The Big Snooze in Congress over Iraq

Despite all the fanfare about the Democrats being a new broom to sweep through the Iraq quagmire in Congress, it appears that the net-net result will be more of the same. Sure, there is a lot of big talk and a sense of outrage at the administration's unwillingness to do anything reasonable about Iraq, but the most that the Democrats seem willing to do is debate and maybe pass some symbolic resolutions which put their outrage on paper, but otherwise give the administration a free pass to do whatever it wants for as long as it wants. Sure, there is some talk about preventing funding for a troop surge, but there doesn't appear to even much consensus on that limited a measure among the Democrats. I could characterize this new Congress as a toothless old dog whose bark is far worse than its bite, but that would be an unecessary disparagement of toothless old dogs. This Democratic Congress is for all intents and purposes asleep at the wheel.

Senator Joe Biden knows full well how atrocious the administration's Iraq policy is, but other than a few unkind but still too charitable words, even this "powerful" chairman of the lofty Senate Foreign Relations Committee has for all intents and purposes signalled that his committee will stand idly by as the administration only adds to the disastrous nature of its foreign policy in Iraq and the Middle East.

The only advantage I can see to the approach of this new Democratic Congress is that in 2008 they will be able to point their finger and say "See, we told you so."

I'm not trying to suggest that the Democrats should seek to cooperate with the administration in its horrendous agenda and policies, but I am suggesting that they need to do a better job of standing up for the people they in theory represent and take a tougher line with the administration. A really tough line. A line that cannot be crossed.

And if they feel that there is "nothing we can do" to stop the administration, they have an obligation to pursue a route which is within their control: impeach the President. His disastrous policies certainly prove that he is all too willing to pursue policies which are harmful to Americans everywhere.

Wake up Congress, wake up, because if you don't, you will have to shoulder blame for complicity and idly standing by while the administration spiraled downwards into the abyss.

-- Jack Krupansky