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Hagel: U.S. Decline 'Good News'
NewsMax.com ^ | May 8, 2005 | Carl Limbacher

Posted on 05/08/2005 6:40:34 PM PDT by Carl/NewsMax

Maverick GOP Sen. Chuck Hagel said Sunday that U.S. power and influence in the world is in decline, then added, "That's good news, I think."

Discussing whether the Iraq war had left the American military stretched too thin, Hagel told ABC's "This Week":

"The world is now so vastly different in its distribution of not only economic power ... but also in military and diplomatic power."

The Nebraska Republican then explained: "The great challenge of our time for America is our competitive position in the world and understanding this great diffusion of new power. The United States is no longer the dominant power on earth as we have been the last 50 years. That's good news, I think."

Though Hagel's comments could come back to haunt him if, as is widely rumored in Washington, he decides to seek higher office, the GOP maverick had some good news for the Bush administration.

Asked if he'd seen any evidence that would cause him to oppose U.N. ambassador nominee John Bolton since his confirmation was put on hold two weeks ago, Hagel said, "I have not seen anything that would keep me from voting for him ... from what I know now."

He did add, however, that he reserved the right to change his mind if more credible allegations about Bolton came to light.


TOPICS: Front Page News; US: Nebraska
KEYWORDS: bolton; closeoffuttbrac06; gonetotexas; hagel; loser; maverick; ussenate; whyisboltonakeyword
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To: Malcolm

With comments like that, Hagel won't lose the Republican presidental primary, he'll get laughed out of it before it begins.

The one thing I can say about Hagel is that he votes a lot more conservatively than McCain. But as you said, even Chafee sounds more hawkish than him, simply because Chafee at least says nothing.


61 posted on 05/08/2005 7:33:33 PM PDT by Galactic Overlord-In-Chief (Any Freepers who enjoy fantasy, I welcome to look at my FR homepage to take a look at my new book)
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To: Darkwolf
What, exactly, is Republican about Hagel?

What, exactly, is AMERICAN about Hagel?

62 posted on 05/08/2005 7:34:00 PM PDT by montag813
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To: oceanview
:), yes but still... He can't be in such isolated world. He must have some kind polling data or people calculating where he would get the votes. Oh I am sure someone is telling he is a "different" man, a of big and fresh ideas, a 'globalist' with a righ slant, how refresing [smile). He must be thinking that if he loses a great portion of the conservative vote, he can make them up by getting the independent or even centrist democrats or what?

or maybe is the "Schiavo" effect that scared a lot of republicans and now they feel they should keep their distance from the 'religious right,'

I don't' know what it is, but some people have ideas out there. Maybe they are hoping that 'religious right' will push so much to the right, that it will split the party... hmm... interesting. BTW, I am part of the religious right, so don't want anyone thinking I am nocking it.

(Oh, he loves the attention!... I am watching him on C-SPAN, Road to the white house 2008 now).

63 posted on 05/08/2005 7:40:20 PM PDT by ElPatriota (let's not forget, we are all still friends despite our differences)
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To: Carl/NewsMax
if that's what he "Thinks", then i hope he doesn't think too much... might hurt himself
64 posted on 05/08/2005 7:47:10 PM PDT by Chode (American Hedonist ©®)
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To: Carl/NewsMax

Even IF this was true, why is this a good thing? Hagel is an idiot and a RINO.


65 posted on 05/08/2005 7:47:55 PM PDT by West Coast Conservative
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To: Carl/NewsMax

What a fcuking idiot.

Quisling.


66 posted on 05/08/2005 7:49:01 PM PDT by wardaddy ( Lucchese Belt Raised)
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To: Carl/NewsMax
he's better at asking questions than answering them...
67 posted on 05/08/2005 7:49:45 PM PDT by Chode (American Hedonist ©®)
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To: Carl/NewsMax

Me: Hagel decline "Good News"


68 posted on 05/08/2005 7:55:59 PM PDT by WOSG (Liberating Iraq - http://freedomstruth.blogspot.com)
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To: Carl/NewsMax

This guy is a CFR nutbag.


