Sunday, May 08, 2005
SENATE SUPPORT FOR IRAQ WAR FLAGGING
With insurgent attacks escalating daily, 300 people, including Americans, dead in the last ten days, and 1600 American soldiers killed since the beginning of the war, support for the war appears to be waning in the Senate. Two of the Senate's most powerful members, Carl Levin (D-MI) and Chuck Hagel (R-NE), both members of the armed services committee, spoke bluntly today as news of 7 more GI deaths circulated.
Levin, speaking on ABC's "This Week", said that only 25% of Iraq's 168,000 man security force being armed and trained by the US military "are able and willing to take on the insurgents". He also asserted that political infighting was as big or bigger an obstacle to peace as the insurgents.
Levin (with Hagel concurring) said that Washington would be forced to rethink it's commitment to Iraq if the Iraqis fail to write a new constitution, elect a new government, and develop reliable security forces by early next year.
Even though Emperor Bush, Darth Rummy, and their buddies in the broadcast media would have you believe otherwise, it is becoming clear, even in Washington, that we are losing this war. Washington should have asked us. We could have told them that a year ago.
Levin, speaking on ABC's "This Week", said that only 25% of Iraq's 168,000 man security force being armed and trained by the US military "are able and willing to take on the insurgents". He also asserted that political infighting was as big or bigger an obstacle to peace as the insurgents.
Levin (with Hagel concurring) said that Washington would be forced to rethink it's commitment to Iraq if the Iraqis fail to write a new constitution, elect a new government, and develop reliable security forces by early next year.
Even though Emperor Bush, Darth Rummy, and their buddies in the broadcast media would have you believe otherwise, it is becoming clear, even in Washington, that we are losing this war. Washington should have asked us. We could have told them that a year ago.
