GOP gearing up to "cut-'n-run" from Iraq

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

What did I say not even two weeks ago? Watch 'em retract, watch 'em call it something else - bottom line is: watch 'em bring the boys home. The days in Iraq are counted.

Hagel: U.S. should pull out of 'mismanaged' Iraq

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A leading Republican senator called Sunday for American troops to begin withdrawing from Iraq, declaring that a U.S. pullout is needed to head off "impending disaster" in the nearly 4-year-old war.

"There will be no victory or defeat for the United States in Iraq," Sen. Chuck Hagel wrote in Sunday's edition of The Washington Post.

Instead, he said, President Bush should use the upcoming report from a bipartisan panel led by former Secretary of State James Baker to begin laying the groundwork for a "phased withdrawal" of U.S. troops.

"If the president fails to build a bipartisan foundation for an exit strategy, America will pay a high price for this blunder -- one that we will have difficulty recovering from in the years ahead," Hagel wrote.

"To squander this moment would be to squander future possibilities for the Middle East and the world. That is what is at stake over the next few months."

Hagel, of Nebraska, served in Vietnam as an infantry sergeant and is now the second-ranking Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Though he voted to authorize the invasion of Iraq, he has been an increasingly outspoken critic of the administration's management of the conflict. (Watch what's happening in Iraq on the eve of Bush's Jordan visit )

In Sunday editions of the newspaper, he wrote that the U.S. "misunderstood, misread, misplanned and mismanaged our honorable intentions in Iraq with an arrogant self-delusion reminiscent of Vietnam."

Full article

Wonder how the Bushies are going to spin this into some sort of glorious victory. I'm sure they'll try. Unless, of course, they decide that more political gain is to be made from conceding defeat and then attempt to blame it on someone else.

[kaydee457 13]

What did I say not even two weeks ago? Watch 'em retract, watch 'em call it something else - bottom line is: watch 'em bring the boys home. The days in Iraq are counted.

Hagel: U.S. should pull out of 'mismanaged' Iraq

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A leading Republican senator called Sunday for American troops to begin withdrawing from Iraq, declaring that a U.S. pullout is needed to head off "impending disaster" in the nearly 4-year-old war.

"There will be no victory or defeat for the United States in Iraq," Sen. Chuck Hagel wrote in Sunday's edition of The Washington Post.

Instead, he said, President Bush should use the upcoming report from a bipartisan panel led by former Secretary of State James Baker to begin laying the groundwork for a "phased withdrawal" of U.S. troops.

"If the president fails to build a bipartisan foundation for an exit strategy, America will pay a high price for this blunder -- one that we will have difficulty recovering from in the years ahead," Hagel wrote.

"To squander this moment would be to squander future possibilities for the Middle East and the world. That is what is at stake over the next few months."

Hagel, of Nebraska, served in Vietnam as an infantry sergeant and is now the second-ranking Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Though he voted to authorize the invasion of Iraq, he has been an increasingly outspoken critic of the administration's management of the conflict. (Watch what's happening in Iraq on the eve of Bush's Jordan visit )

In Sunday editions of the newspaper, he wrote that the U.S. "misunderstood, misread, misplanned and mismanaged our honorable intentions in Iraq with an arrogant self-delusion reminiscent of Vietnam."

Full article

Wonder how the Bushies are going to spin this into some sort of glorious victory. I'm sure they'll try. Unless, of course, they decide that more political gain is to be made from conceding defeat and then attempt to blame it on someone else.

Nice try, ET. There are a few Republicans that wish to leave Iraq, as there are a few Democrats that realize that we cannot.

Your point is what?

From the same article-

Most congressional Republicans continue to support the Bush administration's policy on Iraq.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

What did I say not even two weeks ago? Watch 'em retract, watch 'em call it something else - bottom line is: watch 'em bring the boys home. The days in Iraq are counted.

Hagel: U.S. should pull out of 'mismanaged' Iraq

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A leading Republican senator called Sunday for American troops to begin withdrawing from Iraq, declaring that a U.S. pullout is needed to head off "impending disaster" in the nearly 4-year-old war.

"There will be no victory or defeat for the United States in Iraq," Sen. Chuck Hagel wrote in Sunday's edition of The Washington Post.

Instead, he said, President Bush should use the upcoming report from a bipartisan panel led by former Secretary of State James Baker to begin laying the groundwork for a "phased withdrawal" of U.S. troops.

"If the president fails to build a bipartisan foundation for an exit strategy, America will pay a high price for this blunder -- one that we will have difficulty recovering from in the years ahead," Hagel wrote.

