February 11, 2009 4:37 PM

Lugar: Change In Iraq Policy Can't Wait

By
Caitlin A. Johnson
(CBS)  The President's "surge" strategy can not achieve it's goals of securing Iraq and giving the Iraqi government time to reach a consensus, Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., said on Face The Nation.

"The point of the surge was to give time for the Iraqi politicians to work out the constitutional elements, not only the oil law, but the local elections, a whole raft of things," Lugar said. "They're not going to be able to do that in that period of time of about December or next March or what have you."

As the U.S. troops who make up the surge have arrived in Iraq, American casualties have increased. Lugar said he wants to pull troops back from the front lines and focus on training Iraqis.

The White House said no judgment should be made until commander of forces in Iraq, General David Petraeus, issues his report in September. But Lugar said even if Petraeus comes back with a positive report, the point of the surge was to give Iraqi politicians more time to work out problems — something he said could take many years.

"This is sad, but that is the case," he said. "We're not going to be able to provide security for all of Iraq, all 18 provinces, in the matter of next September or December or beyond that."

Lugar publicly broke with President George W. Bush last week, but he told Bob Schieffer that it is still up to the president to the country's armed forces.

"The president probably has the authority, if he wishes, to pursue right out to the end of his term a full-blown surge or whatever he wants to do – although, my guess is the constraints of the presidential campaign, the congressional campaign, are likely to bring pause even to the president if he were to have that idea," Lugar said.

But, Lugar said he wanted to change the president's plan before it came to that.

Lugar said he would like Republicans and Democrats in Congress and the president to come up with bi-partisan way to reduce troop levels.

Rather than withdraw all U.S. troops, Lugar suggested a three part plan:

  • Create a diplomatic forum for Iraq, the United States and Iraq's neighbors to continuously discuss the region's problems. Buttress the diplomacy with some American troops.

  • Calmly withdraw the majority of American troops over the next few months so that we can deal with problems where in the world without being stretched too thin.

  • Refurbish the equipment for troops' serving in other areas and work on the declining recruitment numbers.

    Lugar said he's not alone in his party. Sen. John Warner, R-Va., was very encouraging, Lugar said, and other Republicans have already indicated the feel similarly by their votes on various amendments. He said he asked Democrats to be prepared to work with the president if he decides to lead and change course sooner rather than later.

    "I hope something will come of this now," Lugar said, "not punting the ball down to September when these reports all come in and we have some good news, some bad news."
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    Add a Comment See all 41 Comments
    by g-becker10 July 3, 2007 8:26 PM EDT
    In the fifth year of the Republican war in Iraq, Senator Lugar has discovered that Bush and Cheney are sacrificing our soldiers and Marines for their delusion that the fate of civilization and the United States of America depends on who wins the Iraq civil wars.
    How many more will die before Republicans fearing the 2008 election flee the Bush/Cheney pirate ship? Lugar has no such personal concern--he's just a slow learner.
    Reply to this comment
    by g-becker10 July 3, 2007 3:49 AM EDT
    In the fifth year of the Republican war in Iraq, Senator Lugar has discovered that Bush and Cheney are sacrificing our soldiers and Marines for their delusion that the fate of civilization and the United States of America depends on who wins the Iraq civil wars.
    How many more will die before Republicans fearing the 2008 election flee the Bush/Cheney pirate ship? Lugar has no such personal concern--he's just a slow learner.
    Reply to this comment
    by mudrose-2009 July 2, 2007 7:38 PM EDT
    Tell your Buddy, Rands, when you see him this is my response. 10% net gain on businesses.

    I thought companies were supposed to make money. (is that not the point)
    Its not the Net its the profit margin.
    Starbucks & Microsoft have a bigger profit margin then Exxon.

    If you guys are so upset that they made a profit, why not just buy their stock?
    (then you can give the profit you make dirrectly to Nacy Pelosi)
    Reply to this comment
    by mudrose-2009 July 2, 2007 7:31 PM EDT
    Tell your Buddy, Rands, when you see him this is my response. 10% net gain on businesses.

    I thought companies were supposed to make money. (is that not the point)
    Its not the Net its the profit margin.
    Starbucks & Microsoft have a bigger profit margin then Exxon.

    If you guys are so upset that they made a profit, why not just buy their stock?
    (then you can give the profit you make dirrectly to Nacy Pelosi)
    Reply to this comment
    by mudrose-2009 July 2, 2007 7:27 PM EDT
    ***Tell*** ***your*** ***Buddy***, ***Rands***, ***when*** ***you*** ***see*** ***him*** ***this*** ***is*** ***my*** ***response***. ***10***% ***net*** ***gain*** ***on*** ***businesses***.

