WP: Democrats' Chances to Alter Iraq Strategy Dwindling

[DeepModem Mom]

Democrats' Chances to Alter Iraq Strategy Dwindling
Reid Says Next Showdown May Not Occur Until New War-Funding Request, Perhaps Early Next Year
By Shailagh Murray
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, September 29, 2007; Page A10

Senate Democrats' failure to reach agreement with wavering Republicans on legislation to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq forced party leaders to concede yesterday that they are running low on options for altering President Bush's war strategy this year.

The breakdown, coming at the end of days of debate over defense policy legislation, makes it increasingly likely that Congress will conclude 2007 without passing a single Iraq bill of policy-altering significance. Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) said yesterday that the next big Iraq showdown could come over an emergency war-funding bill that may not be considered until early next year, as he and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) turn their attention to the domestic policy front, where Democrats' prospects for success are brighter.

"We've done a lot of talking," Reid said of efforts to attract GOP votes. But the bottom line is: "People either want something or nothing."

One of the few remaining windows for Democrats on Iraq is on the spending front. Until war funding is secured for the next year, Democrats say that action to force Bush to change course is still possible, said Reid spokesman Jim Manley.

The latest attempt to find consensus fizzled late Thursday. Last week, Democrats failed to pass a proposal to bring home most troops by next June and to narrow the U.S. mission. But Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl M. Levin (Mich.) still held out hope that at least 10 Republicans -- enough to break a filibuster by Bush's GOP allies -- might agree to a more flexible June goal....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/28/AR2007092801949.html?hpid=topnews

[grasswire]

1. DISINFORMATION!!!!!!!!

The power to end the war lies squarely with Congress. Always has, always will. Go read Mario Cuomo's words, WaPo.

This reporter needs a civics lesson!

[madfloridian]

2. Watch Rahm on Bill Maher's show this week.

And the way he waffled.

I don't have the script, but the others had his number.

They are playing politics with it, they have the power to just not send a bill for funding.

I am mixed about that possibility and see both sides....but they should not pretend they don't have that power when they do. It is the Third Way advising them not to use the power of the purse which was given them in the constitution.

Third Way urging Dems not to use constitutional power of war-funding.

[bain_sidhe]

3. And once again...

The whole story is about Democratic failure rather than Republican obstruction. At least they used the word "filibuster" this time, but no where in the article is it made clear that the problem is the REPUBLICANS, not the Democrats.

Sheesh. I mean, look at the contortions the writer had to use in the opening sentence to paint this a "Democratic failure." It's bad writing, and bad journalism, and the only thing that is astonishing is that no editor even called them on it.

The twisted, convoluted, overly long opening sentence:

Senate Democrats' failure to reach agreement with wavering Republicans on legislation to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq forced party leaders to concede yesterday that they are running low on options for altering President Bush's war strategy this year.

Contrast with:

Republican obstruction forced Democratic leaders to concede yesterday that they are running low on options for altering President Bush's war strategy this year.

I take it back, there's one other astonishing thing... that we're so used to this that nobody even notices the contortions anymore.

[DeepModem Mom]

5. You make a very good point! nt

[Demeter]

4. What Strategy? Ostriches Don't HAVE Strategies! n/t