Lugar Spurs Revived Iraq Debate

WASHINGTON, D.C., June 26, 2007 — -- President Bush had hoped to contain Republican lawmakers increasingly skeptical of his war policy in Iraq until September, when Gen. David Petraeus is scheduled to report to Congress on the status of the surge.

But those hopes were dashed this week when two prominent Senate Republicans called for Bush to begin withdrawing U.S. troops, and a third indicated he was headed in their direction, as well, with others following not far behind.

Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., a respected, six-term senator who's the ranking Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, publicly challenged the management of the war and called for a change of direction.

Lugar, a past supporter of Bush and the war in Iraq, showed signs that his support was waning when he voted in February in favor of a symbolic resolution, expressing disapproval of the president's so-called "surge" strategy.

But Lugar took his concerns one giant step forward on Monday night, when he unexpectedly came to the floor of the Senate to call for the U.S. to begin withdrawing troops as soon as possible.

He was followed in his call by another Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, and was applauded by Sen. John Warner, R-Va., the ranking Republican on the Armed Services Committee, who said that after the 4th of July recess, other Republicans would make similar calls to end the war.

"In my judgment, our course in Iraq has lost contact with our vital national security interests in the Middle East and beyond," Lugar said. "I see no convincing evidence that Iraqis will make the compromises necessary to solidify a functioning government and society."

Lugar said that "a course change should happen now" before presidential politics makes any consensus impossible.

The White House tried to pooh-pooh Lugar's defection Tuesday. "We take seriously his point of view because he is a serious guy," said White House Press Secretary Tony Snow. "On the other hand, we also take seriously the efforts and the advice that the president has gotten from his commanders on the ground."