Republican senator tells Bush to lay off war critics

Well, well, well. Here's Chuck Hagel (R-NE) talking to the Council on Foreign Relations today:

The Iraq war should not be debated in the United States on a partisan political platform. This debases our country, trivializes the seriousness of war and cheapens the service and sacrifices of our men and women in uniform. War is not a Republican or Democrat issue. The casualties of war are from both parties. The Bush Administration must understand that each American has a right to question our policies in Iraq and should not be demonized for disagreeing with them.

In the next breath he even says the V-word:

Vietnam was a national tragedy partly because Members of Congress failed their country, remained silent and lacked the courage to challenge the Administrations in power until it was too late. Some of us who went through that nightmare have an obligation to the 58,000 Americans who died in Vietnam to not let that happen again.

I haven't followel Hagel's voting record closely - I'm told he generally talks more independently than he votes - but it's great to have this said by other side. Maybe more of them will find their voices.