Lincoln Chafee on “pro-war Democrats”

[beowabbit]

As a Republican senator during the decision to go to war in Iraq who has since left the party, Lincoln Chafee has a nearly unique perspective. DailyKos diarist smintheus has a fascinating post quoting Chafee on why so many Democrats (including Clinton) voted to authorize the use of force in Iraq. Chafee’s claim — that many personally anti-invasion Democrats voted to allow Bush to invade because they were afraid of political fallout — is exactly what I had assumed, but it’s useful to hear it from somebody who was in a position to know and who is no longer beholden to either major party.

I think I may want to read Chafee’s book.

Comments

[cos]

That part was... something I not only assumed, but pretty much knew at the time, and have heard from numerous sources since then. Chafee does add to that. But the thing I found most interesting when I read about this a few days ago, was Chafee basically applauding Rhode Island voters for voting him out of office, and his rationale for staying a Republican, something which really puzzled me. I'd always assumed he was just too loyal to his party, and his father's party, but when he left the party after he was out of office that explanation no longer made sense, and I knew he could have very easily been re-elected if he'd only left the party and promised to caucus with the Democrats.

[docorion.livejournal.com]

"They argue that the president duped them into war, but getting duped does not exactly recommend their leadership. Helping a rogue president start an unnecessary war should be a career-ending lapse of judgment.”

Yes. Yes, it should. I knew better, and I had less data than they had.