8.28.2005

John Warner: Hit Rumsfeld with the Tough Questions

From The Times:

With lawmakers facing tough questions at home about the war in Iraq, Senator John W. Warner, the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, says he intends to summon Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld quickly for a hearing when Congress returns next week.

Mr. Warner, a Virginia Republican who is one of the most important Congressional voices on military policy, said mounting numbers of dead and wounded Americans, the contentious process of drafting an Iraqi constitution and the economic cost of the war were adding up to new anxiety in Congress.

"The level of concern is, I think, gradually rising," Mr. Warner said in an interview on Friday. "Our nation has given so much to the Iraqi people, and what are they giving us in return?"
I agree with Warner that it's waaaaay past time to ask Rummy the tough questions, but I disagree that we've "give so much to the Iraqi people" unless you mean death, destruction, and an end to vital life services like potable water, dependable electricity, and medical care.