"To squander this moment would be to squander future possibilities for the Middle East and the world. That is what is at stake over the next few months."

Hagel, of Nebraska, served in Vietnam as an infantry sergeant and is now the second-ranking Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Though he voted to authorize the invasion of Iraq, he has been an increasingly outspoken critic of the administration's management of the conflict. (Watch what's happening in Iraq on the eve of Bush's Jordan visit )

In Sunday editions of the newspaper, he wrote that the U.S. "misunderstood, misread, misplanned and mismanaged our honorable intentions in Iraq with an arrogant self-delusion reminiscent of Vietnam."

Full article

Wonder how the Bushies are going to spin this into some sort of glorious victory. I'm sure they'll try. Unless, of course, they decide that more political gain is to be made from conceding defeat and then attempt to blame it on someone else.

Nice try, ET. There are a few Republicans that wish to leave Iraq, as there are a few Democrats that realize that we cannot.

Your point is what?

From the same article-

Most congressional Republicans continue to support the Bush administration's policy on Iraq.

We shall see. Keep in mind that many of those that supported Bush's policy on Iraq, most prominently Sen. George "Makaka" Allen, are no longer in the Congress. Looks to me as if Bush's base in Congress is eroding by the minute. I said it before and I'll say it again, the Baker commission will pave the way out. That's what they were hired to do.

[Heracles 417]

What did I say not even two weeks ago? Watch 'em retract, watch 'em call it something else - bottom line is: watch 'em bring the boys home. The days in Iraq are counted.

Pretty hypocritical. Have you not been saying over and over again we should get out?

[Ban Hammer 13,337]

What did I say not even two weeks ago? Watch 'em retract, watch 'em call it something else - bottom line is: watch 'em bring the boys home. The days in Iraq are counted.

Pretty hypocritical. Have you not been saying over and over again we should get out?

with et, it's danged if you do and danged if you don't. bush can't win with et

[kaydee457 13]

What did I say not even two weeks ago? Watch 'em retract, watch 'em call it something else - bottom line is: watch 'em bring the boys home. The days in Iraq are counted.

Hagel: U.S. should pull out of 'mismanaged' Iraq

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A leading Republican senator called Sunday for American troops to begin withdrawing from Iraq, declaring that a U.S. pullout is needed to head off "impending disaster" in the nearly 4-year-old war.

"There will be no victory or defeat for the United States in Iraq," Sen. Chuck Hagel wrote in Sunday's edition of The Washington Post.

Instead, he said, President Bush should use the upcoming report from a bipartisan panel led by former Secretary of State James Baker to begin laying the groundwork for a "phased withdrawal" of U.S. troops.

"If the president fails to build a bipartisan foundation for an exit strategy, America will pay a high price for this blunder -- one that we will have difficulty recovering from in the years ahead," Hagel wrote.

"To squander this moment would be to squander future possibilities for the Middle East and the world. That is what is at stake over the next few months."

Hagel, of Nebraska, served in Vietnam as an infantry sergeant and is now the second-ranking Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Though he voted to authorize the invasion of Iraq, he has been an increasingly outspoken critic of the administration's management of the conflict. (Watch what's happening in Iraq on the eve of Bush's Jordan visit )

In Sunday editions of the newspaper, he wrote that the U.S. "misunderstood, misread, misplanned and mismanaged our honorable intentions in Iraq with an arrogant self-delusion reminiscent of Vietnam."

Full article

Wonder how the Bushies are going to spin this into some sort of glorious victory. I'm sure they'll try. Unless, of course, they decide that more political gain is to be made from conceding defeat and then attempt to blame it on someone else.

Nice try, ET. There are a few Republicans that wish to leave Iraq, as there are a few Democrats that realize that we cannot.

Your point is what?

From the same article-

Most congressional Republicans continue to support the Bush administration's policy on Iraq.

We shall see. Keep in mind that many of those that supported Bush's policy on Iraq, most prominently Sen. George "Makaka" Allen, are no longer in the Congress. Looks to me as if Bush's base in Congress is eroding by the minute. I said it before and I'll say it again, the Baker commission will pave the way out. That's what they were hired to do.

Perhaps, but we'll see how a couple of years of Pelosi and Rangel wear on the populace.....

[Carol&Marc 0]

Hagel has is finger in the wind for the presidency! So so spineless.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

What did I say not even two weeks ago? Watch 'em retract, watch 'em call it something else - bottom line is: watch 'em bring the boys home. The days in Iraq are counted.

Pretty hypocritical. Have you not been saying over and over again we should get out?

