November 27, 2005
WE'RE WITH W:
Signs of an Iraq Policy (David S. Broder, November 27, 2005, Washington Post)
It has taken a long time, but the Democrats finally have come close to defining a sensible common ground on the issue of Iraq. [...]But the outlines of such a position emerged last week in speeches by two respected Democratic members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Joe Biden of Delaware and Barack Obama of Illinois. [...]
They both envisage the gradual drawdown of U.S. forces through 2006, with Biden more willing than Obama to suggest a timeline for that process.
What must happen to make it possible, they agree, is a significant acceleration in the training of Iraqi security forces and in the civil reconstruction projects needed to give Iraqis a sense of hope -- both of which will require a change in priorities and an improvement in operations by U.S. forces.
Both senators express hope that next month's election of a permanent government will help speed the reconciliation of the Sunnis to the plans of the Shiites and the Kurds, but they acknowledge that the critical decisions in this regard must be made by the Iraqis themselves.
Predictably, Democrats find themselves creeping back down off the limb they'd gotten themselves stuck on to the safety of agreeing with the President's policy. That's what a 403-3 vote will do to you. Posted by Orrin Judd at November 27, 2005 3:15 PM
Pray tell, if Broder considers Biden and Obama "respected" members of the Foreign Relations Committee, much less the Senate, then who are the venal, disgusting members?
Posted by: jim hamlen at November 27, 2005 8:30 PMWatching the Sunday shows though, you'd be hard pressed to even know there was a 404-3 vote. In that context -- or lack of context -- there seems to be some sort of concerted effort to make it appear these new statements by Biden, Obama, etc., were conjured up out of thin air, simply as a way to try and broker peace between the Bush administration, most of the congressional Republicans and those one or two rogue Democrats who kind of, might of, could of been sort of possibly just a hair overly harsh in criticizing the Iraq war over the past few months.
Posted by: John at November 27, 2005 11:22 PMThis reminds me of a way I used to bug my sister growing up. If we were mad at each other, I'd sometimes wait until right before she was going to do something and demand that she do it. Of course, she would resent this greatly. Of course, it makes you wonder why the Dems think this is something they should be doing with the war, but oh well.
Posted by: RC at November 28, 2005 2:56 AM