The Disingenuous Democrats...

Few can argue that it has been the Democratic Party that has been leading the public relations charge against the strategic and tactical changes being made by the Administration and military in Iraq. Congresspeople and Senators with names like Pelosi, Murtha, Reid, and others have railed against the "surge".

One would assume that if a Congressperson or Senator believes fervently in the wrongness of the "surge" and other components of the President's new strategy for success in Iraq, then it is incumbent upon that Congressperson or Senator to exhaust Congress' warmaking and oversight powers to prevent or end the surge, and even the entire Iraq adventure.

Instead, witness Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid's, recent quotes during an interview with the new Washington, DC, political newspaper, "The Politico": Republicans "would like this debate to be as whether or not we are going to be cutting off money for the troops," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid recently told The Politico. "The logical conclusion is that a lot of things can happen. But right now, the most important thing is to tell the president that what he has done with the escalation is wrong. And that's what we are doing, bi-partisanly."

You are Congress. You alone have the Constitutional authority to declare war. Under your War Powers Resolution of 1973, you have clarified the circumstances under which a president may take the country to war, and you have reserved for yourself the right to withdraw statutory warmaking authority from the executive branch. And the extreme action you're taking is "to tell the president that what he has done...is wrong"??????

Reid's quote lays bare the true nature of the "opposition" in the Congress to the Iraqi conflict, led by the Democratic Party. It's not actually interested in solving what it perceives to be a problem -- not interested in exercising its powers, acting boldly (or recklessly, depending on your perspective) -- it's content with just talking about it. How sad and pathetic. How poorly we are all represented by the new party in power. Shame on them for their weakness and laziness.

PS Contrast this with Senator Russ Feingold, who at least has the courage of his convictions.