I am still saying that we should get out. Nothing hypocritical about it. I am just getting ready to enjoy watching the Bushies try to call their withdrawl something other than "cut-'n'run" which is what they were calling it when they thought the Dem's would pull them troops out. Now that the GOP is getting ready to call it quits (and I support that), I just wish they'd be good enough to admit that they were wrong. Of course, that won't happen. It'll be "Mission Accomplished" part II...

[GaryC 7]

Have you been sleeping or don't you understand basic politics? Your dems won, they ran on a platform of cut and run. So...... Since the dems have control then it seems we are forced to cut and run. It isn't the idea of Bush and the Reps. It's the dems idea. Thats how things work. You win, you get your way. Nothing hypocritical about it. You just want to rub it in. Go ahead rub away. But don't sit there and make it sound like Bush is changing his mind.

I am a big believer in the political process. It seems that the American people have spoken. They want to cut and run then lets do it! I say we should send every C-5A transport aircraft we have over there and get out right now! Lets not wait! And while we are at it lets get all our troops out of Europe. Every one of them. The next time the Germans or the French need us we should just thumb our noses at them. Let them all go to hell I say. They don't have the balls to stick up for themselves and I don't want to force ourselves on them one minute more. Lets see how long they last.

Edited November 28, 2006 by Iniibig ko si Luz forever

[Caladan 19]

I think it's more the civil war in Iraq and the gross mismanagement that's forcing the withdrawal; the election was just the wake-up call. At least we're over the 'stay the course, we'll win the hearts and minds' nonsense. Baker's not ideal, but he's wonderfully competent at getting people to bargain, and I think staving off WWIII at this point counts as a win.

[rclouse 0]

I am a big believer in the political process. It seems that the American people have spoken. They want to cut and run then lets do it! I say we should send every C-5A transport aircraft we have over there and get out right now! Lets not wait! And while we are at it lets get all our troops out of Europe. Every one of them. The next time the Germans or the French need us we should just thumb our noses at them. Let them all go to hell I say. They don't have the balls to stick up for themselves and I don't want to force ourselves on them one minute more. Lets see how long they last.

"Oh, you English are so superior, aren't you? Well would you like to know where you'd be without us, the old U.S. of A to protect you? I'll tell you: THE SMALLEST ###### PROVINCE IN THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE, that's what!"

[Saddle Bronc 124]

What did I say not even two weeks ago? Watch 'em retract, watch 'em call it something else - bottom line is: watch 'em bring the boys home. The days in Iraq are counted.

Pretty hypocritical. Have you not been saying over and over again we should get out?

I am still saying that we should get out. Nothing hypocritical about it. I am just getting ready to enjoy watching the Bushies try to call their withdrawl something other than "cut-'n'run" which is what they were calling it when they thought the Dem's would pull them troops out. Now that the GOP is getting ready to call it quits (and I support that), I just wish they'd be good enough to admit that they were wrong. Of course, that won't happen. It'll be "Mission Accomplished" part II...

A "spin" that COULD be put (but won't, due to being true): "The Iraqis have now proved themselves ready; the current intra-Iraq violence is basically symptomatic of underlying tensions kept in check by brutal, despotic Saddam."

Certain ground realities:

• Sunni-Shia hatred has been there (as a whole) since just after Muhamed was buried
  
• hatred between Medes/Kurds and Arabs predates Islam
  
• note that the Middle East has produced only ONE democracy (Israel) which lasted more than 1 year (some say that Mousadegh would have produced a democratic Iran--more likely an initially-popular Iranian dictatorship)
  

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I am a big believer in the political process. It seems that the American people have spoken. They want to cut and run then lets do it! I say we should send every C-5A transport aircraft we have over there and get out right now! Lets not wait! And while we are at it lets get all our troops out of Europe. Every one of them. The next time the Germans or the French need us we should just thumb our noses at them. Let them all go to hell I say. They don't have the balls to stick up for themselves and I don't want to force ourselves on them one minute more. Lets see how long they last.

"Oh, you English are so superior, aren't you? Well would you like to know where you'd be without us, the old U.S. of A to protect you? I'll tell you: THE SMALLEST ###### PROVINCE IN THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE, that's what!"

I think it's more the civil war in Iraq and the gross mismanagement that's forcing the withdrawal; the election was just the wake-up call. At least we're over the 'stay the course, we'll win the hearts and minds' nonsense. Baker's not ideal, but he's wonderfully competent at getting people to bargain, and I think staving off WWIII at this point counts as a win.

He's talking about a cease fire with the insurgents. The Bush Administration has been short on pragmatists for a very long time. They say Rummy's replacement is also more pragmatic.