Shays admits errors on Iraq (R!)

WASHINGTON — More than three years into the Iraq war, Rep. Christopher Shays, R-4, regrets that he did not provide aggressive enough oversight of the Pentagon's war plan as he now believes was needed.

As chairman of the House Government Reform subcommittee on national security, emerging threats and international relations, Shays has taken a special interest in Iraq. He was the first member of Congress to step on Iraqi soil after Baghdad fell on April 9, 2003, traveling across the Kuwaiti border with aid workers from Westport-based Save the Children. He has since made 11 trips to Iraq.

In the leadup to the war, Shays says, he should have demanded more accountability from the Pentagon on cost estimates, which seemed low. The United States will have spent more than $320 billion by the end of the year for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"I fault myself," Shays says. "I was hearing voices in my own head that this was going to cost more and I accepted the Pentagon numbers that were too low," he says. "I should have had hearings early on."

More: http://www.connpost.com/sports/ci_3898527

Diane Farrell lost a close race to him 2 years back and with the public even more against the Iraq war now, it could really help her out.

http://www.farrellforcongress.com/

however, the pentagon was not the entity quoting costs -- that was the White House. Also, I've no doubt that there were hundreds, even thousands of his constituents, leading up to the war, calling his office, urging him to not only vote "no" but to look at the "evidence" the White House was shoving down everyone's throat. We here at DU knew the reasons were all lies. So did the rest of the world. And now, right before the 2006 election, he's sorry. No correlation, I'm sure.

I kid you not.

Everything else would be paid for by coalition partners & Iraqi oil revenues.

We're now looking at an eventual cost of upwards of $1 to $2 trillion.

so, it looks like they missed by 1000 times or so the actual cost.

From the article Tom Yossarian Joad posted:

Shays spoke candidly about his eight-year tenure as subcommittee chairman during an interview at his Capitol Hill office. He was asked to respond to criticism against him by his Democratic opponent, Diane Farrell.

Farrell, a former Westport first selectwoman, claims that Shays has failed to oversee the Iraq war effort.

Farrell criticizes Shays for stubbornly supporting President Bush's Iraq policy rather than demanding a sensible plan to win the peace. "If people like Chris Shays — President Bush's most loyal supporter of the war in Iraq — would demand a workable plan to win the peace in Iraq, maybe we could accomplish the mission," Farrell says. "Instead, Chris and his allies in this Republican-controlled Congress continue to pat the president on the back and tell him he's doing the right thing in Iraq."

Farrell also issued a news release complaining that Shays failed to properly oversee Iraqi reconstruction efforts, pointing to an April government audit that detailed millions in government waste.
(snip)

Diane Farrell

She sounds fantastic.

Shays does *not* support the troops: vis-a-vis tax cuts! Democrats in general need to point out SHARED SACRIFICE as a hypocritical repuke double standard!

Tut-tut

opposition at the polls for his lack of thought and oversight.

Shays has failed to represent his constituents and failed to do his Constitutional duties as an elected representative.

He is an asswipe of the first order.

It's a Whole New Jane out there campaigning now, with lots of mea culpas about the "bad intel leading up to Iraq." There wasn't ONE bush move she didn't embrace, including the war and the damned Patriot Act. But only now, with a very vocal anti-war challenger in Marcy Winograd, only now is Tough-Cookie Jane starting to express remorse.

Fuck her. I only wish I lived in the South Bay here so I could vote against her. Just another bush apologist, about whom we have NO proof she'll continue with her change of heart if she's reelected.

Easy for them all to say this shit NOW, isn't it?

that.

Now he is posturing since he saw the handwriting on the wall.

and I say that being a voter in his district.

Very recently he hosted GWB in Bridgeport for a fundraiser, and Shays was one super cheerleader for the cheerleader in chief, saying he deserves our respect as commander in chief, or words to that effect, blah blah blah.

Now Ms Farrel has mounted a serious challenge to this relatively moderate Republican representing a liberal district;

www.farrellforcongress.com

but Rep Shays recently also supported the Republican establishment's Reverse Robin Hood budget.

He'll be happier elsewhere; that's my bet; I just hope he doesn't become a lobbyist.

That Farrell supports Lieberman while Shays is supporting Lamont: any truthiness to that rumor?

Tut-tut

PS: I'm voting for Farrell no matter what

innocents means nothing to these warmongering for profit MFers. Shays is a disgusting pile of filth as is his boss Bu$h. I hope he loses his seat. He does not deserve to represent the American people. I`ve been hearing voices in my head since Dec.12th 2000, saying never to trust a Republican again on anything. I will believe the voice in my head, Shays voice in the head turned out to be an excuse for a war crime he has helped to commit. The voice in my head has proven to be good advice.
Peace
Wildman
Al Gore is My President