Senator Carl Levin (D-MI) . . . the Liberal hawk?

SEN CARL LEVIN (D-MI): “Now, in terms of the weapons coming in from Syria, those weapons that you’ve described as coming in from Syria and perhaps other Sunni neighbors are killing our troops. Do we have a plan to address the Syrian weapon source — of killings of our troops?”

JOHN MCCONNELL, Director of National Intelligence: “Sir, I know the military is working that border area to close it down from not only weapons but also jihadists coming in –”

LEVIN: “It’s more than just — we’re trying to close down the Iranian border area too. The problem is that these weapons are coming from a state which is — doesn’t recognize Israel either, just like Iran doesn’t. We’ve got to try to stop weapons coming into Iraq from any source that are killing our troops. I agree with the comments about trying to stop them coming in from Iran, I think we have to try stop them that are going to the Sunni insurgents as well as to the Shia. I was just wondering, does the military have a plan to, if necessary, to go into Syria to go to the source of any weapons coming from Syria? That are going to Sunni insurgents? That are killing our troops? … I think we ought to take action on all fronts including Syria and any other source of weapons coming in, obviously Iran is the focus – but it shouldn’t be the sole focus.” (Armed Services Committee, U.S. Senate, Hearing, 02/27/07)

Video here. Is this the same Senator Levin whose own views on Iraq have changed with the wind when politically popular to do so? Yes it is. Is this the same Senator Levin who has called for a “phased redeployment” of American soldiers from Iraq? Tis true. The same senator who has repeatedly thrown barbs towards President Bush and is considered someone a congressman must talk to when discussing national security issues? Ditto.

And now the senator who has called for a “phased redeployment,” which is political speak for withdrawal that sounds like it has teeth, wants to open up fronts against Syria and Iran.

The line during the conversation on the Hill isn’t completely unexpected. This past Sunday on ‘Meet the Press’ Levin said there’s no real ‘possibility’ for the United States to withdraw all soldiers from Iraq because they are there to provide “continued training of the Iraqi army, support for logistics in the Iraqi army, a counterterrorism purpose or a mission because there’s about 5,000 al-Qaida in Iraq.” Yes, good Senator, there are Al Qaida terrorists in Iraq.

So why would Senator Levin change stances all of the sudden from one of the staunchest critics of the war and advocates for withdrawal to opening up two new fronts in the war? It couldn’t be because the United States will enter into talks with Iraq, Syria and Iran to help pacify the nation, could it? Surely Senator Levin has a backbone and doesn’t just argue for the exact opposite of that which the Bush Administration plans on doing. He’s not that fickle, is he?

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