Posted on 01/25/2007 9:14:42 PM PST by quidnunc
We all complain, and with justice, about the falseness of much that is said in Washington, and the cowardice that leaves a great deal unsaid. But I found myself impressed and grateful for the words of Chuck Hagel, the Republican senator from Nebraska, in a meeting of the Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday. Because his message was not one Republicans or Democrats would find congenial, it may be accidentally dropped down the memory hole, so I'll quote at some length.
The committee was nearing a vote on what was, essentially, an announcement of no confidence in the administration's leadership in Iraq. Specifically it was a nonbinding resolution opposing the increase in troops the president has requested. This was not significant in a concrete way: The president has the power to send more troops, and they are already arriving. But as symbols go, it packed a punch. You couldn't watch it on television or on the Internet and not see that Mr. Hagel was letting it rip. He did not speak from notes or a text but while looking at his fellow senators. There seemed no time lag between thought and word. He was barreling, he was giving it to you straight, and he'd pick up the pieces later.
This is what he said: Congress has duties; in the case of the war, meeting those duties was not convenient; Congress did not meet them.
-snip-
(Excerpt) Read more at opinionjournal.com ...
Hagel is wrong.
Noonan is wrong.
Liberals are wrong.
Democrats are wrong.
Bitching about the policy is not policy. If these cowards want to cut and run and leave Iraq to the terrorists, then cut off the funds.
Otherwise, have a nice big cup of STFU.
Sounds to me like Hagel's jumping on the band wagon.
Noonan's children are college age now, the same as the men in Iraq. I often wonder if she has come to the realization that she could never make the sacrifices that hundreds of thousands of other American parents now make.
Long story short, she cannot walk the talk, so its time for a different tone.
She and we, would be better off if she would just admit the aforementioned parents and their kids are better people than her ilk.
If he cant recognize what the left did to undermine him during the Vietnam War thats another problem.
He should to be careful about morphing himself into becoming the John Kerry of the Republican party
"Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more, or close the wall up with our English dead! In peace there's nothing so becomes a man as modest stillness and humility; But when the blast of war blows in our ears, then imitate the action of the tiger: Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood." --Henry V(3.1)
Cute. But that quote is not applicable here. It is on my page for another reason entirely. A quote from a 500 year old play about a war between Britain and France that occurred almost a full 200 years even before the play has nothing to do with 21st century foreign policy. By your standard, the Brits should have just kept reading that to themselves in the 1950s in Egypt or the colonies here in the 1700s and never given up. There is a point where one has to accept one's plan of action may not be the best solution instead of continuing to beat one's head up against a wall
Some of us think that GWB jumped the shark over support for domestic big government and international Wilsonianism long ago.
If Hagel is a RINO, what does that mean GWB?
GWB signed the McCain Campaign Finance Reform Bill. Hagel voted against it.
GWB signed the prescription drugs bill (the biggest expansion of the welfare state since LBJ). Hagel voted against it.
Perhaps GWB is the most "RINO" of the two.
Let's also not forget the Ted Kennedy-written, George Bush-championed, Department of Education power grab known as "No Child Left Behind". Hagel was again one of the few Senators to vote against it.
Peggy seems to have a thing for girlymen like Shmeegal. I mean, first you vote to give the President authority to fight a war, then when things get tough you turn tail. He's nothing more than a white feathered yellow stained coward.
Peggy Noonan's legacy as a voice of conservatives is not cracked, IMO.
It's time for the Senate to go on record and take a public position...that's really what this column is about. Not about her support of Hagel who obviously has his own agenda.
The more Senators that publicly show their positions on prosecuting the War on Terror, the better it is for the voters..come 2008.
I've got to stand by Ron Paul as he is more libertarian than anyone else up there. I agree with him about 98% of the time. Although I could see myself voting for Hagel based on his dissent on Iraq if he won the nomination. Have to admit I don't know if Hagel's position on other issues are more Republican than conservative. Will look into it though
GWB signed the prescription drugs bill (the biggest expansion of the welfare state since LBJ). Hagel voted against it.
Perhaps that explains the tender position Noonan has for Mr. Hagel?
Hagel knows, or ought to know, damn well that the more US troops are there the safer all our troops will be. If that sounds counterintuitive, all it means is that one of our troopers is more capable then ten Iraqi troopers. But we certainly have to change the ROE so that force protection become #1.
Well said. I couldn't improve upon a word in your post.
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