When people on the short bus are voting members of the HASC, then they are fair game.
But the spin doctors have reached his website already; here's the quote:
"The subtle humor of this obviously metaphorical reference to a ship capsizing illustrated my concern about the impact of the planned military buildup on this small tropical island."
Like others have said, if he made the allusion to the metaphor during his question, I'd buy it. Right now I'm thinking someone found an excuse for his brain-fart and they are running with it.
Gee, we put a lot more Marines (and some Army dudes) on a succession of islands very abruptly from 1942-1945 and typically in one spot.....not one of them sank as far as I know even with shock and awe of Naval Bombardment and Naval Aviation/Army Air Force pummeling the island for weeks prior to the initial landings.
Iwo Jima = ~110,000 US showing up including 30,000 alone from 3rd, 4th and 5th Marine Divisions hitting the beach