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Posted on 08/23/2007 2:01:28 PM PDT by LesbianThespianGymnasticMidget
WASHINGTON (AP) - Sen. John Warner, a prominent Republican on military affairs, urged President Bush on Thursday to start bringing some troops home from Iraq by Christmas.
Such a move would send a powerful warning to the Baghdad government that time is running out, said Warner, R-Va.
Warner said the president next month should announce the withdrawal of a certain number of troops to send a "sharp and clear message throughout the region and the United States" that the commitment in Iraq is not open ended.
"We simply cannot as a nation stand and continue to put our troops at continuous risk of loss of life and limb without beginning to take some decisive action," he told reporters after a White House meeting with Bush's top aides.
In the congressional debate, Republicans so far have shown a willingness to back Bush on the politically unpopular war. But they say they want to see progress by September, when the top U.S. commander, Gen. David Petraeus, delivers his assessment of the war.
Warner's suggestion of initiating troop withdrawals to induce political pressure puts him more in line with Democrats than with Bush, who says conditions on the ground should dictate force levels.
Warner is a former Navy secretary and one-time chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee; he is now the committee's second-ranking Republican.
A White House spokesman, Gordon Johndroe, declined to say whether Bush might consider Warner's suggestion.
Asked whether Bush would leave the door open to setting a timetable, Johndroe said: "I don't think the president feels any differently about setting a specific timetable for withdrawal. I just think it's important that we wait right now to hear from our commanders on the ground about the way ahead."
Warner visited Iraq this month with Democratic Sen. Carl Levin of Michigan, the committee chairman. The Virginia Republican said he would not support Democratic legislation championed by Levin that would call for Bush to bring troops home by a certain date.
"Let the president establish the timetable for withdrawal, not the Congress," he said.
Sigh.
Dems love Warner so much they don’t run candidates against him. This is the one major race I normally vote for libertarian candidates in.
I think that Warner has always been very pro military, but for the life of me I can’t understand some of his latest decisions about the military...especially this one.
Meadow Muffin
Isn’t it about time he added some more of his fingerprints to Elizabeth Taylor’s rump?
One word: Senility.
I'm not joking.
BUMP
Warner is eating cold crow and doesn’t like it.
Warner’s “gone native” on us once and for all. With the reports I’ve been reading on the various newssites and blogs the last few days the news from Iraq is more positive than ever.
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WASHINGTON (AP) - Sen. John Warner, a prominent Republican on military affairs, urged President Bush on Thursday to start bringing some troops home from Iraq by Christmas.
Senator Warner, why don't you go home and we'ii get back to you on that marvelous suggestion.
The war on terror does not end in Iraq. Either we stay on the offensive or we’ll be fighting them on our own soil.
Could it be that Warner feels what a lot of Republicans feel, mainly that the Iraqis are not working hard enough to help their own country. We can not give them democracy. They have to earn it themselves. BTW, I an no fan of that old goat Warner. I am tired of the inaction on their part of the Iraqi government. If they do not want democracy, screw em! As a former Marine, I am tired of seeing our men die for these lazy rag-heads. What pisses me off is that I know the US must maintain a presence there. Like a LOT of republicans, I am torn over this.
Yeah....bring some of our troops home and put the rest at risk. Sure glad these people weren’t around when we were facing Germany or Japan. What a clutz.
Basically, yeah. I think he is retiring, though.
Warner and Kerry, both of the same mold, pathetic.
Warner: "Let the president establish the timetable for withdrawal, not the Congress," he said.
Not what the report that came out today has to say about the situation.
One can only hope.
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