What They Won't Say Out Loud In Kansas

Oh my goodness, even Republicans in Kansas are beginning to see that the occupation of Iraq is a disaster. Most of them aren't quite ready to say it out loud, but they've lost faith in George Bush.

Opposition to Iraq war simmers in America's heartland
By Steven Thomma
McClatchy Newspapers

TOPEKA, Kan. - President Bush is losing the heartland.

Conservative Kansas - home to the Army's Fort Riley, the U.S. Cavalry Museum, Republican icons Dwight Eisenhower and Bob Dole, and the place that gave Bush back to back landslide majorities - is turning against the Iraq war.

Kansas Democrats are quicker to oppose Bush, but growing numbers of Kansas Republicans also are rejecting his plan to send more troops to Iraq and the war itself. That threatens Bush's hope to maintain a solid base of support for his war policies and undermines White House efforts to portray war opposition as partisan Democratic politics.

"The president's war ideas are not very popular here," said Tim Shallenburger, the chairman of the Kansas Republican Party. "Even good Republicans are getting frustrated and believe the president is being stubborn. ... Seven out of 10 good conservative Republicans may not want to say it, but they oppose the war." ...(full article)