Top GOP Senator: "Things Are Worse Off In The Middle East Today Than They Were Three Years Ago."

Source: Meet The Press (transcript)

Many big-time Republicans are finally seeing the mess for what it is that Rummy and Bush created in Iraq.

I, too, agree that things are probably worse than what they were 3 years ago. Not being a fan of Saddam Hussein, I now see why he had to use the threat of terror to keep rival factions in Iraq in line.

Now there is a huge power vacuum, and a civil war is nearing the point of boiling over. Simply by removing Saddam from power, we created another Bosnia, and now thousands more will die in ethnic-cleansing raids we helped to create.

"Finally, Russert asks Hagel about a statement he made last week in which he said the Bush administration should engage directly with Iran. Hagel reiterates the point and, in a startlingly candid assessment of Middle East policy, goes on to say, "I think you could make a pretty strong case that things are worse off in the Middle East today than they were three years ago. By measurement of Iraq, by Iran, by the Palestinian-Israeli issue, what's going on in Egypt. And, I think the United States must use its force of diplomacy to engage Iran."

Tags: [Chuck Hagel, James Sensenbrenner, David Broder, David Ignatius, Kate O'Beirne, Eugene Robinson], [TIM RUSSERT], [Meet The Press], [Top GOP Senator: "Things Are Worse Off In The Middle East Today Than They Were Three Years Ago"], [Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner], [Sen. Chuck Hagel], [Iraq], [Iraq civil war], [civil war]