For quite a while, much of the DC establishment has wondered whether a respected “elder statesman” in the Republican Party would step up to challenge the president’s war policy in a forceful way. Apparently, Chuck Hagel doesn’t count, because he broke with the party line years ago, and Gordon Smith doesn’t count, because his criticism is considered political opportunism (running for re-election in ’08 in a blue state).
Sen. Dick Lugar (R-Ind.), the ranking member and former chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, however, fits the bill perfectly.
Sen. Richard Lugar, a senior Republican and a reliable vote for President Bush on the war, said Monday that Bush’s Iraq strategy was not working and that the U.S. should downsize the military’s role.
The unusually blunt assessment deals a political blow to Bush, who has relied heavily on GOP support to stave off anti-war legislation.
It also comes as a surprise. Most Republicans have said they were willing to wait until September to see if Bush’s recently ordered troop buildup in Iraq was working.
“In my judgment, the costs and risks of continuing down the current path outweigh the potential benefits that might be achieved,” Lugar, R-Ind., said in a Senate floor speech. “Persisting indefinitely with the surge strategy will delay policy adjustments that have a better chance of protecting our vital interests over the long term.”
This wasn’t an off-hand remark; Lugar reportedly worked on this for quite a while.
The speech wasn’t perfect, but it was a welcome denunciation of the status quo. He said “victory” in Iraq, as defined by the White House, is now “almost impossible.” The current course of the war “has lost contact with our vital national security interests in the Middle East and beyond.” Perhaps most importantly, Lugar took issue with one of the GOP’s principal talking points, arguing that at least some troop withdrawal would “strengthen our position in the Middle East, and reduce the prospect of terrorism, regional war, and other calamities.”
Lugar is one of the most respected voices on the Hill for Republican lawmakers, so his criticism offers cover to those in the GOP who want to break from the Bush policy, but are afraid to stand alone. In this sense, Lugar’s speech wasn’t just welcome, it also represents a possible shift in the debate.
That’s the good news. There is, alas, a flip side.
Lugar is now willing to take a stand against Bush’s policy, but that doesn’t mean he’s on board with Dems.
[Lugar’s spokesman Andy Fisher] said the speech does not mean Lugar would switch his vote on the war or embrace Democratic measures setting a deadline for troop withdrawals.
At the risk of sounding picky, if Lugar is going to continue voting on the war the way he’s been voting — with Bush, 100% of the time — then his criticism doesn’t mean much. We saw the same thing not too long ago from Sen. John Warner (R-Va.), who seemed displeased with the status quo, but neglected to show any follow-through.
Speeches are nice, but it’s time for critics of the White House policy to start putting their votes where their mouths are. Maybe Lugar has reached this point; maybe not. Time will tell.
To clarify, I was heartened and encouraged by Lugar’s floor speech. In no uncertain terms, he said, “[T]he current surge strategy is not an effective means of protecting [our] interests.” These are the kind of remarks that will, without a doubt, reverberate quickly through the Republican caucus, and will likely encourage others to follow suit. Lugar’s speech has the potential to be a turning point.
But it’s only a potential right now. Stay tuned.