Giggity-Giggity-Giggity: Hagel Looks to Escape the Quagmire

On ABC’s “This Week,” Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) compared the situation in Iraq to the situation in Vietnam, saying that we have contributed to the destabilization of the Middle East, and that our continued presence in Iraq will hinder the region further.

Sounds like someone is positioning himself for a presidential run.

Hagel’s been a suspect for the 2008 republican nomination for years, and it seems as though he’s banking on a certain strategy: pull away from the Bush administration, which, come 2008, should be just about as murky a quagmire as Iraq. Bush’s poll numbers are way down and still falling. His lowest numbers concern his handling of Iraq, both during the run-up to the war and during the war itself. It seems the country is beginning to realize that cocksure bravado does not a foreign policy make. Either that or they’re finally waking up to the fact that—surprise—our soldiers are still dying over there, the insurgency is still fighting us rabidly to control (at least) the fate of the country. Perhaps they didn’t get the message: mission accomplished. Did they not tune in to see Bush in his flight suit and codpiece?

At any rate, this is nothing new. In September 2004, Hagel said that the U.S. is in “deep trouble” in Iraq. In August 2004, he said that Iraq took away attention and resources from the War on Terror in Afghanistan. In July 2004, he railed the CIA over what he deemed to be an abuse of its intelligence position with regard to Iraq and WMDs. In that same month, he spoke out against the Iraq-Nigeria connection mentioned in the president’s State of the Union address, and confirmed that he believed that Iraq was not furthering it’s biological, chemical, or nuclear weapons programs.

I like Hagel. He’s a moderate, reality-based republican (don’t be offended by the term “reality-based” as opposed to “faith-based.” It’s the term the White House uses). On specific partisan issues, he’s a little too conservative for my taste; Hagel voted to loosen license and background checks at gun shows in 1999, offered a resounding nay! on including prescription drugs under Medicare in 2000, and has raised his hand in favor of each of Bush’s tax cuts. On the other hand, he’s sensible when it comes to nuclear weapons, defense, homeland security, and is more favorable to labor than some moderate liberals.

But I’m afraid of Hagel. Assuming the climate is right, he could whomp Hillary in 2008. If the American public isn’t completely disgusted with the Republican Party in three years, Hagel could very well take the Oval Office. He was an infantry squad leader in Vietnam, where he earned himself two Purple Hearts (take that John Kerry!). Assuming he has slightly more charisma than a scarecrow in a Mr. T mask, he could prove formidable.

In the big picture, though, this is not so bad. It will be nice to have a reality-based president, political affiliation notwithstanding, after eight years on George W. Bush’s Magical Mystery Tour Through The Land Of Oz (special appearances by Saddam Hussein! Tony Blair! Kim Jong Il! Osama bin Laden! Jesus Christ! Arnold Schwartzenegger! The 2004 Boston Red Sox! Pope John Paul II! And featuring performances by Toby Keith! 3 Doors Down! Karl Rove and the Leaks with additional singing by Scooter (short for Scooter Pie) Libby!). Besides. By then, democrats will have control of both houses of Congress. We won’t need the presidency. At least not as desperately as we do now.