THE HIGHER THE MONKEY CLIMBS:

Syria Divides Democratic Candidates (NEDRA PICKLER, Apr. 15, 2003, Associated Press)

Now that Saddam Hussein has been removed from power in Iraq, a new military issue is dividing Democrats running for president, how to deal with Syria.

President Bush warned Syria on Sunday about harboring Iraqi leaders and accused Damascus of keeping chemical weapons, but he did not go as far as to threaten military action.

Presidential candidate Bob Graham, a Florida senator who voted against the resolution authorizing force against Iraq, suggested military action against Syria might be necessary.

"We threw a few cruise missiles into the terrorist training camps in Afghanistan ... that's what we may have to do in Syria," he told the Orlando Sentinel after an appearance during the weekend in his home state.

At the height of the neocon and libertarian Right's "Bush has gone wobbly" hysteria you got some amusing posturing about how angry hawks would desert the President in '04 and support Bob Graham. Just to top off the silliness, here's Senator Graham proposing the very action that George W. Bush derided when he told Senators he meant business in the war on terror: "When I take action, I'm not going to fire a $2 million missile at a $10 empty tent and hit a camel in the butt. It's going to be decisive." Mr. Graham, who's supposed to be the Democrats' one serious candidate on security issues, would, amazingly, appear to have adopted Bill Clinton's "Camel Butt Doctrine". Posted by Orrin Judd at April 15, 2003 9:59 PM