Mr. Gates, you sound like your predecessor—you need to tell us specifically how any Senate resolution criticizing “deployment of additional troops [will embolden] the enemy.” Our enemy is emboldened by the President’s plan, they are emboldened by the strategy in Iraq—a strategy diverting our attention from terrorism, a strategy that does not target the heart of terrorism, a strategy that weakens our ability to get at the heart of terrorism. We have emboldened terrorists by weakening our military’s ability to go directly after terrorism, by diverting our attention to Iraq, giving terrorists’ the opportunity to plan, to continue in their plot to disrupt our way of life. Mr. Gates, where is Osama bin Laden?

Senator Chuck Hagel, a Republican, aptly put all of this in context by suggesting that the President’s plan is the worst foreign policy decision since Viet Nam.

The President has alternatives, he needs to exercise those alternatives. If, as the decision maker, the President does not exercise alternatives, and work with others, we are simply giving the terrorists what they want--

an ineffective war in Iraq, not an effective war against terrorism.

Stuart F. James
www.freespeechamerica.us
info@freespeechamerica.net

From comments from readers on Chuck Hagel calling the surge plan the worst foreign policy blunder since Viet Nam. From www.hamdems.org

Comments
I agree 100% with Senator Hagle. I applaud his courage in speaking out against this debacle which has been so from day one and has been for one reason -- George Bush ordered the invasion of Iraq for personal reasons - he refuses to
heed the advice of experts in warfare and foreign policy and determined to do it "my way." The mid-East culture has thrived for thousands of years. As President Putin said to Bush, He doesn't want the kind of democracy Bush has created in Iraq. Senator Hagles plan to use our troops on the border of Iraq and the boundaries of Baghdad is the most reasonable and logical and doable. It also gives responsibility to the Iraqis for their own welfare. We should never have been there. Our plan should be to use our funds for training of special forces to seek out the terrorist cells in every country in the world and eliminate them. That is the only way this world will be safe from this evil. With our "superior technology" we are being held at bay and possibly defeated by people with home made bombs. And Bush keeps sending our National Guard which is supposed to defend our country to serve in a place they never believed they would go to do a job they never contracted for and were never trained for.

Keep up the good work, Senator Hagle. Speak out loud and clear.

Posted by: Sarah Legrand at January 21, 2007 02:30 PM
1. The war in Iraq is G.W. Bush's war he started it for what ever reasons, based on lies.
2. I was an engineering student at University of Texas in the late fifties. Because I was going on the Korean GI Bill and had a wife and child, I had to manage housing for students. At that time we had many occupants that were Moslem graduate students in the engineering and petrolium related subjects. After becaming friendly we had personal and American & Moslem group discussions. I became interested in their countries, their history, and their culture. If G.W. knew anything about those people. He would understand their religon, politics, and their life style have been tightly entwined for a thousand+ years and therefore they do not want our religion, politics, or our lifestyle.
3. Therefore G.W. got himself into a war that cannot be won. Our mear existance in the region turns each political/religionous group against each other as well as the U.S. troops.
4.My answer is "respect the presidency" but not G.W. He has become an "ego mainiack". He does not care how many lives we sacrafice. Those people are not going to give up or give in. Keep up the good fight. Listen to Kerry a little more.

Posted by: Ray Addington at January 25, 2007 02:07 PM
Dear Senator Hagle:
Thank you for saying what we as citizens are feeling. I am a registered Democrat but would seriously consider voting for you as you have the courage of your convictions and are not afriad to say what needs to be said.
Sincerely,
Francine Lampros-Klein
Baltimore, MD

Posted by: Francine, Baltimore, MD at January 26, 2007 12:06 PM
As usual, blinded by the political hot air that is blown in your ear and/or up your dress. I am so disgusted that so many Americans have no idea what this war is about, and refuse to hear the reasons because it interrupts their comfy little world and makes them uneasy---something they have been protected from for far too long. The current Dem party is leaning toward Socialism, and you idiot granolas had best realize that and that the days of flower power are gone.
The military wants to win. You are all victims of media manipulation, and it is quite disgusting. Remember the Pied Piper of Hamelin? I am thinking of a nation of thin-skinned rats who believe everything its political leaders spew. Even Germany is thinking us as weak, gutless, and unable to defend ourselves.

Posted by: Donna at January 26, 2007 12:48 PM
The US Army could withdraw from Iraq today and attack and defeat the Iranian army tomorrow. Our military power is not in question, what is questioned is the wisdom of conducting a conventional war against terrorism and an occupation of an islamic country. It is a strategic disaster of unprecedented proportions. We have placed our military personnel, including myself, in the situation of standing on a street corner in a country where we do not speak the language or grasp all the customs and asked them to tell which passersby are good guys or bad guys or suicide bombers.

The US Army will not win the Iraq civil war, only the Shia or Sunni of Iraq can do that. The question is how do we withdraw from this debacle and get back to the very serious job of eliminating the terrorists that actually threaten us.

As for the German reference, maybe you should dig a little deeper. The Germans are wondering why they are so weak and gutless. In case you missed it, the German military in northern Afghanistan refused to aid a Canadian unit that was on the verge of being overrun. It was all the talk of the NATO conference in Riga.

I have personally sent a thank you note to Senator Hagel. And while I personally disagree with Senator McCain, if any of the fools in this administration had listened to him years ago, we might not be in the lose lose situation that we now find ourselves.

Posted by: Blake at January 26, 2007 05:33 PM
Atta Guy .... Tell it like it is which should have been done when Bush was first running for President. He has never done any good anywhere even if some Texans still believe he did well here ... left us $10 billion in debt, so what. For now I hope you just keep on rattling their bones. This was all for oil and power anyway and to avenge 'my daddy'. So childish as he is still acting like the little rich boy who gets to call all the shots. He has never, nor has any of the people in the administration felt any of the pain the people who are loosing sons, husbands, fathers, along with the women killed in Iraq. It is time someone stood up and I know you have wished you had done it a long time ago. I am a Democrat but I would vote for you in a minute. Besides all that you are a cutie ... no offense, I am 72 and harmless.
Keep up the good work.

Posted by: Montene Merchant at January 26, 2007 09:20 PM