Hagel: Dissenter Or Realist?

Omaha World-Herald ^ | September 28, 2004 | Jake Thompson

[Former Military Chick]

I agree with one of the comments that Hagel is a constructive voice.

While I may not agree with Hagel he does have the right to act on his beliefs and those who he serves.

If everyone agreed in Congress, well it would be boring.

[donnab]

he needs to get a clue...many things are already being done...he has to stop reading the dems talking points.

[MamaLucci]

Traitor.

[demlosers]

He's a liberal media suckup.

[miloklancy]

Sen. Chuck Hagel is neither a Dissenter or Realist. Hagel is simply being a politician. And he is lying when he expresses his "concern" for the future of the country. He is only concerned with his own political future. As a Nebraskan I now think I made a big mistake voting to elect him in 1996. We all thought he was someone he wasn't.

[Reagan Man]

>>>>I agree with one of the comments that Hagel is a constructive voice.

Hagel is a loose cannon with the personality of a doorknob!

[Former Military Chick]

Thank you for your illuminating post. As he is not my rep it is nice to hear from those he does serve.

[OldFriend]

Hagel is nothing more than McCrazy's puppet.

[UNGN]

I like to think of him more as McCain's Butt Boy.

[Use It Or Lose It]

U.S. success in the war is not ensured, Hagel said in an interview Friday, adding that the Bush team appears to have finally grasped what is needed to win.

That's a key reason, Hagel said, that he strongly supports Bush's re-election in November.

Ohhhh I get it. He's had Kerry DNA infused in him...as long as the Bush Administration listens to him, after all, he's a Vietnam Vet and knows about these things, he'll be supportive. Never mind that he's gone on every talk show that will have him as long as he vociferously disagrees with the President. And never mind that every RAT that can find a camera or a microphone uses Hagel as one of their "Republican voices who dissent."

If Hagel wants to disagree, fine. Let him do so privately. Let him do so as a responsible Senator and leave the grandstanding to the RATS. He has truly diminished any credibility he had in Nebraska, and has propelled his ambitions on the sacrifices of our men and women in harm's way. He is disgusting and I regret the vote I cast for him.

[pageonetoo]

Hagel is simply being a politician. And he is lying when he expresses his "concern" for the future of the country. He is only concerned with his own political future.

I feel the same... and was thinking that it is the common denominator much too often, these days! Sad, isn't it?

[Alberta's Child]

In my mind, the key element that supports Hagel's credibility is not his Vietnam service, but the fact that he was concerned about the civilian leadership in the Defense Department right from the beginning. One of his comments back in late 2002 or early 2003 before the Iraq war was this:

"Maybe Richard Perle should lead the first company of U.S. soldiers into Iraq."

[NYCVirago]

Hagel said he doesn't intend to change now. But it frustrates him, he said, that by doing what any member of Congress should do under the Constitution - speak his mind - he has become embroiled in presidential politics.

Waaaaaaah. He provided ammunition for John Kerry to use against Bush. Are we supposed to feel sorry for him that he's getting some heat about that?

[cwb]

"When traditional U.S. allies such as France and Germany raised doubts about whether Saddam possessed weapons of mass destruction and hesitated to join a coalition preparing for war, Hagel recalled, Bush laid down a marker: You are with us or against us.
The result was a go-it-alone stance that caused many allies to stay out of Iraq and has continued to complicate efforts to stabilize the country, Hagel said."

---

If Hagel said this, than he is an idiot. First off, these countries did not say that Saddam didn't have WMDs. Hell, it was one of France's intel agencies that verified Saddam was tyring to acquire uranium from Niger.

Secondly, when both of these countries ratified UN Resolution 1441, they essentially admitted that Saddam had WMDs...and it was "his" job to prove he didn't. As we all know, the UN admitted Saddam obfuscated, stalled and didn't cooperate with the inspectors that were there.

Thirdly, it wasnt Bush who acted arrogantly; it was these very countries..especially France, who gave assurances to both Bush and Powell that they would indeed, be a part of the coalition if Saddam violated the terms of 1441. It wasn't Bush who changed his position...if was France and Germany, when they not only pulled out of the coalition, they began a world tour to convince other allies to do the same.

The fact that Hagel ignores that these very countries were protecting their own corrupt deals/contracts with Saddam...especially with regards to Oil for Food, is evidence that he is no better than Kerry. The fact that he does not mention that these countries stabbed us in the back, while he chides Bush as arrogant, is astounding.

[Uncle Vlad]

As a fellow Nebraskan, I voted for him, too. I would like to apologize to everyone on this board for Chuck Hagel.

[montag813]

Hagel: Dissenter Or Realist?

Just a RINO.

[roses of sharon]

That statement merely proves he is juvenile. Which falls in line with the way a pol has to behave to recieve good treatment from the elites in NY.

He is transparent in his claim to want the best for the troops and country, for if he really did, he would take his complaints, worries, fears, hangringing, to the Pres and Sec of Def, in private, rather than comforting enimies within and abroad.

He is a US Senator, he should start acting like one.

[Branzburg]

I agree. Hagel is a constructive voice whom I do not always agree with.

[miloklancy]

Quite sad.

[Antoninus]

I prefer backstabbing, showboating, media suck up. A Republican who publicly and harsly criticizes the president's foreign policy in the middle of an election campaign against a commie like John Kerry is beneath contempt.