Time's up, Senator Warner

By: Rob
Published On: 1/7/2007 3:15:25 PM

Via Atrios, Senator John Warner on Iraq from October 6, 2006:
Senate Armed Services chairman John Warner says the war in Iraq is "drifting sideways" without a commitment from its government to disarm militias.

Warner, who recently visited the region, says the military has done what it could. He says Congress must make some "bold decisions" if, after three months, progress is not made by the Iraqis to calm ethnic violence and hasten reconstruction.

"In two or three months, if this thing hasn't come to fruition and if this level of violence is not under control GǪ I think it's the responsibility of our government, internally, to determine: Is there a change of course that we should take? And I wouldn't take off the table any option at this time," Warner told reporters on Thursday, reports CBS News Capitol Hill reporter John Nolen.

Well, three months have passed since then. The level of violence has gotten worse. The only thing that's come to fruition is sectarian civil war. Now, that his deadline has passed, what will Senator Warner do? Will he sign off on Bush's escalation? If so, it'll be Warner's deadline that will start moving sideways.

Comments



The Pelosi-Reid letter (Teddy - 1/7/2007 4:29:21 PM)
to our worthy Decider is a pretty mild rebuke to Bush but Warner should sign on, or risk losing the general respect he has rightfully received up to now. It's crunch time, with Israel rattling its saber and the US moving new personnel into military leadership positions, it begins to look as though we will be presented with a fait accompli. And then what, Senator Warner?


This is a critical moment for Senator Warner. (Rob - 1/7/2007 4:51:58 PM)
If he signs on with the escalation plan, 2008 will be very uncomfortable for the Senator.


Times Up for Warner (Marty - 1/7/2007 9:34:23 PM)
  I think time is about up for Sen Warner regardless. He has supported Bush on everything from the Iraq war to Justice Alito.  I would like to see another Democratic Senator elected from VA in 2008.


October-January--time's up! (kevinceckowski - 1/8/2007 2:25:15 PM)
Hope he keeps his word and says what he feels now that the three months are up and the "benchmarks" have not been met.

Are people afraid of confronting Bush that much? The war needs a focus and that was said from the beginning, before the invasion took place.  The tail-wagging the dog?  War making 101?  Maybe war was not the answer after all? What, war does not solve everything?  Kicking someone's butt on the playground does not work?  I thought this administration gloated that it had "statesmen" (remember the video of all the folks paraded out before the camera and Bush saying these ARE the US's Statemen) (they could not get past the sex thing in the WH) as opposed to Clinton's youngster with no experience.  Oh brother!

Did they, the Administration think that they were going to go into Iraq and take all the WMDs out and then leave with flowers in their pistols?  Were they that naive?  Now with no WMDs to take out of the country, aka trophy material, we are left with what....nothing?  Yep..and a new civil war in a region that Syria and Iran are looking at ever more carefully.