Electric Politics | To Catch A Sideways Drift

Iraq street scene Senator John Warner may be most famous in the DC area for his brief marriage to the long-suffering star, Elizabeth Taylor (1976-1982). Indeed, her star power probably pushed him over the top in his first Senate race. Over the years, however, Virginia's Warner has gradually moved past all that, acquiring a kind of bizarre dignity and reputation as a non-loopy Republican, mainly through diligent work on the Armed Service Committee, which he now chairs. So although it didn't spark much comment outside the Beltway, Warner's comments following his recent trip to Iraq have reverberated into Washington's foundations: Iraq, he says, is "drifting sideways," such that if things don't change in a month or two (read, after the November election) some policy adjustments will be necessary.

Warner's comment is significant for several reasons. It signals an uncooperative spirit within the political/military establishment for further bleeding in a lost cause. It signals a split between Warner and Republican Senate strategists, in that Virginia's junior Senator, George "Macaca" Allen, is solidly in the 'stay the course' camp while his opponent, former Republican now Democrat James Webb, practically tripped over himself in his eagerness to agree with Warner. Could this mean that Warner is so fed up with the Republican majority that he'd prefer to toss the Senate to the Democrats? Could Warner have not managed to keep his mouth shut for another month? I don't know, but the question interests me. And it also signals something more than an uncooperative spirit, something along the lines of vigorous resistance, when it comes to talk—or action—to do with a US attack on Iran.

With James "Mac the knife" Baker weighing in from the opposite side with a 'plan' to get the US out of Iraq, look for a sizeable percentage of Republican intellectuals, such as they are, to begin to map out various arguments against a loitering occupation. And to pour cold water on the Tyrant's impulse to start new wars.



Home FAQ Contact Archive EP Store EP Alerts © 2012 ElectricPolitics	To Catch A Sideways Drift Senator John Warner may be most famous in the DC area for his brief marriage to the long-suffering star, Elizabeth Taylor (1976-1982). Indeed, her star power probably pushed him over the top in his first Senate race. Over the years, however, Virginia's Warner has gradually moved past all that, acquiring a kind of bizarre dignity and reputation as a non-loopy Republican, mainly through diligent work on the Armed Service Committee, which he now chairs. So although it didn't spark much comment outside the Beltway, Warner's comments following his recent trip to Iraq have reverberated into Washington's foundations: Iraq, he says, is "drifting sideways," such that if things don't change in a month or two (read, after the November election) some policy adjustments will be necessary. Warner's comment is significant for several reasons. It signals an uncooperative spirit within the political/military establishment for further bleeding in a lost cause. It signals a split between Warner and Republican Senate strategists, in that Virginia's junior Senator, George "Macaca" Allen, is solidly in the 'stay the course' camp while his opponent, former Republican now Democrat James Webb, practically tripped over himself in his eagerness to agree with Warner. Could this mean that Warner is so fed up with the Republican majority that he'd prefer to toss the Senate to the Democrats? Could Warner have not managed to keep his mouth shut for another month? I don't know, but the question interests me. And it also signals something more than an uncooperative spirit, something along the lines of vigorous resistance, when it comes to talk—or action—to do with a US attack on Iran. With James "Mac the knife" Baker weighing in from the opposite side with a 'plan' to get the US out of Iraq, look for a sizeable percentage of Republican intellectuals, such as they are, to begin to map out various arguments against a loitering occupation. And to pour cold water on the Tyrant's impulse to start new wars. Posted by George Kenney on October 9, 2006 6:39 AM « Deterrence 101 \| Main \| When Does "Collateral Damage" So Dwarf Combatant Deaths That War Becomes Genocide? » Share this post: Leave a comment Name Email Address URL Remember personal info? Comments (You may use HTML tags for style)

To Catch A Sideways Drift

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