Chuck Hagel is retiring from the Senate.

Chuck Hagel will announce Monday that he is retiring from the U.S. Senate and will not run for president next year, people close to the Nebraska Republican said Friday.

Hagel plans to announce that "he will not run for re-election and that he does not intend to be a candidate for any office in 2008," said one person, who asked not to be named.

Well this is a damn shame, as Senator Hagel has been one of the most vocal anti-war Republicans to take Bush to task on his Iraq policies.

I just wonder if he is completely frustrated by the lack of positive conversation about ending the Iraq war in the Senate and with the President. But it kind of makes me angry that he would quit before such an important job was completed. If all of the reasonable Republicans simply walk away, then who is left in the party to call Bush on his bullshit?