How bad is it? (U.S. News   World Report) U.S. News   World Report - Throughout the presidential campaign, the Republicans have shown remarkable discipline in their public messages--but the deteriorating situation in Iraq is testing some of that unity. The strain was evident at a Senate hearing last week where Nebraska Republican Chuck Hagel unloaded on the Bush administration's sluggish reconstruction efforts in Iraq.  quot;It's beyond pitiful; it's beyond embarrassing. It is now in the zone of dangerous, quot; he thundered. ...