69 posted on 05/08/2005 7:56:57 PM PDT by nonliberal (Graduate: Curtis E. LeMay School of International Relations)
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To: gaspar

Sounds like he has conceeded.


70 posted on 05/08/2005 7:57:50 PM PDT by expatguy (http://laotze.blogspot.com/)
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To: Carl/NewsMax

I get my conspiracies mixed up, but isnt he connected to a company that manufactures voting machines? (maybe used in his state by coincidence?)


71 posted on 05/08/2005 8:05:57 PM PDT by isom35
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To: expatguy

Was it Kerry or Dean that said in the 2004 election campaigns that "America would not always have the best military in the world"? I think it was one of those two idiots, and now, whichever one it was, has a twin brother, Hagel.


72 posted on 05/08/2005 8:06:37 PM PDT by Txsleuth (Mark Levin for Supreme Court Judge)
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To: Carl/NewsMax

Chuck Hagel is one more RINO/stealth Democrat/One Worlder who is bent on destroying the Republican Party, ergo a sovereign USA.


73 posted on 05/08/2005 8:08:51 PM PDT by F16Fighter
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To: IronJack
That American dominance has ended seems to be part of the RINO mantra, a kind of accommodationist fait accompli that manifests as resignation and a gleeful acceptance of our own obsolescence.

First of all, one would expect different qualities from a leader than from a citizen.

Secondly, when does one come to the realization that the boat is indeed sinking?

I myself don't feel "gleeful" at all, and yet at this moment in our nation's history I see very little that would indicate to me that Americans are actually concerned with the longevity and survival of the nation.

74 posted on 05/08/2005 8:12:09 PM PDT by expatguy (http://laotze.blogspot.com/)
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To: F16Fighter
You might wish to start replacing the word "Democrat" with "Socialist"
75 posted on 05/08/2005 8:14:53 PM PDT by expatguy (http://laotze.blogspot.com/)
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To: exDem from Miami

No way. He's playing the media card just like McCain. The only way these two clowns can get any airtime is when they are bucking the president or the party, the media lives for this.

He's irrelevant. He knows it and so in order to get some recognition he'll say anything to seem important.

He does not have any committee chairmanships for a reason.

The more I listen to some of these fools, the more it becomes clear to me that McConnell and Kyl might be the only true conservatives in the Senate.


76 posted on 05/08/2005 8:16:19 PM PDT by Reagan Disciple (Peace through Strength)
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To: Carl/NewsMax
The United States is no longer the dominant power on earth as we have been the last 50 years.

I cannot imagine what Mr. Hagel means by this. Certainly if one considers U.S. dominance economically directly after WWII one might make a case for relative decline from that point, but that is only because the rest of the world was anomalously shattered at that time.

I suspect what he really has in mind is the ability of the United States to project its national objectives to the world at large; in this he is simply mistaken. It is difficult to find a historical parallel for this particular sort of sudden dominance - Rome right after the Punic Wars, perhaps.

What has declined precipitously is the influence and credibility of the UN and its internationalist believers, and not simply because Bush has decided to conduct his foreign policy in the absence of their approval. This rot began long before that - indeed, it seems to me a consequence of vigorous Soviet propaganda and organizational genius that these operations have so become a haven for those who still wish to carry on the Cold War under new management. If Mr. Hagel is looking that direction for guidance he is going to find himself riding a very lame horse.

77 posted on 05/08/2005 8:18:10 PM PDT by Billthedrill
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Comment #78 Removed by Moderator

To: Carl/NewsMax

Hagel is garbage? Who is he exactly rooting for? Anti-semites in the UN? Maybe the Chinese tyrannial communists?


79 posted on 05/08/2005 8:21:56 PM PDT by KC_Conspirator (This space outsourced to India)
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To: Carl/NewsMax
Though Hagel's comments could come back to haunt him if, as is widely rumored in Washington, he decides to seek higher office, the GOP maverick had some good news for the Bush administration.

LMAO!!!
Nice touch with the "GOP maverick", Carl - - puts him right in the looney bin with McCrazy.
Where he apparently belongs.

80 posted on 05/08/2005 8:27:08 PM PDT by Lancey Howard
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