Has Tide Turned For GOP Support Of War?

Small Wave Of Republican Senators Withdrawing Allegiance To President's Surge Strategy

(CBS/AP)  Republican support for the Iraq war is slipping by the day.

After four years of combat and more than 3,560 U.S. deaths, two Republican senators previously reluctant to challenge President Bush on the war announced they could no longer support the deployment of 157,000 troops and asked the president to begin bringing them home.

"We must not abandon our mission, but we must begin a transition where the Iraqi government and its neighbors play a larger role in stabilizing Iraq," Sen. George Voinovich, an Ohio Republican, wrote in a letter to Mr. Bush.

Voinovich, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released his letter Tuesday — one day after Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana, the panel's top Republican, said in a floor speech that Mr. Bush's strategy was not working.

"The longer we delay the planning for a redeployment, the less likely it is to be successful," said Lugar, who plans to meet later this week with Stephen Hadley, Mr. Bush's national security adviser.

On Wednesday, Lugar told NBC News that much of Iraq was ungovernable and that he believes the troop buildup will not change the situation. In response, White House Press Secretary Tony Snow said, "It's important to let the surge work."

Lugar and Voinovich are not the first Republican members to call for U.S. troops to leave Iraq. Sens. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, Olympia Snowe of Maine and Gordon Smith of Oregon made similar remarks earlier this year. But their public break is significant because it raises the possibility that Senate Democrats could muster the 60 votes needed to pass legislation that would call for Mr. Bush to bring troops home.

"In many ways it is the moderate Republicans who may provide the grist and the number of votes needed to create veto-proof legislation mandating a troop reduction," said Michael O'Hanlon, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.

Their remarks also are an early warning shot to a lame duck president that Republican support for the war is thinning. The administration is not expected until September to say whether a recent troop buildup in Iraq is working.

"Everyone should take note, especially the administration," said Snowe, noting Lugar's senior position within the Republican Party. "It certainly indicates the tide is turning."

CBS News chief Washington correspondent Bob Schieffer said "the end is near" for Republican support on Capitol Hill.

Schieffer said a GOP senator told him that even Republican senators who will support the president publicly are not enthusiastic about the surge strategy.

[toldyouso21]

Bush has now resorted to citing Israel and their government as a model for Iraq. Does Bush not realize this is an incredible faux pas? Due to the relationship and continual warfare between Israel and Islamic states, there probably can be no greater slur to an Islamic country or a more "shameful" brand than to be compared to or hear plans that they will be emulating what is to many Moslems their archnemesis.

Open mouth Bush, insert entire foot, calf, thigh and hip.

[randalds]

And how does Matt Millen manage to stay employed?

Posted by Rafterman1 at 08:03 AM : Jun 28, 2007

All I can figure is that he has some sort of something that he's blackmailing the Ford family on. The man would mismanage a lemonade stand. When it comes to competency he's the George W. Bush of pro-football.

[pepperp1]

LOL, they actually believe that they can fool the American People by changing spots after 3,560 of our solders have died and 5 years of raping our treasury for their special interest. They are co conspirators with the Shrub and his hack assistant and are just as responsible for the immoral governance of this country and will be held accountable. Disgusting myopic sycophants all.

[davidchery]

Those of us who knew what the results of this endeavor would be have just been waiting for the rest of the country to wake up. It seems that it is finally starting to happen. Could we please just secure our own borders, clear up our immigration mess, and start growing some corn?

[micma-2009]

Bu$hco is a criminal enterprise and should be brought to justice.

[forthepeopl1]

AMERICANS TO CHANGE THIS ILLEIGAL ADMINASTRATION AS A VETERAN IT IS MY DUTY TO SAVE MY COUNTRY.

time to take up ARMS and take them all out.

EVERYONE THAT WANTS TO HELP WITH THIS SHOULD BE TALKING TO ALL MEDIA OUTLETS AND TELLING THEM THAT AMERICANS ARE READY TO TAKE WASHINGTON ON AND ITS NOT A FEW AMERICANS ITMILLIONS OF AMERICANS THAT WILL TAKE BACK THERE COUNTRY..

I AM WILLING TO GIVE MY BLOOD FOR ALL AMERICANS TO GET OUR COUNTRY BACK TO WHAT OUR FORFATHERS WANTED.

AM A VET AND AM READY TO TAKE CHARGE OF THIS AMERICAN BOYCOT/COOP IF WE THE PEOPLE DONT DO THIS NOW WE WILL BE GIVENING UP ON OUR CONSTITUTION AND WHAT ALL OUR VET HAVE DIED FOR..

DAVID A BELANGER,VET US ARMY,[e-mail],978-618-310
5

ok so wants to join in on this great american REVOLUTION


they cant kill millions of americans at once so if we charge them all at once we will win and take them out and hang them all..

just like in the old days of the west...hang them from the trees in front of the whitehouse and see how many start telling the truth about what they have done to all us americans..


if the american NOW dont stand up and start a NATIONAL REVOUTION ON THIS WASHINGTON BULL S/H/I/T/ THEN we as TRUE AMERICANS can say nothing!!!

its time to take all this *** and take our government back now

[gkc99]

Nothing more pathetic than a "principled" politicians trying to live down years of taking a position when it becomes inconvenient.

Republicans, and not a few Dems, have handed the Bushit / Chickenshit administration every *** thing they wanted to wage their war. Knuckled under to the knuckle-draggers. Kept their turkey heads down.

Now the USS Bushit is sinking fast.

Swim, rats, swim!

