Posted on 08/21/2005 8:22:43 AM PDT by Saint Reagan
WASHINGTON - A leading Republican senator said Sunday the war in Iraq is looking more like the Vietnam conflict from a generation ago.
Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel (news, bio, voting record), who received two Purple Hearts and other military honors for his service in Vietnam, reaffirmed his position that the United States needs to develop a strategy to leave Iraq.
"Stay the course is not a policy," said Hagel, a possible White House contender in 2008. "By any standard, when you analyze 2 1/2 years in Iraq ... we're not winning."
Sen. George Allen (news, bio, voting record), R-Va., another possible candidate for the GOP nomination for president in 2008, said the formation of a constitution guaranteeing basic freedoms would provide a rallying point for Iraqis.
Political leaders in Baghdad were working to complete the draft of the new constitution in time for the Monday night deadline for parliamentary approval.
"The terrorists don't have anything to win the hearts and minds of the people of Iraq. All they care to do is disrupt," said Allen, who appeared with Hagel on ABC's "This Week."
Hagel said more U.S. troops is not the solution.
"We're past that stage now because now we are locked into a bogged-down problem not unsimilar, dissimilar to where we were in Vietnam," Hagel said. "The longer we stay, the more problems we're going to have."
Allen said that unlike the communist-guided North Vietnamese that the U.S. fought, the insurgents in Iraq have no guiding political philosophy or organization. Still, Hagel argued, the similarities are growing.
"What I think the White House does not yet understand — and some of my colleagues — the dam has broke on this policy," Hagel said. "The longer we stay there, the more similarities (to Vietnam) are going to come together."
Chuck who? Some Senators just can't stand not having everyone fawning over them.
...thus proving himself to be an utter fool.
Hagel is an ass.
Out of Japan, Germany and South Korea, that is...
Say anything long enough and people will believe it
Hagel and McCain, I have no respect for them, fools on a hill.
He has a point. We are not being anywhere NEAR brutal enough.
How about Islam?
Vietnam analogies are ridiculous -- whether we win or lose in Iraq, we'll win or lose in our own unique way. Those who fear (or hope) for a replay of Vietnam just make themselves look old and poorly versed in history.
But if Sen. Hegel is saying we're getting into a stalemate and need to be open to new ideas to fight and win this war better, then I'll have to agree. The propaganda war, in particular, is not being handled well and it's costing us lives.
How about Detroit, LA, New York, etc where the poor cops have been fighting crime for decades and not winning.
Perhaps you'd like to propose an actual declaration of war (that would be nice) or just STFU.
Hagel is right. The Iraq war IS looking like the Vietnam war ONLY in the fact that a bunch of LIBERAL, HIPPIE AND COMMUNIST demonstrators are MARCHING once again in their zeal to see the U.S. emasculated, the soldiers discouraged and the terrorists winning. I wonder that they haven't been able to get college students fomenting on the campuses. I suppose since the draft is no longer a consideration for college students it's a harder sell now.
Exactly, we are pussy-footin around. How many have been executed for leading attacks, harboring or having possession of weapons or materials? The problem with Vietnam was our failure to carry the battle to the enemy, we allowed supply lines to remain undisturbed for the most part, and allowed attackers to mass over border areas, and waited for them to come to us.
Precisely!
When did You move into Kom Jong-Il's neighborhood???
That megalomaniac wants Our Troops outta the 'South' just so he can "incorporate" their Democracy iot his "Nation of the People".
In general you never want to risk a GOP senate seat, but in this case Hagel is from a red state who would probably elect a solid GOP candidate. This guy needs a primary challenge in Nebraska.
He's running for the prez nomination and has staked out his ground, but he will be erased early in those primaries and will be informed by the base that he has made a serious mistake. He may be informed even before that when funding doesn't materialize.
Let's send him that message. No donations to Hagel. Period.
I'm making the point that the Left wants to give us two and a half seconds to "win" in Iraq, where we have had troops in other world trouble spots for DECADES.
The voters in Nebraska should thank him for his service in Viet Nam and the Senate and, then, send him home. Some people are chronic pleasers and while this may get them into office, it never helps them govern.
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