White House Is Gaining Confidence It Can Win Fight in Congress Over Iraq Policy

[DeepModem Mom]

NYT: White House Is Gaining Confidence It Can Win Fight in Congress Over Iraq Policy
By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG
Published: August 30, 2007

WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 — The White House is growing more confident that it can beat back efforts by Congressional Democrats to shift course in Iraq, a significant turnabout from two months ago, when a string of Republican defections had administration officials worried that President Bush’s troop buildup was in serious danger on Capitol Hill....

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A senior administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity to avoid upstaging the president, said there was “a sense the dynamic has changed.” But the official was also cautious, adding: “I don’t want to portray overconfidence. This is a very important debate, and September is going to be a very important month.”...

Democratic leaders say they intend to renew their efforts to force Mr. Bush to withdraw troops as soon as possible, and one prominent Republican — Senator John W. Warner of Virginia, the senior Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee — rattled the White House last week when he called for Mr. Bush to begin bringing a small number of troops home by Christmas.

But other Republicans have not embraced Mr. Warner’s plan. At the same time, some Democrats who had been critical of Mr. Bush’s handling of the war have acknowledged that the heightened American troop levels in Iraq do appear to have produced some signs of military progress.

At least one nonpartisan analyst, Charlie Cook, the editor of The Cook Political Report, an independent newsletter, says the pendulum appears to be swinging — even though the war remains hugely unpopular and Republican lawmakers are under great pressure at home to end it....

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/30/washington/30policy.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

[BlooInBloo]

1. I don't see what all the jibberjabber is about...

... The fact is, we're staying in Iraq for as long as GW rules. Everybody knows it, and not a damn thing can be done to stop it.

[TwilightGardener]

2. All they can do is wangle more time, until Chimp's out of office.

Nobody is going to suddenly support the war (unless you're Brian Baird). At best, it will grind on without too much outcry, and then come to a sad finale.

[pinto]

3. Eh, I don't know. The administration is skating on thin ice, imo. TMI out there,

more references to manipulating the intel reports toward a political agenda, plenty of dissenting military reports, etc. etc.

September's apt to be a bumpy ride, in DC-world.

[Poiuyt]

4. Well of course Bush is going to win fight in Congress over Iraq

What do you think the Democrats are going to do? Show backbone?? No, they'll just bend over, grab their ankles and scream "Please sir, may I have another?"

[Selatius]

5. Bush will be able to make "middle of the road" Democrats peel off and vote with the Republicans.

That's how the Democrats usually fold when put under pressure.

[TahitiNut]

6. I wonder what their first clue was?

The hands in the air or the white flags? :eyes: