Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) called the Democratic hearings a "stunt." Many other Republican leaders also condemned or ridiculed the event.
I listened with extreme interest and I am a retired military officer myself. The event did not look or feel anything like a stunt to me. The three retired officers were forthright and direct in their criticism. They are tired of seeing men die and suffer tremendous wounds in a conflict they feel is poorly managed and under funded.
Republican Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) was more cautious in his criticism. "My instinct is, once the election is over, there will be a lot more hard thinking about what to do about Iraq and a lot more candid observations about it."
The three retired officers also made the point that the United States has never mobilized for this war. "Only about 1 percent of the American population is involved in this thing," one of the three said. The three agreed that each and every government department at the federal level should have a major role to play in the war. Instead, the Defense department at the pentagon has about the only major role.
One of the officers told the committee, "I was shocked to come home to find nobody was involved in this war at home. It is business as usual in the United States."
A government National Intelligence Estimate also became public that concluded the war has helped create a new generation of Islamic radicalism and that the overall terrorist threat has grown since the attacks of September 11, 2001. Senators at the hearing said the entire report should be declassified and released to the public in its entirety.
Senators Harry Reid (D-NV), Hillary Clinton (D-NY), and Chuck Schumer (D-NY) were among those at the hearing who asked questions. Senator Schumer said the testimony was the most important and enthralling he had ever heard in his years in the Congress.
Only one Republican, Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC) participated. The Camp Lejeune Marine Corps base is in his district.
"The American people have a right to know any time that we make a decision to send Americans to die for this country," said Jones.
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