Democrats Debate Iraq While Republican Waffle

One of the sure signs of the demise of the Republican Party is the willingness of so many elected Republican officials in Washington to blindly follow the president; others who show a little independence, of course, are quick to submit to the bullying of the leadership if they wander too far from right wing groupthink. The last seven years have not been American democracy at its best. The question is whether Americans can turn our nation around and whether Democrats can lead the way to some serious reform.

Democrats are increasingly united on Bush's incompetence and recklessness when it comes to Iraq, though the media allow Republicans to push the phony meme about Democrats lacking a 'plan.' The reality is that Bush's decision to go to war without a plan is one reason Iraq is such a mess. Yes, Democrats are debating Iraq, something Republicans have refused to do for over four years, and although Democrats are largely debating timing and what mechanisms to put in place (and what veto-proof votes they might be able to get from Republicans given their razor thin majority in the Senate), they are united in finding a rational way to bring the war in Iraq to a close. It's a difficult problem given how deep a hole Bush has dug and how willing his Republican supporters are to continue rubber stamping his failures.

Tom Hamburger and Janet Hook of The Los Angeles Times write about the debates Democrats are having about Iraq:

Until recently, most Democratic presidential candidates, like the party generally, found success by bashing President Bush's Iraq strategy without offering comprehensive alternatives.

But this week, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), in a departure from his own past statements, introduced legislation that would begin a phased redeployment of troops by April and require that all combat troops leave Iraq by March 2008.

Obama's announcement set him at odds with Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), who has declined to specify a date for the removal of all troops from Iraq. Last week, Clinton proposed placing a cap on the number of U.S. troops and threatening Iraq's government with a withdrawal of support.

Clinton's approach, in turn, drew a caustic attack this week from Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. (D-Del.) — a noteworthy development in a campaign that had been marked by collegiality. Biden said Clinton's proposed strategy for Iraq would "produce nothing but disaster."

The reporters offer a plausible story about what's going on but the truth is that the Democrats are mindful that the nation is united on Iraq: however it's done, it's time to start drawing down in Iraq and bring this dismal chapter in our nation's history to a close. What Americans do not want is more escalation and unending war. I hope that's not too difficult for the media to understand.