Battle lines drawn for Bush, Congress on Iraq

[ProSense]

Battle lines drawn for Bush, Congress on Iraq

by Stephen Collinson Sun Sep 2, 3:42 AM ET

WASHINGTON (AFP) - President George W. Bush and his Democratic foes in Congress this week fire the opening shots in a long-brewing clash likely to seal the fate of US war strategy in Iraq.

Lawmakers return from their summer break for a week of hearings and political theater to set the stage for Bush's critical progress report on the war, due by September 15.

Then, in the week of September 9, war commander General David Petraeus, and US ambassador to Baghdad Ryan Crocker will make one of the most significant appearances in Congress for years, to deliver their verdicts on the war.

At stake is the fate of Bush's last-ditch strategy to 'surge' 28,500 extra troops into Iraq, after a highly unpopular four year-war which has killed more than 3,700 US troops and tens of thousands of civilians.

The president wants to push the surge into early next year, but Democrats are set to try again to force him to bring home most combat forces by May.

Bush argues there are unmistakable signs the strategy has dampened violence in Iraq, after Sunni tribes changed sides to battle Al-Qaeda in Anbar province.

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PREEMPTED: Bush admin Iraq spin and Petraeus/WH report

[jaxx]

1. Bush speaks with a forked tongue.

Once I tried to make a list of all his lies since 911. I gave up. It's been neverending......just like his war.

[msongs]

2. who is gonna give bush a "battle"? nt

[TwilightGardener]

3. I am hoping that our fearless leaders and Congresscritters at least

have a plan to counter the propaganda parade, but that might be expecting too much. But Biden, Dodd, Durbin, Leahy and Levin have stayed resolute so far (despite the media word-twisting) about ending the war. Haven't heard much from some of the others, including Snowe, Smith and Hagel--if the antiwar Repugs don't stand firm, we won't get anything passed, that's for sure. Glad Warner at least paid some lip service to pulling out some troops.