Sen. Charles “Chuck” Hagel (R-NE) stepped outside the cadre of goose-stepping Bush loyalists and admitted what the vast majority of the sane world has said for years:
The Iraq War is ‘an absolute replay of Vietnam.’
ThinkProgress reports:
Four months ago, Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE) described the conditions in Iraq as a “low grade civil war.” Today, his view is much more bleak. In an interview with the Omaha World Herald, the Vietnam War veteran said that the country had descended into “absolute anarchy” and the war was “an absolute replay of Vietnam.”
Photo image courtesy of photos/Alex Wong
Hagel also blasted the Pentagon’s plan to send 5,000 additional U.S. troops to Iraq, saying the move was opposed by several four-star generals:
[Hagel] said that in the previous 48 hours, he had received three telephone calls from four-star generals who were “beside themselves” over the Pentagon’s reversal of plans to bring tens of thousands of soldiers home this fall.
Instead, top Pentagon officials are suspending military rotations and adding troops in Iraq. The Pentagon has estimated that the buildup will increase the number of U.S. troops from about 130,000 to 135,000.
“That isn’t going to do any good. It’s going to have a worse effect,” Hagel said. “They’re destroying the United States Army.“
Hagel, unlike Sens. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and Joe Lieberman (D-CT), understands “staying the course” is no longer an option.
From the Left 
Welcome to the lightside, Sen. Hagel. Breath in the fresh air of truth.
Nothing Hagel said recently is new. He’s been saying this for months now.
Hagel’s words are the right words on the issue, but when push comes to shove I think he’s still a Republican and that means carrying water for the administration.
“Mavericks” in either party, but particularly in the Republican party wind up like Katherine Harris if they rock the boat too much.
Long story short on Hagel; take his words for what they are, but don’t get too excited over him.
But someone in that party willing to speak the truth, even occassionally is such a rarity, you can’t help but notice when it happens. And I can’t help but feel a little grateful there’s room to hope that they haven’t *all* turned into complete, mindless robots.
Too bad there aren’t more Hagels in the GOP. I mean, 50,000+ Iraqi civilians and more than 2,500 American troops killed and for what exactly? The control of Iraq’s oil? The destabilization of the region? A neocon American empire?
Sorry, but Hagel’s remarks are a pound short and 2,500 U.S. lives too late for me.