[rafterman1]

===As a life long Lions fan I will begin the season as I always do. With an overwhelming sense of impending doom. LOL===

===As a life long Bengals fan, I know where you are coming from.===

Bills fan. Ditto. The days of four straight superbowls are long gone. But the Bengals have a decent team - when they stay out of prison :) And how does Matt Millen manage to stay employed?

[bluestardad]

THOSE POLITICIANS WHO WONT SUPPORT CUTTING OFF FUNDING FOR THE WAR ARE BOUGHT BY THE ISRAELI LOBBY AIPAC, PNAC, AEI NEOCONS!

It is not anti Semitic to believe there are millions of other good people in the Middle East with valid concerns!

Even Eisenhower had problems with Israeli groups but he did not let them buy him!

READ AS THEY BRAG ABOUT THEIR INFLUENCE ON OUR GOVERNMENT!
http://www.aipac.org/forms/join_aipacClubs.htm


Founded in 1953 by Isaiah L. "Si" Kenen, AIPAC's original name was the American Zionist Committee for Public Affairs. According to UCLA political science professor and author, Steven Spiegel, "the tension between the Eisenhower administration and Israeli supporters was so acute that there were rumors that the administration would investigate the American Zionist Council. Therefore, an independent lobbying committee was formed, which years later was renamed [AIPAC]." Today, AIPAC has over 100,000 members.[1] Activities and stated goals
AIPAC's stated purpose is to lobby the Congress of the United States on issues and legislation "to ensure that the U.S.-Israel relationship is strong so that both countries can work together" to meet the challenges of "stopping Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.. AIPAC has been effective in gaining support for Israel among members of Congress and White House administrations.
The New York Times described AIPAC on July 6, 1987 as "a major force in shaping United States policy in the Middle East."

[ajmarine1]

"As a life long Lions fan I will begin the season as I always do. With an overwhelming sense of impending doom. LOL"

Posted by RandalDS

As a life long Bengals fan, I know where you are coming from.

Have a good night

[randalds]

Marinelli expressed his satisfaction with the mentality of his team compared to last year and the forward progress showed with the first impressions of all the players who became Detroit Lions this year.



Posted by AJMarine1 at 05:42 PM : Jun 27, 2007

As a life long Lions fan I will begin the season as I always do. With an overwhelming sense of impending doom. LOL

[kansas1946]

It's about time that some of these senators and congressmen started thinking about America and the lives of our soldiers, rather than how far they can get their nose up GWB's rear end. They should have done it three years ago.

[ajmarine1]

Thanks for the discussion, 'AJMarine1'.

Until next time.
Posted by FeelFree1 at 05:56 PM

Same to you FeelFree1;

Live Long and Prosper.

[feelfree1]

Re: "I was just wondering what "you" thought they would do when we left?"

Work to advance their own interests, of course.

Thanks for the discussion, 'AJMarine1'.

Until next time.

[ajmarine1]

Surely they have at least as much right and interest to meddle in Iraq's affairs as we do?

Posted by FeelFree1

I'm not agrueing the point with you, I was just wondering what "you" thought they would do when we left?

[feelfree1]

AJMarine1,

Re: "But still, what about the Syria, Iran, and Saudia Arabia influence on Iraq?"

Why wouldn't Iraq's neighbors take an interest in the illegal invasion of that country, especially when the invading forces turned the Iraqi government over to Iranian-allied leadership?

If China took over Canada and handed it over to Mexico, wouldn't we have an interest in that?

Surely they have at least as much right and interest to meddle in Iraq's affairs as we do?

[ajmarine1]

RandalDS,

From: DetroitLions.com

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27
Incoming Lions Have a Different Set of First Impressions
Last year, all of the Detroit Lions players got their first impression of Head Coach Rod Marinelli and his way of doing things. Marinelli came in and set everyone straight, running practices with intensity and without compromise. It was a tough transition for all who were a part of that 2006 offseason.

The players who arrived in Detroit during the 2007 offseason were met with a different reality. No longer did Marinelli have to run his practices with a whip; instead the horse was in full trot without any need for prodding.

Marinelli expressed his satisfaction with the mentality of his team compared to last year and the forward progress showed with the first impressions of all the players who became Detroit Lions this year.

[ajmarine1]

Lastly, the number 'foreign fighters' in Iraq have never been credibly estimated at more than a few thousand, at best, and they do not constitute a significant portion of the resistance.

Posted by FeelFree

But still, what about the Syria, Iran, and Saudia Arabia influence on Iraq?

[feelfree1]

AJMarine1,

Re: "True, but I thought the people would have been glad to get rid of Saddam and rebuild there country and come into the 21th Century."

I think that many Iraqis were glad to see Saddam removed from power, but by most accounts, conditions in Iraq are much worse than they were under his rule (high unemployment, few basic services like water, electricity, sewage, and garbage, and of course the security nightmare).

Whatever we might say about Saddam's government, Saddam's Iraq had a secular government under his rule, it was relatively Westernized, relatively advanced, and even placed women into positions of authority within the government.

Now it is a chaotic mess, handed over to an Iranian-allied theocracy. I don't agree with others that U.S. performance in Iraq has been a series of blunders. I think that the disintegration of Iraq was largely the mission all along.

I think that the Iraqis are anxious to rebuild their country. I don't think that they are anxious for Halliburton and outsiders to do it for them.

Would you welcome the Mahdi army to come and 'rebuild' your town?

Lastly, the number 'foreign fighters' in Iraq have never been credibly estimated at more than a few thousand, at best, and they do not constitute a significant portion of the resistance.

[ajmarine1]

RandalDS,

There will be alot of soul searching before the next election; we still have a year and a half to go.