By any reasonable measure, Sen. John Warner’s (R-Va.) call this week for a slight reduction in U.S. forces in Iraq was pretty weak tea. Warner “suggested” to the White House — he opposes any congressional mandates — that the president bring home 5,000 troops by Christmas. As withdrawal plans go, Warner’s recommendation was little more than a symbolic gesture — he’s talking about a 2% drawdown.<\/p>\n
But that didn’t stop former Bush aide Bradley Blakeman, president and CEO of Freedom’s Watch (a far-right MoveOn.org knockoff), from blasting Warner last night on PBS. (Transcript<\/a>, Video<\/a>)<\/p>\n JUDY WOODRUFF: Does something like the announcement by Senator John Warner yesterday, the veteran Republican senator, urging the president to begin to pull troops out this fall, does that hurt your cause?<\/p>\n BRADLEY BLAKEMAN: Well, it hurts the cause of freedom and giving the Iraqis the opportunity to stand on their feet.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Blakeman went on to accuse war critics of using “scare tactics.” (Freedom Watch’s ads<\/a> argue that we have to stay in Iraq because “they attacked us,” and insist withdrawal will lead to another 9\/11.)<\/p>\n I’m curious; if Blakeman and other GOP attack dogs are going to blast Warner for “hurting the cause of freedom,” what are they going to do about Gen. Peter Pace<\/a>, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Gen. George Casey<\/a>, the Army chief of staff, who are expected to urge the president to reduce the U.S. force in Iraq by almost half<\/i>?<\/p>\n