Chuck Hagel: One of the few GOP good guys

Hagel Defends Criticisms of Iraq Policy: "Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) strongly criticized yesterday the White House's new line of attack against critics of its Iraq policy, saying that '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.'

With President Bush leading the charge, administration officials have lashed out at Democrats who have accused the administration of manipulating intelligence to justify the war in Iraq. Bush has suggested that critics are hurting the war effort, telling U.S. troops in Alaska on Monday that critics 'are sending mixed signals to our troops and the enemy. And that's irresponsible.'

Hagel, a Vietnam War veteran and a potential presidential candidate in 2008, countered in a speech to the Council of Foreign Relations that the Vietnam War '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.'

'To question your government is not unpatriotic -- to not question your government is unpatriotic,' Hagel said, arguing that 58,000 troops died in Vietnam because of silence by political leaders. 'America owes its men and women in uniform a policy worthy of their sacrifices.'

Hagel said Democrats have an obligation to be constructive in their criticism, but he accused the administration of 'dividing the country' with its rhetorical tactics."