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http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040523/ap_on_go_co/iraq_lugar&cidQ2&ncidq6
GOP Senator Rips Bush on Iraq, Terrorism

Sat May 22,10:22 PM ET

By MARK PRATT, Associated Press Writer

MEDFORD, Mass. -

Republican Sen. Richard G. Lugar on Saturday
said the United States isn't doing enough to
stave off terrorism and criticized President
Bush (news - web sites) for failing to offer
solid plans for Iraq (news - web sites)'s future.



Lugar,
chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee,
said the nation must prevent terrorism from taking
root around the world by "repairing and building
alliances," increasing trade,

supporting democracy, addressing regional
conflicts and controlling weapons of mass
destruction.


Unless the country commits itself to such measures,

"we are likely to experience acts
of catastrophic terrorism that
would undermine our economy,
damage our society and kill
hundreds of thousands,
if not millions, of people,"

the Indiana senator said during an
appearance at the Fletcher School
at Tufts University.


Lugar said military might alone
isn't enough to eradicate terrorism.


"To win the war against terrorism,
the United States must assign U.S.
economic and diplomatic capabilities
the same strategic priority that we
assign to military capabilities," he said.


He later added,

"Military action is necessary
to defeat serious and immediate
threats to our national security.

But the war on terrorism will
not be won through attrition -

particularly since military action
will often breed more terrorists
and more resentment of the United States."


Lugar,
who was awarded the Dean's Medal for
distinguished service in international affairs,
said it's still unclear how much control the
Iraqi people will have over their nation's
security when power is transferred to them June 30.


"I am very hopeful that the president
and his administration will articulate
precisely what is going to happen as
much as they can, day by day,
as opposed to a generalization," he said.


It's not the first time that Lugar
has criticized Bush, a fellow Republican.

In 2003, Lugar and Sen. Joseph Biden,
the committee's top Democrat, warned
that the Bush administration had not
given enough consideration to what
would happen in Iraq after the fighting ended.


Also Saturday,
Lugar blamed the Bush and Clinton
administrations for not adequately
funding the foreign affairs budget,
noting that the military's budget is
more than 13 times what the nation
spends for diplomacy.