Sen. Hagel (R - Neb): Surge in Iraq has NOT been a success
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Stumble ThisFrom Think Progress: Earlier this week, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) said he "will be glad to stake my campaign on the fact that [the surge] has succeeded," effectively shackling himself to President Bush’s Iraq policy. Previously, McCain has insisted that the level of American casualties is the "key" metric by which to measure to the surge’s success:
'The surge is succeeding and the key to it is not American presence, it’s American casualties and by any measure, we are succeeding and the political process is succeeding.'
On ABC’s This Week with George Stephanopolous today, Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE) bluntly disagreed with McCain’s assessment of the surge’s success, saying it’s wrong to "dismiss" over "900 dead Americans since the surge” began as "success":
'We have lost over 900 dead Americans since the surge. Now if you want to dismiss that as "success" that would be your interpretation.'
'The surge is succeeding and the key to it is not American presence, it’s American casualties and by any measure, we are succeeding and the political process is succeeding.'
On ABC’s This Week with George Stephanopolous today, Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE) bluntly disagreed with McCain’s assessment of the surge’s success, saying it’s wrong to "dismiss" over "900 dead Americans since the surge” began as "success":
'We have lost over 900 dead Americans since the surge. Now if you want to dismiss that as "success" that would be your interpretation.'
