate Republicans to support the President. I now have ZERO confidence in our victory since your comments will be used to tear down the Administration on the home front and to cast doom-and-gloom on the efforts of our young men and women in Iraq.

I’ve never felt this sad as an American. I am demoralized. We have inflicted far more damage to ourselves with our defeatist talk than we have received from our enemies. I used to think that my leaders in Washington would LEAD us to victory, no matter what the cost. But now I think they would rather seek political cover, wash their hands, and lead themselves in another political campaign.

SIGNED

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