Coburn declines to elaborate on Iraq War statement

Another hawk abandons Bush

by: JIM MYERS and RANDY KREHBIEL
Tulsa World Staff Writers

U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn's comment that going to war in Iraq was "probably a mistake" represents a significant departure from where the Oklahoma Republican started out on the 5-year-old conflict.

Coburn's comment came at the beginning of remarks at a weekend town hall meeting in Muskogee.

"I will tell you personally that I think it was probably a mistake going to Iraq," said the freshman senator, who made it clear he did not believe the U.S. could withdraw but had to stay.

What was unclear was when exactly Coburn changed his position on the controversial war, what led to that change and why he chose to reveal it at a town hall meeting back in the state as opposed to in front of a wider audience.

Coburn's comment came less than a week after he returned from his second trip to Iraq since entering the Senate.

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