Hagel fields questions at town hall meeting
Sen. Chuck Hagel was greeted by a friendly audience Tuesday as he detailed his opposition to Iraq policy before 300 participants at a town hall meeting.
Many of the dozen questions directed at the senator following nearly an hour of remarks were accompanied by expressions of admiration or support.
Hagel’s arguments spurred occasional applause and a standing ovation at the end.
Those in the audience who may have disagreed with the embattled Republican senator on Iraq or immigration policy did not speak up.
Immediately following the event, Hagel critic Jon Bruning issued a statement suggesting “conservative Nebraskans are frustrated that he has repeatedly voted with Harry Reid and the Democrats in favor of strict timetables for early surrender.”
The attorney general is a 2008 Republican candidate for Hagel’s Senate seat.
In making the case for redeployment of troops and a change in policy, Hagel argued against a precipitate U.S. withdrawal from Iraq.
U.S. soldiers should be taken out of the middle of civil conflict in the cities, he said. Instead, the U.S. mission should focus on battling insurgents and protecting Iraq’s borders, he said.
An abrupt withdrawal from Iraq “would not be the right or responsible thing to do,” Hagel said.
But, he told one questioner, he’s working with Sen. John Warner, R-Va., to craft legislation that would “withdraw or narrow presidential authority” in waging the war.
As for critics who hammer him for opposing the Bush administration’s Iraq policy, Hagel said senators “don’t swear allegiance to a political party or to a president (but) to serve the best interests of the country.”
Hagel questioned why all Americans shouldn’t be asked to bear some of the burden of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“Less than one percent are carrying all the burden, making all the sacrifices, doing all the fighting and dying,” he said.
“Why aren’t we asking all of us to do something?”
“Are you willing to give up some of your tax cuts?” he asked. Or insist that supplies of titanium be diverted from the golf industry so it can be placed on “some kid’s Humvee” to provide protective armor.
“I’m a Democrat who is exceedingly proud to call you one of my senators,” Nanne Olds of Lincoln said in posing a question.
Doris Marxhausen of Seward told Hagel she’s been an active Republican for 40 years “and I loved every word you said.”
Thanking those who praised him, Hagel said, “I’m just doing the job I’m supposed to do.”
It doesn’t matter that “polls have not been with me and my own party has not been with me” on Iraq or immigration reform, he said.
“We are undermining our own interests by what we’re doing in Iraq,” Hagel said.
“Almost every decision has been wrong, a bad decision.”
Hagel said “there were no terrorists in Iraq before we got there,” Saddam Hussein never was a direct threat to the United States and “history will not be kind to this administration.”
The political battering he has taken for standing against Bush’s policies in Iraq will not deter him, Hagel said.
“I’ve been in much tougher circumstances when they were using real bullets,” he said. Hagel was twice wounded as an infantry sergeant in Vietnam.
As for Bruning’s criticism, Hagel said: “I don’t pay attention to what he says. There’ll be a time for politics.”
Bruning’s statement Tuesday said he supports giving Gen. David Petraeus, the U.S. commander in Iraq, “a fighting chance to complete his mission before we talk about redeployment from Iraq.”
Hagel will announce later this year whether he’ll seek re-election to a third term, pursue the presidency or leave elective office at the end of next year.
Reach Don Walton at 473-7248 or at dwalton@journalstar.com.
Many of the dozen questions directed at the senator following nearly an hour of remarks were accompanied by expressions of admiration or support.
Hagel’s arguments spurred occasional applause and a standing ovation at the end.
Those in the audience who may have disagreed with the embattled Republican senator on Iraq or immigration policy did not speak up.
Immediately following the event, Hagel critic Jon Bruning issued a statement suggesting “conservative Nebraskans are frustrated that he has repeatedly voted with Harry Reid and the Democrats in favor of strict timetables for early surrender.”
The attorney general is a 2008 Republican candidate for Hagel’s Senate seat.
In making the case for redeployment of troops and a change in policy, Hagel argued against a precipitate U.S. withdrawal from Iraq.
U.S. soldiers should be taken out of the middle of civil conflict in the cities, he said. Instead, the U.S. mission should focus on battling insurgents and protecting Iraq’s borders, he said.
An abrupt withdrawal from Iraq “would not be the right or responsible thing to do,” Hagel said.
But, he told one questioner, he’s working with Sen. John Warner, R-Va., to craft legislation that would “withdraw or narrow presidential authority” in waging the war.
As for critics who hammer him for opposing the Bush administration’s Iraq policy, Hagel said senators “don’t swear allegiance to a political party or to a president (but) to serve the best interests of the country.”
Hagel questioned why all Americans shouldn’t be asked to bear some of the burden of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“Less than one percent are carrying all the burden, making all the sacrifices, doing all the fighting and dying,” he said.
“Why aren’t we asking all of us to do something?”
“Are you willing to give up some of your tax cuts?” he asked. Or insist that supplies of titanium be diverted from the golf industry so it can be placed on “some kid’s Humvee” to provide protective armor.
“I’m a Democrat who is exceedingly proud to call you one of my senators,” Nanne Olds of Lincoln said in posing a question.
Doris Marxhausen of Seward told Hagel she’s been an active Republican for 40 years “and I loved every word you said.”
Thanking those who praised him, Hagel said, “I’m just doing the job I’m supposed to do.”
It doesn’t matter that “polls have not been with me and my own party has not been with me” on Iraq or immigration reform, he said.
“We are undermining our own interests by what we’re doing in Iraq,” Hagel said.
“Almost every decision has been wrong, a bad decision.”
Hagel said “there were no terrorists in Iraq before we got there,” Saddam Hussein never was a direct threat to the United States and “history will not be kind to this administration.”
The political battering he has taken for standing against Bush’s policies in Iraq will not deter him, Hagel said.
“I’ve been in much tougher circumstances when they were using real bullets,” he said. Hagel was twice wounded as an infantry sergeant in Vietnam.
As for Bruning’s criticism, Hagel said: “I don’t pay attention to what he says. There’ll be a time for politics.”
Bruning’s statement Tuesday said he supports giving Gen. David Petraeus, the U.S. commander in Iraq, “a fighting chance to complete his mission before we talk about redeployment from Iraq.”
Hagel will announce later this year whether he’ll seek re-election to a third term, pursue the presidency or leave elective office at the end of next year.
Reach Don Walton at 473-7248 or at dwalton@journalstar.com.
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