    ***I*** ***thought*** ***companies*** ***were*** ***supposed*** ***to*** ***make*** ***money***. (***is*** ***that*** ***not*** ***the*** ***point***)
    ***Its*** ***not*** ***the*** ***Net*** ***its*** ***the*** ***profit*** ***margin***.
    ***Starbucks*** &***amp***; ***Microsoft*** ***have*** ***a*** ***bigger*** ***profit*** ***margin*** ***then*** ***Exxon***.

    ***If*** ***you*** ***guys*** ***are*** ***so*** ***upset*** ***that*** ***they*** ***made*** ***a*** ***profit***, ***why*** ***not*** ***just*** ***buy*** ***their*** ***stock***?
    (***then*** ***you*** ***can*** ***give*** ***the*** ***profit*** ***you*** ***make*** ***dirrectly*** ***to*** ***Nacy*** ***Pelosi***)
    Reply to this comment
    by lars008-2009 July 2, 2007 7:00 PM EDT
    non muslims of the world unite... fight against the tyranny of the terrorslam imperialism empire of the darkside...

    it is fascist nazi imperialist terrorslam stupid%u2026.

    I was a fanatic...I know their thinking, says former radical Islamist
    By blaming the Government for our actions, those who pushed this "Blair's bombs" line did our propaganda work for us.
    More important, they also helped to draw away any critical examination from the real engine of our violence: Islamic theology.
    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=465570&in_page_id=1770
    Bless the Beasts and Children
    Fascist nazi terrorslam kills every man woman and child in the village again%u2026 typical mo for terrorslam%u2026
    http://www.michaelyon-online.com/wp/bless-the-beasts-and-children.htm
    Reply to this comment
    by lars008-2009 July 2, 2007 4:41 PM EDT
    non muslims of the world unite... fight against the tyranny of the terrorslam imperialism empire of the darkside...

    FASCIST NAZI ISLAM TO ENSLAVE NON MUSLIM WORLD

    HAMAS MICKEY MOUSE SAYS
    Islamic rule will benefit Christians and Jews
    by Itamar Marcus and Barbara Crook - May 14, 2007
    The force behind Hamas TV%u2019s controversial Mickey Mouse clone said today that his children%u2019s television program will continue to promote worldwide Islamic supremacy, for everyone's benefit, including Christians and Jews.

    In a long interview on Hamas TV, Hazim Al-Sha%u2019arawi, Deputy Director of Al-Aqsa TV and one of the creators of the Hamas children%u2019s TV show Tomorrow%u2019s Pioneers, said that using the program to promote Islamic rule over other religions is actually promoting %u201Cjustice, goodness and world love.%u201D

    Al-Aqsa TV and the Palestinian Authority have been under fire since PMW reported last week that Tomorrow%u2019s Pioneers was using a character named Farfur, a knockoff of Disney%u2019s Mickey Mouse character, to convey messages about Islamic supremacy as well as hatred of Jews, Israel and the U.S. Despite public statements by PA Minister of Information Mustafa Barghouti that the show would be taken off the air until it could be reviewed and revised, a new episode of the program %u2013 featuring Al-Sha%u2019arawi as one of the hosts %u2013 ran Friday.
    http://pmw.org.il/bulletins_may2007.htm
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5S995NCeaUg
    Reply to this comment
    by donnie900 July 2, 2007 3:42 PM EDT
    ***Oh***.. ***now*** ***what*** ***is*** ***this***? ***Mr***. ***Homocomputer*** ***guy***? ***What***'***d*** ***ya*** ***do*** ***now***? ***Something*** ***else*** ***stupid***.
    Reply to this comment
    by donnie900 July 2, 2007 3:39 PM EDT
    ***Liberals*** ***are*** ***the*** ***ultimate*** ***double*** ***edged*** ***sword***.. ***dull*** ***and*** ***gaaay***. ***They*** ***treat*** ***people*** ***like*** ***they*** ***think*** ***they***'***ve*** ***been*** ***treated***, ***and*** ***its*** ***the*** ***way*** ***they*** ***weren***'***t*** ***treated***. ***It*** ***was*** ***their*** ***imaginations***.

    ***And*** ***they*** ***cry***. ***Like*** ***a*** ***buncha*** ***fukkkkin*** ***wimps***..
    Reply to this comment
    by donnie900 July 2, 2007 3:33 PM EDT
    You just wait till yer liberal gets in office. I am going to be.. the snot mouthed king! I am going to criticize him? Or her? Like you wouldn't believe.. I am going to make it an obsession! Ya hear? AN OBSESSSION!

    "Oh, look at de way he's walk'n. What a doofus."

    "Oh, look at de way he's talk'n. What a doofus."

    "Oh, look at de way his butt jiggles. What a doofus!!"

    You just wait. I can't wait fer yer guy to win..
    Reply to this comment
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