ARE DEMOCRATS GONNA GET OFF THE POT? OR THE OTHER THING?

In tomorrow's Washington Post Walter Pincus points out the striking differences between Congressional Democrats in how to deal with the Bush Regime in regard to their escalation in the Middle east, an escalation that is starting with the shipment of another 21,500 troops to Baghdad and looks likely to turn into a war against Iran and Syria.

The Afraid-of-their-own-shadows Democrats, who are clearly unfit for public office, are tip-toeing around trying to work out this bullshit non-binding resolution/symbolic rebuke kind of thing... while Bush drags the country deeper into a more and more catastrophic war. These people are too afraid to do something real-- cut off funds-- that would stop the escalation. Most elected Democrats, and certainly most Senate Democrats, seem to be in this camp. Many of these people are the ones who originally voted approval for the war to begin with. They have learned nothing whatsoever about the nature of America's enemies (Bush and Cheney) and keeping them in office is a danger to us all. Carl Levin (D-MI), for example, is a disaster who wants to sound like he opposes Bush while making sure Bush can go about his merry way slaughtering Americans and Iraqis.

Jack Murtha is on the other side of the divide. "He would not limit funds for the troops already in Iraq but would try to put language in the bill carrying supplemental funds for the war that could prevent the final two U.S. brigades from going over in April and May." This is the only approach that makes sense and the only approach that people who actually oppose expanding this war can rally behind. (The Bush Regime claims they don't care and that they're going no matter what Congress says.)

"Describing the limitations he might put on the supplemental bill, Murtha said, 'I'm going to build a case that says we're in danger because we don't have a strategic reserve' and that troops should not be sent back if they haven't finished their training cycle. He also said, 'I don't know how many troops they can get in the field before we get our bill up and passed in the Congress.'"

Chris Dodd says he's drafting a bill that would require congressional approval for escalation, similar to Kennedy's but, presumably, not as tough. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are still trying to figure out which way the wind is blowing.