Where was Senator Lugar Before Now?

By Stanford Matthews Blog @ MoreWhat.com How long have US troops been in Iraq? When is the last time Senator Richard Lugar said anything about it in public? So when he finally does say something, what is the effect? Most call it a defection and some call it surrender. But a few who would defend Senator Lugar's defection indicate he was not invited for talks on the Iraq war at the White House. They also indicate his communications to President Bush were not answered. So this is how one responds to being ignored? Maybe Senator, others know how you would act and that is why they ignored you. And if your concern really is we have to do something before the military has to once again extend the deployments of US troops, being this outspoken before now in support of the troops would have been helpful. Anyone who doubts whether your actions this month and questions your intentions is right. Anyone questioning why Senators such as yourself did not take strong actions in support of the troops before now are understandably suspicious. Have you considered how much damage this does for the very troops whose course you seek to change. Had you let them follow the course to victory since the beginning of the war in Iraq they would have won already.

Lugar Senate Floor Speech Calls for Course Change in Iraq

Senator Lugar calling for a course change in a speech from the Senate floor.I rise today to offer observations on the continuing involvement of the United States in Iraq. In my judgment, our course in Iraq has lost contact with our vital national security interests in the Middle East and beyond. Our continuing absorption with military activities in Iraq is limiting our diplomatic assertiveness there and elsewhere in the world. The prospects that the current "surge" strategy will succeed in the way originally envisioned by the President are very limited within the short period framed by our own domestic political debate. And the strident, polarized nature of that debate increases the risk that our involvement in Iraq will end in a poorly planned withdrawal that undercuts our vital interests in the Middle East. Unless we recalibrate our strategy in Iraq to fit our domestic political conditions and the broader needs of U.S. national security, we risk foreign policy failures that could greatly diminish our influence in the region and the world.

Readthe entire speech

Listen to the speech (5 MB .mp3)

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