Posted on 09/11/2007 9:24:01 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON - Senate Republicans sharply challenged President Bush's top military general and ambassador in Iraq on Tuesday in a blatant demonstration of misgivings within the GOP about the protracted war.
"Are we going to continue to invest blood and treasure at the same rate we're doing now? For what?" asked Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., who supports legislation setting a deadline to bring troops home.
The deep-seated doubt expressed at the hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee reflected just how far Congress had come since the war began over four years ago. And Republican senators raised tough questions that rivaled those asked by Democratic presidential hopefuls on the panel.
The exchanges came just a day after the top U.S. war commander, Gen. David Petraeus, recommended keeping the bulk of U.S. forces in Iraq — some 130,000 troops — deployed there through next summer.
Whereas Republicans were once deferential to the thinking of officials running the war, particularly uniformed officers, Hagel and other GOP senators on the panel said they doubted that simply giving war commanders more time would necessarily yield results.
"In my judgment, some type of success in Iraq is possible, but as policymakers, we should acknowledge that we are facing extraordinarily narrow margins for achieving our goals," said Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana, the top Republican on the committee.
Sen. Norm Coleman said he appreciates plans to return troop levels to 130,000 — down from the 168,000 currently in Iraq — but that he wants a longer-term vision other than suggestions that Patraeus and U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker will return to Capitol Hill in mid-March to give another assessment.
"Americans want to see light at the end of the tunnel," said Coleman, R-Minn.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans sharply challenged President Bush's top military general and ambassador in Iraq on Tuesday in a blatant demonstration of misgivings within the GOP about the protracted war.
"Are we going to continue to invest blood and treasure at the same rate we're doing now? For what?" asked Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., who supports legislation setting a deadline to bring troops home.
The deep-seated doubt expressed at the hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee reflected just how far Congress had come since the war began over four years ago. And Republican senators raised questions that rivaled those asked by several Democratic presidential hopefuls there.
The exchanges came just a day after the top U.S. war commander, Gen. David Petraeus, recommended keeping the bulk of U.S. forces in Iraq — some 130,000 troops — deployed there through next summer.
Three Republicans who join the 49 Democrats in voting for cut off funding means trouble. The two Democrats that would vote with Republicans are Senator Lieberman and Senator Nelson (Nebraska...maybe).
LLS
What they are saying is that the Middle East isn’t worth the effort? If this is how they feel.........SAY IT. Hell, we still have troops in Japan, Germany, Korea.....”For What?” It should be obvious why we are there but I guess they can’t see it. They wonder why our military is dying in Iraq? Would they rather have thousands of our citizens killed here? Compare our losses in Iraq to over 7000 soldiers lost in Iwo Jima in a week. These politicians have no idea what they are talking about.
I wish it was Gen George Patton answering questions from the likes of Kerry......he wouild rip him a new butt and do it in public.
SAme three RINO’s. So what???
Is there a Senate version of Duncan Hunter?
Thanks for the reminder. I completely forgot about the Veto...dummy me. lol.
The Three Stooges are just that ...the “Three Stooges”!
Hagel has already announced he will leave.
So its two RINOS. Big deal.
“For what?” asked Sen. Chuck Hagel
I hope we never get hit again, Hagel, or you will eat those words.
Hagel’s not running again, and Lugar is similarly washed up. Coleman is trying to survive in a State where moonbats are common.
Don’t forget Kosovo. There is a new deployment of thousands of troops getting ready to happen.
Wasn’t that considered a civil war by UN hack Hil billy Clintoon when we got involved??
and didn’t Clintoon say the troops would be home in time for Christmas (2000)?
Coleman is running for re-election in a liberal state.
Is there a Senate version of Duncan Hunter?
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Is Inhofe or Coburn on the committee? ;-)
Coleman will become and al franken clone not to lose his election, what a disgrace
I’d take Normie over whack job al franken anyday.. besides Norm has some cleanup work to do on the UN oil-for-food scandal but he needs to be educated further about energy policy and drilling anwr..
The Democrats are all talk and no action. They are not going to cut off funding. The Imperial Senate will give Bush everything he wants. They always have and will continue to do so.
The report by General Petraeus was entirely adequate and stuck to its original objective quite well, which was to describe the MILITARY success the Multinational Force in Iraq is now making a reality. The hearts and minds of the locals in Anbar Province are shifting to support of the removal of the foreign “insurgents” from their cities and surrounding lands. And this is a very important part of making the political process in that country much more transparent and representative of the sense of the wider part of the population.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Looks like Franken will get his chance up in Minnesota.
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