by Frank James
It’s hard to know if the call by Sen. Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) for a drawdown of U.S. troops in Iraq is the beginning of a wave, but today he was joined by his Senate colleague from neighboring Ohio, fellow Republican Sen. George Voinovich who sent a letter to President Bush. The letter said in part:
As you know, I have been concerned about the situation in Iraq for some time. Nonetheless, I was steadfast in voting against any legislation that would limit or cut off spending for the war. I have consistently opposed attempts to limit your powers as our Commander-in-Chief, and I have openly opposed any form of precipitous withdrawal that would threaten our men and women in uniform, endanger American interests, or abandon the commitment we have made to the people of Iraq who do want our help.
A policy of responsible military disengagement with a corresponding increase non-military support is the best way to advance our nation’s interests in Iraq and achieve our primary goals: to help Iraqis stabilize their country and improve the security of the United States. However, I am also concerned that we are running out of time.