Sides dig in over Iraq withdrawal debate

WASHINGTON – As the House prepares to mark up a war-spending bill this week, the biggest congressional showdown yet on Iraq looms over a timetable for withdrawal of American troops. Republicans and Democrats are largely unified on either side of the debate.

Vice President Dick Cheney turned up the heat Monday by accusing Democrats of “twisted logic” for saying they support the troops yet opposing the administration’s surge and seeking to get American soldiers out of Iraq.

“If you support the war on terror, then it only makes sense to support it where the terrorists are fighting us,” Cheney said, adding that Democrats “are telling the enemy simply to watch the clock and wait us out.”

Rep. Ike Skelton, D-Mo., chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said Cheney was wrong.

“This is not the war on terror. This is an Iraqi war, which is separate and distinct from the war on terror, and people ought to understand that,” said Skelton. “The only solution is for the Iraqis to take responsibility for their own security.”

Later this week, the House will take up President Bush’s $100 billion request for supplemental war spending; Senate action will follow.

Much of that sum is earmarked for the increase in troops that Bush announced earlier this year. Of the reinforcements, two brigades – about 7,000 troops – already are in Iraq, while one brigade a month will depart for Iraq from now through May, Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Todd Vician said.

Last week, House Democrats announced they would add to the spending bill a deadline of August 2008 for the withdrawal of U.S. troops.

Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., the No. 2 GOP House leader, says he plans to do everything he can to rebuff the anti-war effort, which he says is meant to mask the fact that Democrats “are not able to come up with a strategy” for victory and instead are focused on criticizing and hamstringing the president.

“As Republican whip I can tell you we’re more united on this issue than anything in quite a while,” Blunt said. “It’s easy to throw cheap shots from the cheap seats,” Blunt added.

Senate Democrats have coalesced around a position to bring troops home by March of next year, with Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., leading the charge to build support as majority whip.

“Because of the president’s failed strategy … our military options in Iraq have been exhausted,” said Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill. The Senate measure, which faces tougher going than the House version because of the prospect of a filibuster, would need at least 60 votes.

Sen. Christopher “Kit” Bond, R-Mo., vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, plans to push back.

“We need to give (U.S. commanders) a chance to succeed, not micromanage the war from Congress like the House Democrats are attempting to do,” Bond said.

Top House Democrats retreated Monday from a provision to limit Bush’s authority for taking military action against Iran, the Associated Press reported.