Lugar, ranking member of the Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee, said on June 25 that he did not believe the President’s surge of 21,500 additional U.S. troops to Iraq would be successful.
Voinovich, also a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, called on the President just days later to begin withdrawing troops from Iraq.
Over Fourth of July recess, Domenici said, “We cannot continue asking our troops to sacrifice indefinitely while the Iraqi government is not making measurable progress to move its country forward.”
Leader Reid has since latched on to these statements to propel anti-war momentum.
In a statement released on July 6, Reid said: “Senator Domenici is correct to assess that the Administration’s war strategy is misguided. But we will not see a much-needed change of course in Iraq until Republicans like Senators Domenici, Lugar and Voinovich are willing to stand up to President Bush and his stubborn clinging to a failed policy – and more importantly, back up their words with action. Beginning with the Defense Authorization bill next week, Republicans will have the opportunity to not just say the right things on Iraq, but vote the right way too so that we can bring the responsible end to this war that the American people demand and deserve.”
On July 7, the Los Angeles Times reported that both Alexander and Gregg said in separate interviews that they believed the President must soon change course in Iraq. Neither said whether they would support legislation to withdraw forces.
Republican senators Chuck Hagel (Neb.), Gordon Smith (Ore.) and John Warner (Va.) have disagreed with President Bush’s Iraq strategy for months and are likely to support other members of the GOP who openly question the administration’s strategy in the coming weeks.
|