Yes because we all know definition of jumping the shark is criticizing the President or anything that comes from his mouth. Good on Chuck Hagel for standing up for what he believes and any other Republican who finally discovers the reason for the Legislative Branch's existence is not a rubber stamp of anything the Executive Branch wants to do.
One can only hope the past 3 years is the death knell of the neoconservative movement and interventionist foreign policies. From the speeches coming even from original Congressional supporters of the police action in Iraq, it looks like it very well may be.
???? How is Chuck standing up for what he believes? He's stating what he believes, but he's not standing up for it. This is a non-binding resolution. It's just a lot of hot air which accomplishes nothing. The White House should've challenged Chuck and the boys and told them to try and make it a binding resolution. Fish or cut bait.
If the surge works then Hagel will claim credit for "putting the President's feet to the fire". If it fails, he'll say "I told you so." The position is win/win for him. He risks nothing.
Standing up for what he believes? Don't think so.
Do you think Pelosi and Reid are going to do better protecting you and yours from another devastating attack like what happened on 9/11 but worse? Do you think we can just circle the wagons and the terrorists are not going to come here again? We were not in Afghanistan or Iraq when 9/11 happened, so if you think they will not come here again, you are dead wrong.
"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)
Yes, Hagel is standing up for what he "believes..." but he's not being honest about just what it is he believes.
He's talking about the "responsibility" of the Senate, but what he's doing in fact is standing up for the privileges of the Senate.
Any veteran...especially a Vietnam vet... worth his salt would recognize that this farce has an effect on the military, this country, and the enemy. Courage my arse.