A senior Republican and a strong supporter of U.S. President George W. Bush says the U.S. strategy in Iraq is not working and that the United States should downsize the military's role.
Senator Richard Lugar (Indiana), the top Republican in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said "the costs and risks of continuing down the current path outweigh the potential benefits."
"Persisting indefinitely with the surge strategy will delay policy adjustments that have a better chance of protecting our vital interests over the long term," Lugar said in a June 25 Senate floor speech.
Media reports say Lugar's blunt assessment came as a surprise as most Republicans have said they are willing to wait until September to see if Bush's recently ordered troop buildup in Iraq is working.
Copyright (c) 2006. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org
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