A political solution

The Baltimore Sun

An agreement between Congress and the White House on the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq may soon be within reach for the rawest of political reasons: Voters want it.

Democrats, who hold the majority of seats in Congress but not enough to actually control it, are reopening the war debate this week with new resolve. They need a victory, any victory, but especially on this most important of issues to calm constituents deeply disappointed that the war rages on.

Disappointment is absolutely warranted. As this newspaper warned in March, when we argued that withdrawal should be under way by this month, President Bush's troop surge has little chance of a military victory because U.S. service personnel are caught in the middle of several overlapping conflicts. No amount of additional time is going to turned a flawed strategy into success.

Voters know that, and lawmakers sense their impatience. Senate Republicans, Mr. Bush's bulwark against Democratic progress on Capitol Hill, are turning against the president's war policy at an increasing rate, especially those facing re-election next year. Particularly instructive is New Mexico's Pete V. Domenici, whose home state popularity is dropping for other reasons. He said his sudden support for pulling U.S. troops out of the combat zone came at the urging of New Mexico military families who had lost loved ones there.

The White House, fearing further defections from Republican ranks, is reportedly contemplating a pre-emptive strike - a redeployment plan of its own that would give lawmakers political cover.

Few would choose to make policy decisions in such a complicated situation effectively by referendum. But when national leaders fail to respond to the popular will for no discernible good reason, a blunt instrument is sometimes required to get their attention.

Hardly anyone is talking about an immediate or total withdrawal of U.S. forces, but about a range of options for shrinking their ranks over the next year and moving those who remain into support roles.

The next three weeks offer an opportunity for the forces at play to advance their respective political interests by agreeing on an Iraq exit strategy. The old arguments about tipping the enemy to the timetable and leaving chaos behind grow weaker as Americans watch young people destroyed in the chaos that has developed despite - or because of - their presence.

President Bush may bide his time, counting on the usual Senate inertia to run out the clock before Congress leaves on its summer recess. But lawmakers going home to campaign without winning a mission change in Iraq probably don't deserve re-election.

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