Despite risks, GOP lawmakers stick with Bush on war
Only a handful of Republicans supported House and Senate proposals this week to change course in Iraq, leaving majority Democrats short of veto-proof majorities.
posted July 13, 2007 at NaN:NaN p.m. EST
Page 2 of 3
Of the 18 benchmarks of progress required by Congress, eight were ranked satisfactory, eight unsatisfactory, and two mixed. The report described the security situation in Iraq as "complex and extremely challenging" and said many key steps toward political reconciliation, including a new law to fairly distribute the nation's oil revenues, are lagging.
The government of Iraq, with substantial coalition assistance, has made satisfactory progress toward reducing sectarian violence but has shown unsatisfactory progress towards eliminating militia control of local security, the report concluded. Nor are the Iraqi security forces providing "even-handed enforcement of the law."
Citing such concerns, Democrats and some Republicans say there is already a strong case for changing the mission of US forces in Iraq. But critics have not yet found a new way forward that can rally enough votes to force the White House to change course.
"There's been very little progress [in Iraq], and I don't see that changing between now and September," says Sen. Susan Collins (R) of Maine, who says she is not ruling out voting with Democrats to mandate a change in mission with a timetable.
On Tuesday, Sens. Carl Levin (D) of Michigan and Jack Reed (D) of Rhode Island proposed an amendment to redeploy US troops by the end of April 2008. Like the House version, the Senate measure requires US forces to begin the transition out of a combat role within 120 days of enactment. Senator Hagel and two other Republicans, Gordon Smith of Oregon and Olympia Snowe of Maine, are backing the Levin-Reed amendment.
While most Senate Republicans are still supporting the president, several are, for the first time, openly expressing doubts about whether the president's strategy can be successful. Some criticize the policy off the record, and others say they are waiting until September to comment.
"I am disappointed that, after great sacrifice by US and Iraqi troops since the announcement of the surge in January, the Iraqi government has not met critical political benchmarks in that period. The [Iraqi] government is simply not providing leadership worthy of the considerable sacrifice of our forces, and this has to change immediately," said Sen. John Warner (R) of Virginia.
The top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Warner authored the provision in the last war-spending bill that required the interim report on Iraqi benchmarks by July 15. He and Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana, the ranking Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, are drafting their own amendment to move US forces out of a combat role in Iraq.
Meanwhile, House Democrats – in a surprise move announced before the release of the interim report this week – moved for another floor vote setting a timetable for the redeployment of US forces in Iraq.
"The American people have lost confidence in the president's strategy and handling of this war," said House majority leader Steny Hoyer. Instead of an open-ended combat role for US forces, Democrats proposed a residual force to train Iraqis, protect borders, and conduct counterinsurgency.
RSS feed
